Heart rate display

[Bob Heacox]

While exercising, the HR display occasionally switches between bright white numbers and very dull numbers that seem to get stuck at a number that is slower than what I know my HR to be.
Is my actual accurate HR being recorded when those dull numbers are displayed?

 

[waw74]

Check in the fitness app, there will be a chart of your heart rate for each workout.

check in the health app, go to the heart rate page, scroll all the way down, open "show all data". Find the date then the time of your workout, All individual readings are listed.

Both of these are on the phone.

If it's showing low numbers, try a bit tighter on your watch band.

 

[Howard2k]

When it goes grey it means it's lost track. Ensure that you're wearing the watch tight enough and not too far down the wrist.

 

[Bob Heacox]

When it goes grey it means it's lost track. Ensure that you're wearing the watch tight enough and not too far down the wrist.

It evidently loses track frequently when I’m rowing, then, and I wear the band very snuggly on my wrist.
If I connect it to my Nielsen Kellerman Bluetooth chest transmitter I get constant, consistent, accurate readings but I wish it would do the same without using a chest strap.

 

[Howard2k]

It evidently loses track frequently when I’m rowing, then, and I wear the band very snuggly on my wrist.
If I connect it to my Nielsen Kellerman Bluetooth chest transmitter I get constant, consistent, accurate readings but I wish it would do the same without using a chest strap.

Wrist based will likely never be as good as a chest strap, though the Apple wrist sensor has been shown to be among the best on the industry; if not the best.

Your only real options are to try different variations of tightness, wrist position, and strap. Or accept the loss of granularity in some instances.

One thing I do for constant exercise (like running) is to start the HRM a minute or so before I start the actual run. But HIIT or similar it’s just not going to be as accurate as a chest strap. Again, more accurate than most wrist based, but it has limitations.

 

[Bob Heacox]

Wrist based will likely never be as good as a chest strap, though the Apple wrist sensor has been shown to be among the best on the industry; if not the best.

Your only real options are to try different variations of tightness, wrist position, and strap. Or accept the loss of granularity in some instances.

One thing I do for constant exercise (like running) is to start the HRM a minute or so before I start the actual run. But HIIT or similar it’s just not going to be as accurate as a chest strap. Again, more accurate than most wrist based, but it has limitations.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Wando64]

It evidently loses track frequently when I’m rowing, then, and I wear the band very snuggly on my wrist.
If I connect it to my Nielsen Kellerman Bluetooth chest transmitter I get constant, consistent, accurate readings but I wish it would do the same without using a chest strap.

It needs to be high up on your wrist (in the direction of the elbow, to be clear).
With the right positioning it is quite accurate, as long as you don’t mind the occasional dropout (more frequent in cold weather) and/or the occasional bad recording where your heart rate momentarily spikes or drops to unrealistic figures.
Another disadvantage of wrist reading is that it reacts slowly to HR changes and therefore is not suitable for burst exercising.

I mostly use my chest band when I exercise as I need immediate and accurate feedback.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Every Apple Watch I have owned has suffered from occasional HR drop outs no matter how I wear my watch.