Need advice on using Fenix 5S with CrossFit

Hello, new Garmin friends!

First Garmin device and first post here, so apologies if some of these questions have been covered. I promise I did search the instructions pages (repeatedly...) as well as the forums, but I'm still seeking clarity on a couple of 'gray area' things.

Background: I'm a fairly serious CrossFit athlete (not Regionals-level, but following individualized programming, about to age into the Masters category, with a loose goal of making the MOQ "at some point" in the next few years). I'm also about to begin marathon training -- it's not my first, and I honestly never intended to do another, but unexpectedly got the chance to run NYC again this fall, so definitely not saying no!

Given all of this, I figured it was time to upgrade from my old Fitbit Charge 2 HR to something that could do a little better job at tracking performance/recovery. What I really wanted was the Whoop, but they've shifted to a subscription model, and I have more than enough monthly bills in my life already. :) Therefore, I went with the Fenix 5S.

I've had it for 10 days, and overall I'm pretty happy with it. The Garmin app is fantastic, and the device seems to do the basic health stuff as well as Fitbit if not better. The wrist-based heart rate seems overall pretty accurate, the 'stress' feature is pretty neat, and the sleep tracking is better than I anticipated (includes REM, which I'd been told it wouldn't). The heart rate isn't terribly accurate during exercise, but neither was Fitbit's, and I know I can remedy that by getting a chest strap.

However, the primary reason I paid the big bucks for Garmin was for the training/recovery functionality... and either I'm doing something wrong or it's nowhere near as great of a device as I had hoped, at least not for my needs. I'm still within my 30-day return window (bought from REI), so I'm trying to make super sure that this will actually work for me before I lose the option to take it back (seeing as I could get 18 months with the Whoop for what this thing cost).

The first few questions/issues off the top of my head:

-- There is no CrossFit activity setting (which I know has been discussed in other threads) -- so how are people getting the device to actually pick up and log their training sessions? Do I need to actively tell the device that I'm starting a workout, as opposed to hoping it picks up on that fact automatically (which, sadly, it doesn't seem to)? If so, how should I classify CrossFit -- just designate one of the activity categories that I wouldn't normally use?

-- When I manually input an activity session after the fact (i.e. logging CF as 'strength training' from 6-8:30am on a given day), it does not backfill my average heart rate from the session. I'm hoping this is some kind of 'user error' on my part, because I know the device HAS the heart rate data from that time period -- and good grief, even my two-year-old Fitbit does that.

-- I've completed a total of 7 reasonably intense training sessions wearing the device, all of which I've logged manually. I still don't have any readings under Training Status, Training Effect, or FTP, it's picked up intensity minutes (I think) once, and it has calculated a VO2 max a grand total of twice. Does it ONLY calculate VO2 max when HR is elevated for a sustained period / when it thinks you're running or cycling?

I do know that I'm supposed to have worn it for a week (which I have), that the wrist-based HR works better when the band is tight (which it is -- I've adjusted it several different ways), and that I'm supposed to run for 10+ minutes with the device in order to help it set certain parameters (which I admittedly haven't yet done, only because I haven't had any running workouts programmed this week). I'm sure certain data parameters will become more accurate once mileage ramps up -- however, I have a hard time believing that going for a couple of runs is going to magically fix everything, especially since running isn't (and won't be) my primary sport. I'm specifically looking for ways to use this device more effectively for *CrossFit*.

Any help or advice is tremendously appreciated!

0 carl.andersson over 6 years ago

HI! Welcome to the forums!

To answer your questions

1. Nope no crossfit activity. I usually use the strength activity to record my crossfit sessions. In the activity settings you can create a new activity based on the strength or cardio activity and rename it to be Crossfit if you want, and then this will carry over to Garmin Connect. The only difference between the cardio and strength activities is that the strength activity can try and auto-track your lifts, but it's pretty hit and miss.

2. At this stage there's still no ability to back-fill. You will need to log a workout to get the full data for the day.

3. Training Status - it requires you run on a fairly regular basis. Vo2max is only calculated/updated if you go for a run. Once it knows that it will start to pick up your training load and status.

Hope that helps.
I'm surprised you're happy with the heart rate readings during crossfit. I find the optical HR is terrible and I use a chest strap paired to my watch for those workouts.

Also - training status is useful, but I've actually found the all day stress scores are a more useful marker of how my training load/recovery is going. I know that's more in line with what Whoop uses as well, and it doesn't matter if you've forgotten to log a workout if you're following the stress score.

