I have had two fenix 5s watches. The first workout with both gave me a what I considered an accurate training effect score. However further workouts with the first watch gave me data that I was disappointed with. The watch was consistently reporting training effect that was lower than my perceived effort. After that initial workout, I thought I was working pretty hard, and the watch was like...meh. 2.7 and 0.1 anaerobic. Is this change due to the watch learning my 24/7 heart rate data and it deciding I should be working harder than it initially thought based on my weight/heart rate/ age?
Bearing in mind that 'anaerobic' means without oxygen. That means that you are working at an intensity beyond your aerobic threshold. This is an intensity that perhaps allows a couple of minutes of maximal exercise. Most people seem to think they go anaerobic when they are really just working at a high aerobic intensity.
And let's not go into the whole debate about training effect and perceived effort; other than to say that perceived effort is what you feel during exercise. Training effect, in simple terms, refers to how that particular exercise session will contribute to your fitness and is cumulative. It can have a positive or negative effect.
Post the data bcalvanese has asked for. There might be something in there.
Again you seem to be confusing perceived effort and training effect. The two are not correlated.
You may perceive that you are training hard, and you may be training hard, but if you have been doing too many hard training sessions this could have a detrimental effect. It is quite possible to be training at a perceived effort of 4 (on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is easy) but your heart rate could be well down on what you would normally expect it to be because of fatigue...and any number of other factors.
So I guess if I think I am dying and the watch thinks I am piddling around? Well damn...
The workouts are in line the first time. Perceived effort matches my training effect score. After that it seems to judge me a major slacker!
If you are getting the HR issues you've posted about over here https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?373139-HR-accuracy&p=969242#post969242 then I can't see you getting reliable TE numbers until you fix that. If you can sort the HR problems, the TE numbers will probably start falling in line with what you might expect (bearing in mind all of the other comments about the high level of intensity required to trigger anaerobic TE numbers).
Those 'fix first' issues aside, I've also found the VO2 Max and TE are sensitive to the Max and Min HR values entered in the User settings. The algorithms clearly make some reference to where HR is in relation to max and min, not just absolute values; so 2 people with the same max HR, but different resting HRs, will see different TE scores for the exact same HR plot during an activity; they are also likely to see different VO2 Max computations and calorie count. Before someone launches in with 'and what about HRV, doesn't that influence these calcs', as far as I have found the watch can calculate TE, recovery advisor, VO2 Max (running) and calories from the WHR that does not provide HRV. Whereas LTHR (running), VO2 Max (bike), HRV Stress and FTP (bike) all need HRV from a chest strap to be calculated.
If you are getting the HR issues you've posted about over here https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?373139-HR-accuracy&p=969242#post969242 then I can't see you getting reliable TE numbers until you fix that. If you can sort the HR problems, the TE numbers will probably start falling in line with what you might expect (bearing in mind all of the other comments about the high level of intensity required to trigger anaerobic TE numbers).
Those 'fix first' issues aside, I've also found the VO2 Max and TE are sensitive to the Max and Min HR values entered in the User settings. The algorithms clearly make some reference to where HR is in relation to max and min, not just absolute values; so 2 people with the same max HR, but different resting HRs, will see different TE scores for the exact same HR plot during an activity; they are also likely to see different VO2 Max computations and calorie count. Before someone launches in with 'and what about HRV, doesn't that influence these calcs', as far as I have found the watch can calculate TE, recovery advisor, VO2 Max (running) and calories from the WHR that does not provide HRV. Whereas LTHR (running), VO2 Max (bike), HRV Stress and FTP (bike) all need HRV from a chest strap to be calculated.
Thanks for the response! So far (I've only had it since Friday) the new watch's OHR has been much more reliable. No freezes, and no weird readings. So far every workout's TE has matched my perceived effort. Crossing my fingers that the new one keeps it up. The chest strap is hopeless for now. I'm going to write Garmin and ask them if the newer, more advanced chest strap units might be less prone to interruption.
Today I got a 5 Aerobic TE in Body Combat based on the OHR. And yes I felt like I was dying. LOL.
Age, weight, height and gender are all related to measurements of exercise intensity.
What problems are you experiencing with the chest strap? They are usually more reliable than OHR for intense, dynamic activities. Are you thoroughly wetting the strap before putting it on? Are you wearing it correctly? Are you following the care instructions?
