Weight Lifting and Apple Watch

[BlueMoon63]

Great post and very helpful. I've never heard of GymBook and I have tried so many. I use Fitness Builder and like it a lot. I'm also a big fan of HIIT and I don't do any type of long runs.

Thanks for the additional feedback.

 

[MarcoCapa]

I use mine for both running and weights. When doing my strength training routines, I set the workout app to Other. The first time I selected that, the watch let me know that if no other sensors provided data (i.e. HR), it would at least be tracked as the equivalent of a brisk walk. HR sensor works fine for me when lifting, and I see it rise up and down with intensity.

My strength training is a personal hybrid of HIIT and BFL. It takes me all of 12-15 minutes and I get the results I want... not a body-builder, but lean and defined. I alternate between upper and lower body groups each session, and alternate between strength training and cardio daily with Sundays off. Everyone has to find what works for their body.

I am very impressed with the HR sensor on the Apple Watch vs. my Moto 360. The AW is able to continually track HR even when I run, while the M360 just gives up with an error message. It is nice the AW can pair with a chest strap, but I'm happy with it as it is.

Now if they can add Oxygen Saturation via a software update, that will be very cool.

One last note: I was playing around with VimoFit on my Moto 360. It can track lift reps and sets via the gyro/accelerometer. Their web site said they were working on a version for Apple Watch. That would be neat. Right now I use GymBook on my iPhone to track my lifting sessions. No AW interface yet.

Very nice the vimofit app

 

[HelloMikee]

Do you guys use "Other" in the workout app for lifting weights at the gym since the other workouts are all cardio?

How accurate is that? How does the watch calculate calories? By heart rate or movement?

When lifting I use Other/Open. Today's results for doing shoulders (with a workout partner):

Time: 1:21 (again with a partner so a little more rest time then usual)
Active Calories: 301
Resting Calories: 117
Total Calories: 418
Average Heart Rate: 96 BMP

Not sure how accurate this is but at least it's some form of analytics which I think is better than nothing even if it's off by some. The trade off being it's just on my wrist and there's no fuss. Super easy.

I think for a normal build like myself who just wants to look decent and keep fit, it's a good option for me. Athletes may want more.

I also use it for cardio, usually a 3-4 mile run, rowing and hiking. Distances on my runs are a little off from other applications I've used in the past. But I've only done 3 outdoor runs so far with the rest on a treadmill. Hopefully as I jot more outdoor runs, the GPS is more accurate.

All in all, it's nice to see the work I'm doing in numbers. Hopefully as time goes by Apple can really fine tune and provide a little more accuracy, esp. in the cardiovascular segment.

But I gotta say, I'm addicted to those rings. The hardest ring for me to complete, oddly enough, is the standing for 12 hours. I keep missing a few when I'm in meetings or driving haha.

 

[GrindedDown]

I have been big into fitness and lifting for a long time now and have spent a great deal of time dedicated to learning a lot of the science, the ins and outs of calorie tracking, burning, and all that.

From my own observations and from the data that you guys have suggested so far in this thread, in regards to calories burned in particular, the numbers seem to be pretty accurate as to what you could expect from a weightlifting workout.

As a note, I have seen that heart rate can seem rather erratic when wearing the watch for weight lifting, but the truth is that when doing heavy lifting, heart rate can be extremely erratic.

If I were to measure my heart rate manually the second I have just finished my last squat rep after doing 8-10, I would expect to measure my heart rate in the 150-170 area depending. If I were to wait for just a minute and a half, it could have gotten as low as 100BPMs or less depending on how many sets into my workout I am, if I did any warm up cardio or any of that.

From what I understand as the behaviour of the watch, you absolutely MUST have the watch in workout mode for it to display accurate metrics after it's done. The problem if it is not in workout mode is that since it takes your heart rate only ever 10 minutes or so, it could be taking measurement when my heart rate has bottomed out after a set. Or it could take my measurement immediately after each exercise when it is at its peak. This will produce wildly inaccurate results at either end of the spectrum, as opposed to tracking both the highs and lows and giving me what amounts to a mean HR.

Also as someone said, keep the watch on just a little farther away from right where the wrist is to produce more accurate results (there are exceptions to that).

Just some insight for y'all.

 

[BlueMoon63]

I have been big into fitness and lifting for a long time now and have spent a great deal of time dedicated to learning a lot of the science, the ins and outs of calorie tracking, burning, and all that.

