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No vigorous Intensity Minutes, missing '300 Intensity Minute' Badge

ANDREAS.EKNES.LIE
over 4 years ago

Hi.

tldr; one day i got a heap of points, and some days later, no points, even though the second exercise were harder and longer.

I need some assistance in understanding how intensity minutes are being calculated.

I get the basics, you need to exercise for at least 10 minutes before intensity minutes are being calculated. Moderate minutes is one point, vigorous double.

On may 15th, i did a trail/mountain run, generating 265 intensity points. Being this close to fulfilling my last missing intensity minutes badge (300), i extended that run (by quite some distance) yesterday (may 21th). I was surprised to see that i failed to generate any vigorous intensity minutes at all, compared to the previous run.

The pace and average heart rate for yesterdays run, support that exercise being harder than the previous one.
I ran with two smartwatches, Forerunner 920xt & Vivosmart HR. The latter only being used for this purpose, namely getting the intensity minutes badges.

I certainly feel i should have been awarded the badge, but i cannot fathom why i was not awarded a single vigorous intensity minute.
Thanks for any replies.

Edit: Yes, anyone can review my fitness data. I consent.

Edit2: Found video explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBDKG_4Cao0
The example for vigorous minutes (female jogger) are less than my average heart rate.

Regards
Andreas Eknes Lie

Date: 2019-05-15
Distance: 15.99K
Time:2:25:22

Avg Heart Rate: 162
Max Heart Rate: 192

Intensity Minutes: 265
Moderate: 31
Vigorous: 117

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3652478818


Date: 2019-05-21
Distance: 23.18K
Time: 3:01:40

Avg Heart Rate: 164
Max Heart Rate: 187

Intensity Minutes: 184
Moderate: 184
Vigorous: 0

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3671049828

Top Replies

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Jerry +1
    Jerry said:
    Which is sort of ironic, isn't it? The more fit we get, the less likely it is that our HR will reach a high level for the entire duration of an activity.

    Yes, but in the same time, the more…

All Replies

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Wow they didn't even reply. Lame. 

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Today I did more than 5 hours cycling activity but I did not get the 300 intense badge. Garmin team please advise. My username : Rageh and I am based in Auckland, New Zealand 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to manofchallenge
    manofchallenge said:
    Today I did more than 5 hours cycling activity but I did not get the 300 intense badge.

    What device did you use? Does the device show you intensity minutes?

  • 0 over 4 years ago
    ANDREAS.EKNES.LIE said:
    I get the basics, you need to exercise for at least 10 minutes before intensity minutes are being calculated.

    ... and for that 10 minutes your heart rate needs to be elevated above a certain level. If you workout hard, but for some reason the sensor does not pick up your elevated heart rate, then no intensity minutes for you.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to tmk2

    Which is sort of ironic, isn't it? The more fit we get, the less likely it is that our HR will reach a high level for the entire duration of an activity. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Jerry
    Jerry said:
    Which is sort of ironic, isn't it? The more fit we get, the less likely it is that our HR will reach a high level for the entire duration of an activity.

    Yes, but in the same time, the more fit you get, the lower the Resting HR is, and that plays a role at the calculation of Intensity Minutes too (unless you have a watch allowing you to use strictly HR zones only for the calculation of IM)

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to trux
    • One would hope the algorithm would factor in the resting HR, but I'm not sure my instinct watch/app is taking that into account. My resting HR averages 53 or so; getting up to 109 doesn't seem to trigger my intensity tracking even if I keep it up for 30 minutes straight. 
  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Jerry
    Jerry said:
    One would hope the algorithm would factor in the resting HR

    It does. From the Support document How Does the Intensity Minutes Feature Work?

    How Can I Earn Intensity Minutes Credit?

    Garmin watches that have the intensity minutes feature can provide credit in two different ways:

    Heart Rate

    Your current heart rate is compared to your average resting heart rate.

    Frequency of Steps

    The number of steps per minute you take is analyzed. For example, you can earn intensity minutes credit once a brisk walk or running is detected. If no heart rate sensor is present, only moderate intensity minutes will be credited.

    Your age, weight, height, and resting heart rate as calculated by your Garmin watch also factor into intensity minutes credit. 

    From my experience with Instinct (the old one), you get Intensity Minutes at around double of the RHR, and vigorous IMs at around 2.5 of that. The exact ratio may perhaps slightly differ, but I did some experiments on a stationary bike, watching the IMs and the HR changing in real-time, and can confirm those numbers are as close as such basic testing could reveal.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to trux

    ... thinking the second time, I am no more sure about the exact ratios to the RHR for IM and Vigorous IM. It is a year ago I did the test. I posted the results in that time, so you could perhaps find it in the forum archive, if interested. Unfortunately I did not keep a bookmark to that thread. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to trux

    ... ah, I found it: https://forums.garmin.com/apps-software/mobile-apps-web/f/garmin-connect-mobile-andriod/255526/intensity-minute

    It was 150% of RHR for given day for IMs, and 200% of the RHR for Vigorous IMs.