Indoor Rowing - Heart Rate tracking locks in

Anybody here using Garmin Indoor Rowing app? I have issues when the watch (both F5 and my gf F5s) locks at very low HR, say 85-100 even when I can barely catch my breath. I know there are a lot of conversations here pointing out that the watch has to be in proper position relative to the wrist etc. But this issue mostly happens for indoor rowing, so I'm wondering if this is specific to this activity app. I think I wear it correctly. It's really annoying as it takes sometimes 10 min until it starts showing the "right" data. I usually try to pause/resume the activity, take the watch down, wipe the sensor etc. etc. Didn't notice which of those really helps it to catch up, it does this eventually, when I give up and just focus on rowing :).

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0 Raphael over 4 years ago

Same here, I have to wait 10-15min before the watch detect my activity.

Until that it keeps showing a rate around 100 but I am doing HIIT exercice my rate is more than 150 very quickly and the watch does not detect it.

0 4721634 over 4 years ago in reply to jamesxp

Thank you! This has been frustrating me for months. Appreciate the solution!

0 pengesz over 4 years ago in reply to jamesxp

Same issue here with a quatix 5. I looked for solutions or anyone with the same problem when I first noticed it but to no avail. As the problem persisted, I searched again, and apparently I found the topic. My workaround is to start another activity, wait until the watch detects my heart rate and then switch to indoor rowing. From then on heart rate monitor works perfectly, with the watch in the position where you would normally wear it. I have not experienced anything like this with other activities, so this must be a bug in the software. Garmin, please fix this!

0 maartenwinter over 4 years ago in reply to pengesz

I also have this problem, tried it even on my leg/ankle where the rate is around 120 (expected around 150), better then on my forearm where it counts as 60... Tried many places on forearm: under, above, right, lose, higher, lower, etc.

0 9567054 over 4 years ago in reply to maartenwinter

Same issue here with a Fenix 5. It's frustrating to see how it works well with my old basic Fitbit. Clearly a bug that needs urgent fix from Garmin.

0 1895172 over 4 years ago

Same here On my fenix 5. I'll do a 7k row and it will compute my max Hr at 110 which when a polar chest strap will get up to to 160 bpm.

0 3595378 over 4 years ago in reply to jamesxp

I will try this tomorrow morning! Its been a major annoyance with my Garmin 735x that it works fine with cycling, running etc but hopeless on the Concept 2 - thanks for the advice & for once I'm looking forward to getting on the Rowing machine!

0 8542639 over 4 years ago

Hold down the Units and Display buttons and use a paperclip to depress and release the "Reset" button in the back of the monitor. Continue holding the buttons down for at least 7 seconds or until the display flashes "Setting Factory Defaults" shows briefly. Then, release the buttons.

2nd option

Can Fitbit Track Rowing Machine? The Fitbit app as we mentioned earlier is known for its flexibility and versatility. You may not go rowing too often but when you do you sure can track and log all the activity in your app.