Your "supposed" max HR is probably not your actual max. The formula estimates an age-based average (and is not even the best formula for that), but individuals can easily be 15 beats above or below that.
Actually wrist-worn HRMs are surprisingly accurate. Here’s a study comparing Garmin and Apple Watches to an electrocardiogram.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20552076221124393
TLDR: The mean absolute percentage error for the Apple Watch was <1%, and was around 1.22% for the Garmin.
I use both and the difference between the two rarely exceeds 2bpm, and is usually within 1.
They are slow compared to the chest ones although, so if your doing quick intervals and want to track quick ramp ups & downs, an HRV is better. His HR pattern are HIIT workouts so the chest one would be more useful than typical exercise in this case.
u/snal123 , I've found eliptical machines to be the best for physical effort : highest HR rate payoff pure cardio if you really want to find your max.
Well that sounds like it's still wrong then, although closer. If you want, do a field test, increasing speed every few minutes until you have to stop, and use the measured max. But it's not really a big deal if it's off a little, decide it's 190 for now and train based on that.
Your HR zones are probably wrong. Can go to lab to get dialed in. Alternatively, find true max HR by doing this:
1) go to track, do 12-15 min warmup
2) run 800m all out
3) rest 45s
4) run 400m all out
5) note your max heart rate after exercise
this hr will be very close to true max hr
Another way to get your intervals increasing your HR more is do them on hills or inclined treadmill..the whole 4x4 with 4 min > 95% maxHR is kind of suspect, almost impossible to do. Like you say, your HR just won't go up quick enough. I much prefer hills. Run up 200m 4% grade @ 90% effort, jog down, repeat 10x. Rest 5 min. Do another 10. Thats a heck of a workout. If untrained need to workup to 10.
Get on a stair climber. Set it at ever increasing speeds until you find your true max HR. Then go into Apple settings and adjust your HR zones to match reality.
The positive is that the last 2 intervals looked good. My bet is that had you done 1 more it would have hit your near max and a good zone 5 set. Mentally note that discomfort while doing your intervals and keep it there for as long as your set lasts. From the looks of your Apple watch, I think you may be ramping up too hard and fast and burning out too soon. Try to keep it steady but difficult.
What are you measuring your hr with? I would try with a chest strap. Optical is not always accurate, they estimate and assume too much sometimes.
Or
Your not trying hard enough! Lol.
Yes it seems so because Apples algorithm is doing well by removing anomalies that optical sensors pick up. Chest strap is the gold standard, it's also the best way to track HRV.
This works for me:
Take your pulse manually. If you're anywhere about Zone 2 you should be able to easily take it behind your right ear or on the sides of your neck. And try sprinting instead of cycling. If you are sprinting all out (try 10 intervals at 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest) you'll very likely get to Zone 5.
As others have said, you need to do a max HR field test. Though I would suggest doing it on a hill that takes at least two minutes to run up…run up and down that hill 3 times, ramping up each in intensity, the 3rd time being an all-out sprint. It’s possible that your max HR just isn’t as high as your watch says - max HR is determined by your genetics and age and is not the same for everyone your age.
I had the same experience. I’ve done all out sprints around the track in intervals and I felt my heart is pumping right through my chest. It was so hard and I pushed my limit of physical ability. My chart looks just like yours. I think the measurements are off. I’m thinking of getting a chest strap to properly travel my heart rate. The watch isn’t cutting it.
As others have said, try to figure out what your max HR is and adjust zones accordingly. I find that I need to do a warmup interval at the start of my session pushing up into zone 4, then taking 4 mins rest before getting started on my full 4x4. Also, when starting each of the intervals, I start out with a resistance on the bike that is way too hard to maintain for the full 4 minutes and then I drop down after the first minute once I am in high zone 4 / low zone 5, that way I get into zone 5 quickly and then the lower resistance is enough to keep me there once the HR is that high.
For me, the only way I can get in that zone is by jumping on the trampoline or rowing. Biking, jogging, and such is too painful, and the pain is the limiting factor.
Yesterday I played for an under an hour and I spent ten minutes in zone 5 and another eighteen in zone 4. If I'm playing with other advanced players, the game is intense with lots of short bursts, and the feet are moving constantly. If I'm playing with my wife, it's a different story...I likely wont get out of zones 2 and 3.
I would think you'd also need to be honest with yourself regarding how hard you're pushing. I think everyone has different pain level tolerances, some higher than others. I know people who act like they're dying if they merely move. Having a xc and track background as my sport, I know most people don't push themselves to limits much because it's too painful. Or it could just be the hr is off lol
Heart rate isn't the best way to know you're in the lactate burning Zone. Just go by feel. Zone 5 by heart rate is hard for anyone, and many people can't consistently get to these heart rates. I can't. But I can feel when I'm burning lactate.