From my own observations and from the data that you guys have suggested so far in this thread, in regards to calories burned in particular, the numbers seem to be pretty accurate as to what you could expect from a weightlifting workout.

As a note, I have seen that heart rate can seem rather erratic when wearing the watch for weight lifting, but the truth is that when doing heavy lifting, heart rate can be extremely erratic.

If I were to measure my heart rate manually the second I have just finished my last squat rep after doing 8-10, I would expect to measure my heart rate in the 150-170 area depending. If I were to wait for just a minute and a half, it could have gotten as low as 100BPMs or less depending on how many sets into my workout I am, if I did any warm up cardio or any of that.

From what I understand as the behaviour of the watch, you absolutely MUST have the watch in workout mode for it to display accurate metrics after it's done. The problem is that since it takes your heart rate only ever 10 minutes or so, it could be taking measurement after my heart rate has bottomed out after a set. Or it could take my measurement immediately after each exercise when it is at its peak. This will produce wildly inaccurate results at either end of the spectrum.

Also as someone said, keep the watch on just a little farther away from right where the wrist is to produce more accurate results (there are exceptions to that).

Just some insight for y'all.

Complete agreement and the last post of 400+ calories with more rest in an one hour 17 minute seems accurate to me. The benefits of weightlifting go beyond the workout as well with more calorie burn than a run is complete.

 

[GrindedDown]

Complete agreement and the last post of 400+ calories with more rest in an one hour 17 minute seems accurate to me. The benefits of weightlifting go beyond the workout as well with more calorie burn than a run is complete.

Very true, lifting weights particularly doing sets that include hypertrophy ranges (6-12 reps) as opposed to more aerobic weightlifting ranges (15+ reps), can have a pretty big difference on resting metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after a workout.

I do wonder if the watch is able to track things like that. Like for instance, I don't workout for a week and then take my average daily calorie burn. Then I lift two days in a row and on the third day, which is my rest day, measure my resting calorie expenditure and see if the results or the same or there is some increase in expenditure.....

Anyone know if that's the case at all?

 

[acosmichippo]

I do wonder if the watch is able to track things like that. Like for instance, I don't workout for a week and then take my average daily calorie burn. Then I lift two days in a row and on the third day, which is my rest day, measure my resting calorie expenditure and see if the results or the same or there is some increase in expenditure.....

Anyone know if that's the case at all?

I don't think it works like that. At least for me, my resting calories are exactly the same every day - 3141. No variance whatsoever. So that leads me to believe it is just the product of a formula based on my health stats.

 

[Bromeo]

Very true, lifting weights particularly doing sets that include hypertrophy ranges (6-12 reps) as opposed to more aerobic weightlifting ranges (15+ reps), can have a pretty big difference on resting metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after a workout.

I do wonder if the watch is able to track things like that. Like for instance, I don't workout for a week and then take my average daily calorie burn. Then I lift two days in a row and on the third day, which is my rest day, measure my resting calorie expenditure and see if the results or the same or there is some increase in expenditure.....

Anyone know if that's the case at all?

The ABC News Segment showing Apple's secret research lab going on two years of testing Apple Watch health tracking might be an indication of the quantity and quality of data gathering they did.

It does look like they focused primarily on cardio workouts first and foremost, which is the most common exercise people do and important to get right. However, in the backgrounds of the video, you can see strength training machines and free weights.

I would not be surprised if we see a lot more yet to come to the watch in the form of software updates.

 

[GrindedDown]

I don't think it works like that. At least for me, my resting calories are exactly the same every day - 3141. No variance whatsoever. So that leads me to believe it is just the product of a formula based on my health stats.

Hmm that's good to know. Yeah there are a lot of standardized formulas and one or two that are pretty remarkably accurate for the general population.

I think one of the problems may be the accuracy to which increased calorie expenditure can be calculated in regards to post lifting recovery and muscle repair. The watch has no way of telling how intense your workout was on your muscles and how well conditioned your muscles are. Or how much muscle your body has. This is info that can be obtained and entered no doubt, but it's the accuracy of results that's tough.

If bodybuilder X and gym newbie Y, both do a workout of the same set, rep, and weight range, post workout expenditure may be different. If X does a workout adequate to sufficiently fatigue his own muscles and Y does a workout to fatigue that is equally as sufficient, who burns more? Unfortunately what I found is that it's tough to get precise answers, but rather reasonable guesstimates that may be wrong.

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The ABC News Segment showing Apple's secret research lab going on two years of testing Apple Watch health tracking might be an indication of the quantity and quality of data gathering they did.

