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HRMs needs their own forum and an HRV app

Former Member over 10 years ago

First, why do HRMs not have their own dedicated forum? Or am I missing something?

Next, HRMs and HRV.

I find my Harmin HRM-Run to be not only accurate but comfortable to wear. However, as well as ANT+ works, the technology seems to be limiting some usage that I see as crucial to HRM functionality, especially in the iOS world. I gather that some Android phones can detect ANT+, but this will never happen in the Apple world. So our ANT+ HRMs can only send a signal to another ANT+ device, which then and only then can interact with iPhones. This means that until Garmin develops its own Heart Rate Variability app, there is no way in the iPhone-verse to get the data from my expensive HRM-Run. I do a slow burn every time I contemplate this. HRV data is routinely used to ensure overtraining does not occur. Surely there are Garmin users who train at a high enough level to need this info. What are they doing?

AFAIK, the following choices are available. There are hacks for iPhone <6 with older iOS, but nothing for newer phones. You can use the phone's camera to detect HR and a number of third party HRV apps. You can buy any number of cheap BT HRMs that work with phone HRV apps. BUT YOU CANNOT USE YOUR EXPENSIVE GARMIN HRM, EXPENSIVE GARMIN WATCH AND EXPENSIVE IPHONE TOGETHER TO GET THIS INFO.

This is the 21st century, you know.

Thank you for listening.

0 JSRUNNER_ over 10 years ago

Not sure I fully understand your point. The problem here seems to be joint - in that Apple refuse to include ANT technology in their phones not just Garmin being insular. The Garmin HRM is designed to work with a Garmin watch and those newer watches can communicate via Bluetooth and wifi so should connect to an Apple phone if needed. What is it that you are looking to get from an app on the phone that you do not get from the watch?

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

Not sure I fully understand your point. The problem here seems to be joint - in that Apple refuse to include ANT technology in their phones not just Garmin being insular. The Garmin HRM is designed to work with a Garmin watch and those newer watches can communicate via Bluetooth and wifi so should connect to an Apple phone if needed. What is it that you are looking to get from an app on the phone that you do not get from the watch?

You need an app to analyze the HR data. It is not just knowing your pulse rate, how fast or how slow it is. It is knowing how much variability there is from beat to beat. More variability is good; less variability means stress or overtraining, or even a number of medical conditions.

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I am not an engineer so I cannot tell you how to do it but I think it is essentially a pretty easy derivation from the HRM data. I believe all Garmin Fitness devices send Garmin HRM data to Garmin Connect over BT (or ANT/USB connector to PC/Mac in older models). Using any of a number of algorithms, you could easily convert this into HRV data.

I could buy a someone else's fairly inexpensive BT HRM and purchase an iPhone app that would give me this data. BUT I ALREADY OWN A $100 Garmin HRM-Run AND FEEL GARMIN IS LETTING ME DOWN BY IGNORING THIS IMPORTANT TRAINING TOOL! Also, this represents a potential marketing tool for the company. Just send me the royalties!

0 Dr Phil over 10 years ago

It would appear Garmin take note of that anyway when the device computes your recovery time. Sometimes getting bogged down in the data can obscure the outcome. If Garmin's algorithms are correct, then taking heed of the recovery times is likely all you need.

For me the most simple metric to monitor overtraining is resting heart rate taken immediately you wake-up. Along with an ounce or 2 of common sense, you don't need much else.

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

I am glad you have found a simple metric. But HRV is even more useful and even more specific. This thread is about Feature Requests. I know how to take my pulse without a HRM. I believe HRV is a tool that serious athletes will request more frequently. Garmin is missing a step by not having this feature.

0 JSRUNNER_ over 10 years ago

HRV is an interesting Stat but it is still a long way from being fully understood in the context of fitness training and there are still divergent scientific views on how it can be applied and how it correlates to training stress.

Garmin are having enough trouble getting the basic features working - but I agree that it would be a "nice to have" , however the fact that the other mainstream sites such as Strava don't provide this analysis tends to indicate that it is not yet mainstream enough for Garmin to add it.

I believe that Firstbeat do allow analysis of HRV and I think they are also behind the algorithm used in Garmin watches - it may be worth you looking at the features offered by firstbeat and the extent of its ability to use Garmin data.

0 Dr Phil over 10 years ago

I am glad you have found a simple metric. But HRV is even more useful and even more specific. This thread is about Feature Requests. I know how to take my pulse without a HRM. I believe HRV is a tool that serious athletes will request more frequently. Garmin is missing a step by not having this feature.

Wonder what I need do to become a 'serious athlete'? LOL