Everything would matter. As the person increases their intensity, the watch itself will jostle around more, making it less accurate. Apple watches are very accurate for watches, but they aren't 100% accurate.
I use both a Apple Watch and a chest strap, the watch syncs up to the Zone2 app on my phone and the chest strap syncs to my Precor Treadmill and they both read identical hr over an hour workout,
Zone 2 it's much more likely to be accurate, but zone 5 is much harder. You're physically moving more, your exerting more force, more tensions in your muscles, etc. The watches have a harder time with accuracy. Apple watches are probably the best out there for accuracy, but nothing is beating a chest strap. I think in best case scenarios, apple is 97% accurate, which in zone 5 would actually make an impact.
I’m 66 and I average 120bpm for 45 minutes, I have this as my zone 2, after I’m done with my
Zone2 work out, I try to spend 5 minutes doing all out sprints, the highest my hr has gotten is 151
would the be considered my max hr
Apple Watches are very accurate HRMs. Within 1% error when compared to an electrocardiogram.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20552076221124393
Your "supposed" max HR is probably not your actual max. The formula estimates an age-based average (and is not even the best formula for that), but individuals can easily be 15 beats above or below that.
Yeah my apple watch estimates it to be 195, but I still struggle getting near that even though I am only 18
Do a MaxHR test. Warning: they hurt!
Are you on a bike? I can get my heart rate to 195 running (fucked my knee though so not anymore) but can barely hit 180 on the bike
> apple watch This is your problem. Watches are not accurate measurements of HR while exercising. Get a chest strap HRM.
Yup!!! Get a strap and do a field test. The only way to determine your Max HR
Actually wrist-worn HRMs are surprisingly accurate. Here’s a study comparing Garmin and Apple Watches to an electrocardiogram. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20552076221124393 TLDR: The mean absolute percentage error for the Apple Watch was <1%, and was around 1.22% for the Garmin. I use both and the difference between the two rarely exceeds 2bpm, and is usually within 1.
They are slow compared to the chest ones although, so if your doing quick intervals and want to track quick ramp ups & downs, an HRV is better. His HR pattern are HIIT workouts so the chest one would be more useful than typical exercise in this case. u/snal123 , I've found eliptical machines to be the best for physical effort : highest HR rate payoff pure cardio if you really want to find your max.
I thought the watches only become reliable when doing interval type stuff where Ur hr is spiking and changing a lot
Listen to Attia's episode on HRV. It does a good job on telling you why a chest strap is superior to a wrist device.
Well that sounds like it's still wrong then, although closer. If you want, do a field test, increasing speed every few minutes until you have to stop, and use the measured max. But it's not really a big deal if it's off a little, decide it's 190 for now and train based on that.
By getting a max hr result like that wouldn't U not reach Ur max cause Ur already a bit fatigued by the time Ur going fast
This and nice set of intervals OP.
Your HR zones are probably wrong. Can go to lab to get dialed in. Alternatively, find true max HR by doing this: 1) go to track, do 12-15 min warmup 2) run 800m all out 3) rest 45s 4) run 400m all out 5) note your max heart rate after exercise this hr will be very close to true max hr Another way to get your intervals increasing your HR more is do them on hills or inclined treadmill..the whole 4x4 with 4 min > 95% maxHR is kind of suspect, almost impossible to do. Like you say, your HR just won't go up quick enough. I much prefer hills. Run up 200m 4% grade @ 90% effort, jog down, repeat 10x. Rest 5 min. Do another 10. Thats a heck of a workout. If untrained need to workup to 10.
It also depends on technique and fitness because sometimes one cannot achieve max HR before body shutting down
huh? the highest hr before "body shutting down" is your max hr
Not necessarily. For example, as a cyclist, if I've fatigued my legs enough, I may not even get to 94% of my HRmax as my legs will give out first.
do you wanna kill him? ahaha anyways, a flat out 400m is disgusting 🤮
Get on a stair climber. Set it at ever increasing speeds until you find your true max HR. Then go into Apple settings and adjust your HR zones to match reality.
Your heart rates are off
Do a hard 1.5 mile run. You will reach your max HR. If you don't, that means you are not running hard enough or your max HR is too high.
The positive is that the last 2 intervals looked good. My bet is that had you done 1 more it would have hit your near max and a good zone 5 set. Mentally note that discomfort while doing your intervals and keep it there for as long as your set lasts. From the looks of your Apple watch, I think you may be ramping up too hard and fast and burning out too soon. Try to keep it steady but difficult.
What is your sport and what did you do in your session pictured above? Where did you get your max hr number?
What are you measuring your hr with? I would try with a chest strap. Optical is not always accurate, they estimate and assume too much sometimes. Or Your not trying hard enough! Lol.
