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HR goes DOWN when I exercise?

I've just got a VS4, replacing a Polar FT7 after about a decade. Having been using a HR monitor for a while, I have a pretty decent idea of the sort of ballpark figure I should be getting for various levels of activity.

I just(as in, half an hour ago) spent an hour working in the garden, at a level I would expect to be in the 130-140 range, but according to my shiny new exercise monitor, my average heart rate was 102. Then as I was getting back to normal, it jumped up to 112.

I previously returned a device to withings for being unable to read a pulse in the presence of sweat(which, you know... exercise? You're supposed to sweat.), so I really hope this isn't a universal issue. It would be pretty bloody stupid for the standard exercise monitoring tech to universally work just fine when you're resting, and stop working when you start exercising BECAUSE
you've started exercising.

This is more than a mild annoyance because I am relying on this device to report back to Vitality to lower my premium, so if it refuses to work accurately, it's actually costing me money.

0 5741951 over 4 years ago

I also just purchased a VS4 yesterday. Used it at the gym for the first time today for some strength training. The heart rate sensor/monitor didn't want to go above 105bpm, where on my Polar H10 chest heart rate monitor my BPM were well in the 160's at times.

0 5551758 over 4 years ago

I have the same and was wondering if I should submit a separate post about it. My HR is higher when I go for a walk than when I do a high intensity training, it’s ridiculous. It’s like the HR drops when my actual heart rate goes up. I thought maybe it’s the increased redness or dampness of the skin (sweat)? I tried tightening the band, loosening.. I do a warming up, then slowly my HR readings start to drop to a level at which I’m sitting on the couch and once my cooldown starts it goes up again. I’m not expecting ECG readings for an activity tracker, but this is clearly a bug.

0 5741951 over 4 years ago in reply to 5551758

Yes you should post a separate post. I was able to return mine at Best Buy and have yet to get another one or different one. I don’t know why it was doing that, I would get a higher HR Walking to work than pushing the sled at the gym with 200lbs on it. The only thing I can think of is that you have to start a exercise function like running or cycling for it to work but that would be ridiculous in my opinion as I’ve tried my partners Apple Watch and the HR monitor works perfectly during a workout.

0 5551758 over 4 years ago in reply to 5741951

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I will do that!