Are Firstbeat Metrics Useful for Non-runners and non-cyclists?

Measures are only useful if you want to measure something. What do you want to achieve? Do you have goals?

BTW

old(ish) now at 41

is not old by a long shot.

Yep, the 935 has a yoga profile, add it from the mobile app: Garmin Devices: 935: Activities and Apps Management: Activities and apps

i agree with Phillip, 41 isn’t old at all, no reason why you can keep up an xercise routine for another 40+ years

CW

Thanks for the info about the yoga profile.

Well, what I meant by being oldish was that I learned the hard way about strictly sticking to some program schedule.

Anyway, could anyone tell me if the other firstbeat metrics like recovery adviser, training effect, and HRV stress test are applicable and useful to non-runners, non-cyclists, or other long-distance, endurance type of activities?

Arguably the metrics are useful to anyone, but only if the user has a use for them. As I said before, what do you want to achieve? What goals do you have?

Thanks for the info about the yoga profile.

Anyway, could anyone tell me if the other firstbeat metrics like recovery adviser, training effect, and HRV stress test are applicable and useful to non-runners, non-cyclists, or other long-distance, endurance type of activities?

I think that this can be more or less objectively answered instead of asking "what do you want" because you pretty much not get anything extra if you don't do running or cycling with a FR935/645 vs the VA3.

Let me elaborate: The extra metrics is why I went for the FR935. Unfortunately though all the extra metrics that the FR935 (or 645) can give you rely on you doing either running or cycling activities (and for that you even need a power meter). If you don't do these, you lose the VO2Max calculations, lactate threshold calculations and training status, which are I think the distinguishing features of the 935 and 645.

The VA3 has both Yoga and Strength Training activities, so you're not losing anything in that regard. The Yoga is just a fancy name for "we measure your heart rate and file it under yoga instead of generic aerobic activity", so that's okay. The strength training's automatic reps counting was more trouble than useful during strength training for me, it almost never managed to count correctly.

I don't do indoor rowing, so I don't know how good that is, but both VA3 and the others have that profile as well.

So I think it's pretty neat to have the extra metrics and the training status out of these devices and help aid your running or cycling training, or if you're not focusing on them then even just a metric for your improvement in them... but that's pretty much it.

Plus the FR series have buttons instead of a touch screen, which was a huge plus for me when deciding. I appreciate proper buttons to touching and smudging a screen, but that's personal preference a bit I guess.

Arguably the metrics are useful to anyone, but only if the user has a use for them. As I said before, what do you want to achieve? What goals do you have?

Well, I have been unable to play tennis or exercise for a couple of years dealing with terrible asthma. It took my stubborn ass a little too long to realize my allergies came back and that I needed to do allergy shots again. So, I had somewhat withered away (lost too much weight). First goal was just to regain some weight, some strength, and some cardio fitness.

Last week, I went to get a Dexafit scan and do both a resting metabolic rate test and VO2 max test.
My body fat% was higher than I thought it was, though they said that is virtually the reaction by everyone who gets a dexafit scan for the first time.
My VO2 max is exactly 39.0, which just barely put me in the good category.

Current goals are to lose 4-5% of body fat while keeping as much LBM as possible, try to gradually increase strength in major barbell lifts, and definitely continue improving cardio fitness.
I will definitely start playing tennis again just as soon as the asthma is just a little bit more under control.

In addition to the specific short-term goals just listed, my number 1 primary goal now and forever is to avoid injury and not overdo it to the point that fatigue causes me not to be able to concentrate and focus the next day or two. Reasons: I already injured myself once (herniated disc), and I am self-employed as a sole-proprietor performing a professions that requires long hours at high levels of concentration. With my personality, I tend to overdo things and easily get sucked into the 'MORE!' mentality.

This is why I am particularly interested in the firstbeat features in the 645 and 935 that are not in the vivoactive 3 provided that they are useful for non-runners/cyclists. From reading reviews and other threads on this forum, it seems that these features are specifically added and designed for runners first and cyclists second.

Let me elaborate: The extra metrics is why I went for the FR935. Unfortunately though all the extra metrics that the FR935 (or 645) can give you rely on you doing either running or cycling activities (and for that you even need a power meter). If you don't do these, you lose the VO2Max calculations, lactate threshold calculations and training status, which are I think the distinguishing features of the 935 and 645.

Yeah, I know I have to run a bit to get the VO2 max calculations. I intend to do that after it stops raining.
I do run and bike from time to time when the weather is nice.

Although, I thought there was going to be a way to input the VO2 max if you have actually had it tested, which I just did last week.

At this stage then I'd just be looking at trends in your resting heart rate. As you get fitter it should trend downwards particularly if you focus on steady aerobic activity. If you have not been doing much running, then I would advice you stay away from any high intensity efforts for a good few months until you've developed a strong musculo-skeletal base that you can build on. If you do do any efforts, do them uphill on soft surfaces. Whatever you do, develop a focussed program with specific targets and follow it. Get retested in 3 to 4 months time and see what has changed.

You can manually enter you VO2max in Garmin Connect online but I am not sure if it 'sticks' or gets changed when it's updated on the watch

DEXA scans always give results that scare people simply because they look at all your body's adipose tissue.

So, getting a 645 or 935 would be pointless for me?

It all depends where you see your increasing fitness taking you. Nothing wrong with aspiring to a degree of fitness and activity where you can utilise all the metrics to build and further develop your fiitness.

That's why I ask - what are your goals? What do you want to achive? These devices assess cardiovascular measures and apply research methodology to estimate respiratory function that translates to estimates of cardiorespiratory fitness. If your goal is centred mainly on gaining muscular strength and bulk, then they probably are of little use. If your goals include developing aerobic fitness then they might be more useful. Choose the device that best suits where you are now or one that reflects where you hope to be in the future.

If you want only to have a watch that spits out numbers then any of them will do that.