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Connect thinks I have retired

Erling
over 2 years ago

Up until last year I did a lot of indoor cycling on a dumb trainer, logged by my Forerunner M45 using the wrist HRM (now replaced with an M55). According to the Connect app I was in pretty good shape – at 67 I was pleased to note that my VO2 max was 45 and my fitness age was 20. The number of intensity minutes per week more often than not exceeded 500.

Last December I finally converted to a smart trainer, a Tacx Neo 2T, and became a keen Zwifter. I needed to get a chest strap to let Zwift do all the recording. My Zwift account is synced to Connect. The chest strap is paired with both the M55 and the trainer, but I no longer start the watch to record my training, as that would have resulted in double recordings.

What has happened, is that Connect is looking at me as a slacker. In Connect’s training data transferred from Zwift I still regularly achieve 185 BPM, while Connect’s day-to-day data for the same moment may show 115. My recorded intensity minutes now rarely exceeds 220 minutes a week. My VO2 max has dropped from 45 to 38 according to Connect and my fitness age is currently 61.

The truth is that my training has increased in both duration and intensity. Zwift estimates my VO2 max to 44. I would be grateful if someone could tell me what I need to do to get Connect to record the correct data.

  • 0 over 2 years ago
    Erling said:
    My recorded intensity minutes now rarely exceeds 220 minutes a week.

    Zwift does not log any Intensity Minutes, hence that may be the reason you get too few of them

    As for the Fitness Age, have a look at the following article:

    What Does Fitness Age Mean in Garmin Connect? | Garmin Customer Support

  • +1 over 2 years ago

    You can solve the Intensity Minutes concern by simply starting a Yoga (or some other throw away activity) activity on the watch. Since the watch is already paired with the chest strap the watch will record the IM for you in Connect. Either keep the Yoga activity when done or simply delete it. No duplicate activity to worry about.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 4411990

    Thanks, this did actually work. I assume the problem is more related to the M45/M55 than to Connect, come to think of it. Connect will only know the data transferred from the unit. What you suggest is a useable workaround, but I don't understand why the Forerunner doesn't know my real HR during workouts unless I start an activity. 

    If I manage to insert images correctly, here are two examples.

    1) Data from a workout a few days ago showing the problem. Image to the left is HR data from the workout, image to the right HR data from the whole day. So Connect knows that my max HR that day was 184 BPM, but the day-to-day image says my max was 99 BPM.

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/awb0puzesf4ir3auv9m2r/Avvik1.JPG?rlkey=mxt3t52vokcfpdkculd5r013x&raw=1

    2) Data from today's workout. Image to the left is HR from the workout, to the right from the whole day so far. My "Yoga" has made the bicycle workout convince Connect I'm actually trying to keep fit.

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6uz8mrasnmt71tnndxdyx/Avvik2.JPG?rlkey=wobz4e1n1yi2ro46pkplvl1ji&raw=1

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Erling

    I never could get my watch (Vivoactive 4 or Venu 2) to see the HR strap UNLESS I got it connected to an activity in progress.

    If I broadcast the HR from the watch to Tacx, for example, then I get intensity minutes,

    I think there is an issue with just connecting the strap to the watch. It doesn't overide the watch HR so Connect never sees the strap.

    But seriously, I get IMs without even starting activities. So who knows what's going on.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 4411990
    4411990 said:
    I never could get my watch (Vivoactive 4 or Venu 2) to see the HR strap UNLESS I got it connected to an activity in progress.

    That is how it is designed to work. It will only connect in an activity (and in the sensors menu). To make the watch use the HR from the strap you must start an activity.

    You will get intensity minutes outside of activities. The only thing that matters is the HR. In an activity the HR is often higher and will give you more IMs.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Update, in case anyone is interested:

    When I looked deeper into my Forerunner 55's capabilities, I found that even this entry-level unit can work as an 'external' HR monitor. So I retired the chest strap and for each workout I set the watch up to send my HR to the Tacx trainer. The result is that my HR is registered in Zwift during the workout and afterwards transferred along with the other data to Connect and Strava. Also, and this was the part I was missing, Connect takes the workout HR into account for my general performance. So my intensity minutes, my VO2max and my fitness age are now back where they should be. Well, in the ballpark anyway. The chest strap was probably more accurate.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Erling

    Hi,Garmin's support for fitness metrics on activities coming in from 3rd-party apps (such as Zwift) is relatively new and still evolving. Often the Garmin device can provide more metrics than you will get via the 3rd-party app support.

    So you could alternatively eliminate Zwift as the middle-man by simply recording your Zwift activities on your watch, and *not* connecting Zwift to Garmin Connect at all. Then all of your watch's features are being used and your metrics aren't relying on 3rd-party data from outside the Garmin ecosystem.

    The downside of that option is your spatial data (virtual position, distance, speed, and elevation) will be missing or incorrect. But you can edit them manually in Garmin Connect afterwards to match what Zwift showed. Or you can use a 3rd-party tool like Fit File Repair Tool to merge the spatial data from Zwift's FIT file into the FIT file from your watch, then you have "everything" together in GC.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Kyle J

    Food for thought, appreciated. Unfortunately, and assuming I understand your post correctly, I cannot base my recordings on manual editing - I'm working out five times a week and need to have automatic recordings. I want correct Connect data of my general fitness, and correct Zwift data is a requirement for racing: If you don't have a HR monitor you can't enter races. At all times, Zwift will also have to know where you are on the route, how many watts you are producing etc. 

    By using the 55 as an external HR monitor as described above I have a solution. BUT: I cannot for the life of me understand(/accept) why it doesn't record my actual HR if I don't start an activity. When I use a chest strap connected to Zwift and work hard, Zwift displays a high, credible heart rate. When checking the watch, I see a HR like I'm doing a walk. 

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Erling

    Not quite, my suggestion was to pair your HRM and trainer with Zwift as usual but don't connect Zwift to Garmin Connect. At the same time record the activity on your watch, also paired with your trainer. (This is commonly called "dual recording".)

    This way Zwift is self-contained, and you are not relying on data from Zwift for your Garmin fitness metrics since you're also recording with the watch. The only thing Garmin will be missing or inaccurate is the virtual spatial data (position, distance, speed, and elevation), none of which affect your Garmin fitness metrics. But if like me you still like to have this data in Garmin Connect too, then you can simply manually edit the values in GC, or use a 3rd party tool like FFRT to merge the data from Zwift into GC.

    Anyhow if your current method works fine for your needs then that's okay too. Only suggested it because some users find the Zwift-to-GC connection doesn't support all the Garmin metrics (especially cycling dynamics for those using compatible Garmin devices and power meters). Garmin's been increasing the amount of metrics that are supported from 3rd-party apps though over the past couple years, so things are improving. Cheers