It does look like they focused primarily on cardio workouts first and foremost, which is the most common exercise people do and important to get right. However, in the backgrounds of the video, you can see strength training machines and free weights.

I would not be surprised if we see a lot more yet to come to the watch in the form of software updates.

Despite what you I said above about problems with accuracy, I would be willing to bet quite a bit that you are right. Apple is certainly going to be doing some serious research.

I don't know about you guys, but at my gym Beats have become ubiquitous with headphones people wear to the gym and I see a lot of them. I'm sure with the popularity of the sport models, Apple will be working very hard to bring that same ubiquity wearables at the gym.

I have noticed that while cardio has made strides in connection with technology, weight lifting has struggled to make the technology leap. Hopefully Apple can do something about that.

 

[Capattack]

My best advice is to be in the gym longer then 34 minutes..
Like, what can somebody really accomplish in 34 minutes at the gym?! A warm up alone should be 5-10 minutes.

I've never worked out more than 45 minutes and am 5'9 187 lbs with 6.5% body fat. If you know what you're doing and aren't screwing around you don't need more than 30 minutes. It's all about super sets and good form.

 

[LiemTa]

The ABC News Segment showing Apple's secret research lab going on two years of testing Apple Watch health tracking might be an indication of the quantity and quality of data gathering they did.

It does look like they focused primarily on cardio workouts first and foremost, which is the most common exercise people do and important to get right. However, in the backgrounds of the video, you can see strength training machines and free weights.

I would not be surprised if we see a lot more yet to come to the watch in the form of software updates.

Are the people at ABC retarded? They get exclusive access to Apple's health research facilities and were only able to garner enough footage for a 2.5 minute video?

 

[McDaddio]

I've never worked out more than 45 minutes. If you know what you're doing and aren't screwing around you don't need more than 30 minutes.

45 minutes is more than 30 minutes.

 

[Shawnlock]

Who cares how long you worked out?? Sometimes you have to do what you can in the time you have available. Jeez, TOTALLY not the point.

I use the "other" mode when lifting (for those of you who are judging they usually take about 90 min without the conditioning at the end and I don't wear gloves).

Calorie burn seems pretty good for the workout itself, keeping in mind that the watch looks like it's double counting active calories in BMR.

 

[penajmz]

Wow - weird responses to your questions. Your results seem perfect to me for the time. I was wondering what to use as well and Other seems right so you helped me. It was a quick workout. I would expect 30 minutes.

You helped me with the choice. Other seems right and the total calories and HR seem right. Of course, I assume all the measurements for your body and other info is set.

Yes absolutely, weight, age and height are all set. I don't think it will give us an extremely accurate read but it should be close enough and better than nothing, I'll take it.

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I want to comment on this again. Typical weight training workouts have a very wide range of heartbeats. Starting in the 70-80 range and spike under heavy loads and longer reps and then back down during rest periods depending on your current health.

Seeing 103 as the average heart rate seems very accurate to me.

Are others having these results? Can you chart the heart rate for the entire workout or with other is it less checking?

Don't get my watch until today.

When you start an activity within the workout app, your heart rate is monitored during the whole activity until you end it. That includes other as well. You can tell because the sensors turn on.

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I weight train 5x a week and I just set it to Other/Open and let her run. Have been doing this since launch day. Average about 45 to 50 minutes and 275 total kcal, with average HR in the 80-90 range.

HR can be all over the map since when you have weight on your hand and writs your arteries constrict. This throws the optical sensor off and often get reading in the 40/50 range. For instance this morning was doing single cable bi curls and when I finished with my left it said 48BPM. However when I finished my right it was 115BPM.

While measuring metrics in lifting can be tricky it is just nice to have a base measurement and get credit for Exercise and Move calories.

Happened to me today! Was doing chest and checking HR, very low reads. That makes total sense. Thanks!

And I agree with you, I'll take those readings over none any day because I'm not buying something else to track anything while at the gym. The watch would be the only thing I'd use.

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I use mine for both running and weights. When doing my strength training routines, I set the workout app to Other. The first time I selected that, the watch let me know that if no other sensors provided data (i.e. HR), it would at least be tracked as the equivalent of a brisk walk. HR sensor works fine for me when lifting, and I see it rise up and down with intensity.

My strength training is a personal hybrid of HIIT and BFL. It takes me all of 12-15 minutes and I get the results I want... not a body-builder, but lean and defined. I alternate between upper and lower body groups each session, and alternate between strength training and cardio daily with Sundays off. Everyone has to find what works for their body.