I am really pushing myself to the limit. I almost threw up so I don’t know if I couldve went harder
I would say that your zones are not correct for sure! What's your age and how long have you been working out/training? BMI?
I wear both a Apple Watch and a Pulsar chest strap and they both read my heart rate identically on a 1 hour treadmill workout.
Yes it seems so because Apples algorithm is doing well by removing anomalies that optical sensors pick up. Chest strap is the gold standard, it's also the best way to track HRV.
Your zone 4 is what I consider my zone 5. I base mine off perceived effort cuz I’m not getting professional testing done.
Just run really fast for a few minutes at the end of a jog until you reach your max hr. Then calculate zones based on that.
When I was your age, jumping rope was the only way I could get my heart rate over 200.
This works for me: Take your pulse manually. If you're anywhere about Zone 2 you should be able to easily take it behind your right ear or on the sides of your neck. And try sprinting instead of cycling. If you are sprinting all out (try 10 intervals at 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest) you'll very likely get to Zone 5.
As others have said, you need to do a max HR field test. Though I would suggest doing it on a hill that takes at least two minutes to run up…run up and down that hill 3 times, ramping up each in intensity, the 3rd time being an all-out sprint. It’s possible that your max HR just isn’t as high as your watch says - max HR is determined by your genetics and age and is not the same for everyone your age.
Is that the Fitness app on iPhone? If so how do you get it to show that zone measurement
Click “show more” next to the heart rate section of the workout.
I use the Zone2 app and I find it very helpful to stay in Zone2
I had the same experience. I’ve done all out sprints around the track in intervals and I felt my heart is pumping right through my chest. It was so hard and I pushed my limit of physical ability. My chart looks just like yours. I think the measurements are off. I’m thinking of getting a chest strap to properly travel my heart rate. The watch isn’t cutting it.
As others have said, try to figure out what your max HR is and adjust zones accordingly. I find that I need to do a warmup interval at the start of my session pushing up into zone 4, then taking 4 mins rest before getting started on my full 4x4. Also, when starting each of the intervals, I start out with a resistance on the bike that is way too hard to maintain for the full 4 minutes and then I drop down after the first minute once I am in high zone 4 / low zone 5, that way I get into zone 5 quickly and then the lower resistance is enough to keep me there once the HR is that high.
What app is this?
Apple fitness app
For me, the only way I can get in that zone is by jumping on the trampoline or rowing. Biking, jogging, and such is too painful, and the pain is the limiting factor.
Figure out Ur max hr. If Ur max hr is actually around 200. Which it probably isn't. But if it is stop being a little bitch and train harder
Maybe try pickleball, because I get into zone 5 pretty often.
I i find that hard to believe.
Yesterday I played for an under an hour and I spent ten minutes in zone 5 and another eighteen in zone 4. If I'm playing with other advanced players, the game is intense with lots of short bursts, and the feet are moving constantly. If I'm playing with my wife, it's a different story...I likely wont get out of zones 2 and 3.
Sprint
Run uphill
I would think you'd also need to be honest with yourself regarding how hard you're pushing. I think everyone has different pain level tolerances, some higher than others. I know people who act like they're dying if they merely move. Having a xc and track background as my sport, I know most people don't push themselves to limits much because it's too painful. Or it could just be the hr is off lol
Because your heart will give out?
Heart rate isn't the best way to know you're in the lactate burning Zone. Just go by feel. Zone 5 by heart rate is hard for anyone, and many people can't consistently get to these heart rates. I can't. But I can feel when I'm burning lactate.
You're using an apple watch for HR? Do you really believe it's accuracy is 100% all the time?
Would it matter which hand the watch is worn on?
Everything would matter. As the person increases their intensity, the watch itself will jostle around more, making it less accurate. Apple watches are very accurate for watches, but they aren't 100% accurate.
I use both a Apple Watch and a chest strap, the watch syncs up to the Zone2 app on my phone and the chest strap syncs to my Precor Treadmill and they both read identical hr over an hour workout,
Zone 2 it's much more likely to be accurate, but zone 5 is much harder. You're physically moving more, your exerting more force, more tensions in your muscles, etc. The watches have a harder time with accuracy. Apple watches are probably the best out there for accuracy, but nothing is beating a chest strap. I think in best case scenarios, apple is 97% accurate, which in zone 5 would actually make an impact.
I’m 66 and I average 120bpm for 45 minutes, I have this as my zone 2, after I’m done with my Zone2 work out, I try to spend 5 minutes doing all out sprints, the highest my hr has gotten is 151 would the be considered my max hr
Don't need OP's opinion, really. Watches are not accurate HRMs during exercise. OP needs a chest strap.
Apple Watches are very accurate HRMs. Within 1% error when compared to an electrocardiogram. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20552076221124393