Heart rate zones: setting in Garmin Connect different than on actual devices?

The HR zones in Garmin Connect are entirely independent from your device. If you want them to match you need to set them all the same. You sometimes can use the "send to device" but I've had trouble with that in the past.

There are some hr setting on some devices that can only be set with Garmin Connect or my preference, Garmin Training Center. GTC works better IMO with the older Garmin devices.

Thanks for the response!!

I get what you're saying, although it does seem a little odd that they aren't the same, but I guess there are good reasons. How does this affect results, do you know? For example, if I train using the watch zones then upload to GC, will GC work out calories or anything else to mismatch what I'd been training towards?

I've also noticed that if I match both device and GC heart zone settings to be the same, GC sets the Resting Heart Rate to zero? The rest of the BPM and % of Max are the same.

AFAIK, Garmin Connect only reports the Calories reported by your device. So if your Garmin device figure Calories, none will be reported on GC.

Much of what I say here has just been my assumption. I've never looked too close at the HR stuff, other than to make sure Garmin Connect's agrees with what's on my device. I prefer to use the old Garmin Training Center software for my edge500. It allows me to set more stuff on the device that Garmin Connect can. However GTC may not work with newer devices as it's been unsupported for over two years.

Some Garmin device are intended only for one activity. So they won't have multiple HR zone tables. So if you send HR data to lets say your edge500, then as it's a "Cycling" device, you probably need to make sure it's the HR table from the "Cycling" tab of Garmin Connect. Likewise the Forerunner probably need to use the "Running" tab.

If any of the devices that have multiple activity types have separate HR tables for each type, I don't know. But I've felt it likely that some problems I've had with HR going to my device from Garmin Connect was the fact I may have had the wrong tab selected. However, I don't seem to have that issue with Garmin Training Center.

Thanks for the response!!


I've also noticed that if I match both device and GC heart zone settings to be the same, GC sets the Resting Heart Rate to zero? The rest of the BPM and % of Max are the same.

I think that this may be because you are using %HRRR (Heart Rate Reserve) in one case and %MHR in the other. If you set your resting heart rate to zero, then then two calculations will return the same result.

I too have this problem. On my device FR 935 i have max HR of 197. I've been training a lot and has edged up with some coaching. But on garmin connect its still the same as when i started. 182. There is also no resting HR or Lactate Threshold set when viewing my device > user settings on the website.

However when i view some of the stats in reports they match what is on my phone. Did you ever figure this out?