I am very impressed with the HR sensor on the Apple Watch vs. my Moto 360. The AW is able to continually track HR even when I run, while the M360 just gives up with an error message. It is nice the AW can pair with a chest strap, but I'm happy with it as it is.

Now if they can add Oxygen Saturation via a software update, that will be very cool.

One last note: I was playing around with VimoFit on my Moto 360. It can track lift reps and sets via the gyro/accelerometer. Their web site said they were working on a version for Apple Watch. That would be neat. Right now I use GymBook on my iPhone to track my lifting sessions. No AW interface yet.

I do some HIIT Tabata cardio sometimes for a total of 4 minutes and feels great... Have heard HIIT strength training gives great results but have yet to research it to understand it fully.

----------

I have been big into fitness and lifting for a long time now and have spent a great deal of time dedicated to learning a lot of the science, the ins and outs of calorie tracking, burning, and all that.

From my own observations and from the data that you guys have suggested so far in this thread, in regards to calories burned in particular, the numbers seem to be pretty accurate as to what you could expect from a weightlifting workout.

As a note, I have seen that heart rate can seem rather erratic when wearing the watch for weight lifting, but the truth is that when doing heavy lifting, heart rate can be extremely erratic.

If I were to measure my heart rate manually the second I have just finished my last squat rep after doing 8-10, I would expect to measure my heart rate in the 150-170 area depending. If I were to wait for just a minute and a half, it could have gotten as low as 100BPMs or less depending on how many sets into my workout I am, if I did any warm up cardio or any of that.

From what I understand as the behaviour of the watch, you absolutely MUST have the watch in workout mode for it to display accurate metrics after it's done. The problem if it is not in workout mode is that since it takes your heart rate only ever 10 minutes or so, it could be taking measurement when my heart rate has bottomed out after a set. Or it could take my measurement immediately after each exercise when it is at its peak. This will produce wildly inaccurate results at either end of the spectrum, as opposed to tracking both the highs and lows and giving me what amounts to a mean HR.

Also as someone said, keep the watch on just a little farther away from right where the wrist is to produce more accurate results (there are exceptions to that).

Just some insight for y'all.

Thanks for that!

When you select an activity the watch measures your heart rate every second during the whole workout. I always select an activity so that I get the most accurate readings possible.

 

[AFDoc]

All of you people giving OP crap about his workout why don't you go ahead and post up some full body pics of yourselves so we can see what your hard work is getting you.

OP don't sweat most of these people... most are probably writing from mom's basement anyway.

 

[flur]

All of you people giving OP crap about his workout why don't you go ahead and post up some full body pics of yourselves so we can see what your hard work is getting you.

OP don't sweat most of these people... most are probably writing from mom's basement anyway.

LOL. *waits for pics*

 

[loyalist]

All of you people giving OP crap about his workout why don't you go ahead and post up some full body pics of yourselves so we can see what your hard work is getting you.

NO gloves!

 

[penajmz]

All of you people giving OP crap about his workout why don't you go ahead and post up some full body pics of yourselves so we can see what your hard work is getting you.

OP don't sweat most of these people... most are probably writing from mom's basement anyway.

Ha! I don't sweat it at all. I've been working out for years not to be a bodybuilder but to keep in decent shape and to be healthy.

We all just got the watch very recently and I was just trying to figure out what the best possible way to track our workouts was and many responses gave us some good info.

I'm sure some, if not all, of the "flamers" don't even have a watch.

 

[AFDoc]

NO gloves!

View attachment 551893

I saw a deal about this guy.,..... big rock star where he's from.

 

[x-evil-x]

any way to change activity level once you first select low moderate or high at the start of opening the fitness app?

 

[penajmz]

any way to change activity level once you first select low moderate or high at the start of opening the fitness app?

Good question, I just tried to find out but couldn't. Maybe someone else knows how.

 

[zmunkz]

#psa

 

[Mumbles01]

LOL. *waits for pics*

Deal, let's do it.
Basement dweller my ass.

 

[Aluminum213]

Deal, let's do it.
Basement dweller my ass.

I think you forgot to workout your legs

 

[Mumbles01]

I think you forgot to workout your legs

Rofl how originally hilarious that THAT would be the first comment. Pat your self on the back.
But regardless of how the picture looks I still push 8 plates on hack squats, 16 on leg press & squat 320 x 4.
Thanks for playing though.