In firmware 3.3, the time spent in swimming does not count towards intensity minutes. Is this because the heart rate monitor is now disabled, it doesn't know how hard you are working out. Have you guys noticed the same?
I totally see your point. But following that logic I should just stop wearing a watch all together. The point of using something like the VA 3 or any other fitness / activity tracker is to log your activity.... Anyway - I think they should get rid of IM all together and replace it with some sort of system where you get points for all your activities- based on intensity, time etc. That way I could compete against my friends who do CrossFit while I like to swim, run and hike. That would be awesome IMHO
I agree. I found the intensity minutes were so easy to get I just deleted that widget because I was tired of always raising my goal. I don't know if they can do much about swimming, but the data field I mentioned in post 2 of this thread works so much better than intensity minutes. The results will also show up in Garmin Connect following your workout. Some people find it a little confusing, but doing an internet search on trimp and RPE explains it quite well and it's a simple field to use.
Maybe it's just my individual skin and blood circulation, but I found my HR readings while swimming quite plausible. For a more accurate reading, raising my arm out of the water for a few seconds did the trick. This at least helped me assess if I needed a pause, or not. I wish HR recording was still an option.
Swimming not counting for intensity minutes is a real no go. Sorry, but that's what I bought the watch for in the first place.
What I am now doing is hacking my own swimming app, although I'm not inclined to put more than a couple days of effort into that.
Timeline: Totally agree. Please let me know what app (Garmin IQ?) you are talking about.
tmk17: I have not seen one person in this forum who actually swam say that their HR readings during swim were wildly inaccurate or that they did not want the HR data for the swim. What 3 people are you talking about? did you do a pool swim with VA3 in sw 2.90 (with the oHR runing during the swim)? did you look at your HR data after? If you're just saying oHR data cannot be reliable for a pool swim because that's what I've read, that's pretty lame...
I guess where I can agree with tmk17 and what would make everyone happy would be this:
Garmin gives us the option to turn off/on oHR during pool swims. (Also give us the HR bar graph and average HR for activity!)
@godolphins: I'm digging into Connect IQ development right now and am making great progress, but don't hold your breath. If it causes more stress than I can compensate with sports, I'll ditch the effort. I suspect the swim activity isn't trivial with respect to the recognition of strokes, turns, etc. I hope some detection algos are part of the firmware.
"Garmin gives us the option to turn off/on oHR during pool swims" +1
I don't swim other than recreationally/cooling off so I don't have a dog in this fight. But what I found interesting in the swimming section of DCR's in depth review of the 645 is that he says that Polar and Suunto do have oHRM for swimming. I was under the same belief that TKM is, in that nobody was doing it but I'll take Ray's word for it that they do and he uses that fact to suggest that Garmin reconsider their position on it.
This morning was my frist swim since the watch updated itself to 3.3. I did my usual 2000 m, and despite knowing the update had killed the hrm it still was a huge disappointment. My experience used to be that the HR measured looked very plausible to my feeling of effort. I truly don’t understand why we can’t have HR with a disclaimer. Looking at a competing companies webpage there is a huge disclaimer about accuracy during swimming but they have the oHRM turned on. To be honest I have no illusion about Garmin enabling this option - but the slogan is “Beat Yesterday” or something. And to me it feels strange not to include the swim in the beating part........ If at least they would let me connect the hrm Swim or give me the option to turn on the oHRM with a disclaimer. I truly hope Garmin reevaluates their position on this subject. I know it’s gonna be a deciding factor for me in a years time when I swap my watch - and this is not meant to be some threat. I know I’m just a single little customer but it’s just being honest about what matters to me personally
Timeline: Totally agree. Please let me know what app (Garmin IQ?) you are talking about.
tmk17: I have not seen one person in this forum who actually swam say that their HR readings during swim were wildly inaccurate or that they did not want the HR data for the swim. What 3 people are you talking about? did you do a pool swim with VA3 in sw 2.90 (with the oHR runing during the swim)? did you look at your HR data after? If you're just saying oHR data cannot be reliable for a pool swim because that's what I've read, that's pretty lame...
I guess where I can agree with tmk17 and what would make everyone happy would be this:
Garmin gives us the option to turn off/on oHR during pool swims. (Also give us the HR bar graph and average HR for activity!)
My wife and another couple we hang out with use the VA3. Mine crashed on me before I could try it while swimming and I use a 935 now. Even though it's not her thing, I could ask my wife if she wants to use this forum if you feel it would validate my post. I really don't know how to respond to your if I read it that would be lame comment. Yes, I have read several website that have done independent test and their findings were the same. I have also read several of your post in these forums and have found some of the things you've said to be accurate. Is that lame also? How do you ascertain information if reading about a topic in your words is lame?
What worries me a little about this discussion is that the OHR has the potential to be inaccurate during any activity. I've noticed problems -- albeit minor ones -- during running, walking, and gym training. At what point does Garmin decide that an activity is too error-prone to be worth including?
I don't swim much so I, too, have no skin in this game; but I would be worried if Garmin decided, for example, that heart rate during rowing wasn't accurate enough to include.
Valid point LarsTheBear I know from previous experience with oHR watches (other brand) that heavy weight exercises that cause a lot of strain on your arm muscles also cause the hr reading to be inaccurate.
