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Feature request: Automatically use/create separate heart rate zones for external device (chest strap)

Floris van Loo
over 1 year ago

I use my watch both with an external chest strap and without (in the latter case using the pulse from the watch). I observe that the measured heart rate differs significantly between those devices. I would love an option where my watch automatically chooses the right heart rate zones depending on whether I use the external device.

Note: I'm not looking for a solution that requires manual selection before every training. I can change something once, if there is a nice feature. But given that Garmin automatically recognizes the strap (which is great), this should  be possible.

Many Thanks!

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Your heart rate zone doesn’t change between the device you use to measure it.

    The behavior you’re describing is due lack of accuracy with the pulse measurement from the watch.

    For me, the pulse measurement is garbage, for other people, it’s just works.

    The accuracy of the measurement varies depending on your skin color, if you have much hair on your wrist and how tight/loose you wear your watch.

    If you need accurate readings, you should use the external chest monitor.

    Or you can go through the pain of trying finding which position the watch would have good readings for your body.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to linsguilherme

    Thanks! I partly agree with your point, the pulse measurement definitely is less accurate.

    But there is also a side effect, namely a significant difference in max heart rate, leading to different heart rate zones in my opinion. If the watch does not distinguish between the two types of measurement, statistics for training impact and the like are less accurate for me than they could be. 

    So, I do indeed train when possible with the chest strap. Still it would be nice if the watch is aware of those differences as well.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Floris van Loo

    In my case, there is hardly any difference between wrist measurement and strap. So it is probably very personal

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Floris van Loo
    Floris van Loo said:
    If the watch does not distinguish between the two types of measurement, statistics for training impact and the like are less accurate for me than they could be. 

    The training zones have no impact on the training metrics (I know this may sound surprising). Only the HR Max and Rest HR are used, in combination with HR during the activity and pace or power data for running/cycling, to evaluate the impact of your efforts and compute all the fitness and training metrics.

    So, whatever you do, make sure your HR Max is correct. 

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Etupes25
    Etupes25 said:
    The training zones have no impact on the training metrics (I know this may sound surprising).

    This makes a lot of sense to me, as it wouldn't make sense for Garmin to calculate different stats based on the user's personal choice of training zones (e.g. zones based on % Max HR vs zones based on % HR Reserve.) To at least give the user the impression that Garmin training metrics are objective/scientific, they should only be based on parameters / data that are measured, and not parameters that are chosen. Your choice of zones may impact how you choose to train, but they shouldn't impact how Garmin chooses to interpret your HR data.

    e.g. If a hypothetical runner's max HR is 200, and they choose to define zone 5 as 100 to 200 (as an absurd example), then it would be ridiculous for Garmin to assign a training effect of 5.0 for every single run (easy or hard) on that basis. Clearly Garmin must have its own internal definition of zones/effort which isn't affected by user defined zones.