0 Lucian34 over 6 years ago

I use my Fenix 5 pretty heavily for CrossFit as I follow specific programming. I recommend the following app:
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/107f5fdc-9763-46f1-b9b1-94ece92b26bc
It's great because if you have a RFT, AMRAP, AFAP, or EMOM you are performing it can be programmed for those workouts with rounds. Ill usually rename the workout in the Connect app and add any additional details in the notes section. Much easier to do this over the browser. For accessory work I usually just use the strength app and rename the activity as well to accessory work. Or if I'm doing Oly, I'll rename the activity to whatever I was focusing on. If I'm doing an EMOM for Oly I'll use the CrossFit app and program the EMOM to the parameters of my Oly training. Does this make sense?

As for training status, running and biking have more of an effect on that number than my workouts. I'll have workouts where imI redlining and pushing myself, however at the end the training status will only increase slightly which is a bummer. I've had the training status increase more from interval runs or just running on general. I typically don't pay attention to it and rather to what my body is telling me. My understanding is that it's designed more for runners/cycling.

I would like to mention that I wear a chest strap HR monitor for all my workouts as well.

I honestly don't believe the recovery feature for many of the devices out in the market work well if you are a diverse athlete, especially when everyone's body is so different. That's why I just try to follow a 3 days on, one day off, two days on, one day off schedule for my training while listening to my body.

0 FPitacho over 6 years ago

Hi,

I also asked garmin about that, they have a lot of categories, a lot of them...irrelevant but they don't have Crossfit.

As Lucian does, I use the same App (https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/107f5fdc-9763-46f1-b9b1-94ece92b26bc), and it does almost everything you need!

I use the pro version, it is cheap to buy, and much better then use strength option, or try to convert the primitive exercices from garmin to this complex kind of exercices.

The app already has some wod, schemas, timers (EMOM, AMRAP, AFAP, ...), and also a free style, just hit start and count your rounds, I use it for everything.

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Please take a look at apps to add for cross fit: https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/search?q=cross+fit&device=&deviceLimit=&appType=&sort=&start=0&count=30

0 bc0123 over 6 years ago

I'm a cyclist that does crossfit in the off season and I'm heavily wed in the Garmin ecosystem. I also have a Whoop. I'll briefly throw out some thoughts, but I've got lots of opinions.

1) Get a chest strap. If you want good data on work/recovery including TSS/Training Effect there is no other way. Yes, it looks goofy and I hit it when my (rather skinny) chest hits the floor or bar but there is no escaping it. If good data you seek, a chest strap you wear. I'm the only one in my box wearing one.

2) Create profiles and follow them. Use the run profile for running and make a crossfit one. Start the activity proactively. There is no retroactive.

3) Recovery scores aren't ready for prime time. The Whoop comes the closest. It does give actionable advice on recovery, but for me it's more from a "I did this and this was the outcome." For example, drinks before bed almost always affects my HRV and RHR. Low recovery score. I'm sure I could do this with the Garmin HRV function, but haven't played with it. Again, chest strap for this.

4) The whoop doesn't work very well in workouts or strenuous work outside of workouts (chores, gardening, etc). It suffers the same limitations that optical does on the Garmin. Bad data. Period. One time I hit a max heart race scraping skis. Not sure how the Whoop got there.

This offseason I'm determined to settle on a single system for stress/recovery. TSS is tried and true in the endurance world, but it doesn't take into account stress outside the workouts. That's the value add for recovery. It's an eye opener looking at how little stress there is in watching a movie vs even reading a book. House chores can actually be fairly taxing. How to juggle for max recovery is difficult.

0 Lossil over 6 years ago

I have had F5 for 1,5 week, so I'm a newbie. Although this is not directly related to crossfit, but I do play football (soccer to some), futsal (kind of indoor football, cycle to work and back, lift some weight (just to make me better snowboarder) and I do some ice skating as well and can run some minutes.

And now to the point. I have also noticed that this is basically running or maybe cycling watch and basically only thing it seems to care is heartbeat.
So far I've done
- couple of runs of 40-50 mins and both of them gave 15-20h recovery time and nice aerobic (>3) and anaerobic (>2) numbers (I don't understand these yet)
- a few quite heavy strength training (60 mins) (both times ie. dead lift and squat) -> 6-9 recover time (aerobic and anaerobic not availble, although if I change sport I can see them --> stupid)
- two heavy kettle bell (60 mins), low recovery time and anaerobic 0.1 / aerobic 2.2
- one futsal game (ok, I did run like hell on intervals) -> 4 day recovery time and anearobic 3.7 / aerobic 3.9

Of those I can maybe agree with those runs, but both strength and kettle bell training are highly underestimated. This doesn't understand muscle training and fatigue, it seems. Especially after squat and dead lift day there zero need or ability to run on the next day. And that futsal was highly overestimated imo. But maybe the watch learns over the time. If not - and I am not using this wrongly - this is just a nice and expensive toy.