Heart Rate Zones

[randijaa]

I need advice here. What is most correct: to set up the zones manually myself when I know my maximum heart rate, or leave it on automatically. My peak zone will be quite different if I use max pulse 176, or if I let Fitbit set up automatically. I also use the PAI health app, and it would like to have the right max pulse. If I turn on automatically, I probably get too many PAI scores, or will this automatically adjust itself when "it sees" I reach 190-200 heart rate many times. (I am an "old" lady, quite fit for my age) -

[JohnnyRow]

Are you saying Fitbit calculates your max heart rate at 176, making you 44? (not what I would consider an old lady).

But you are actually reaching heart rates of 200?

A few thoughts:

If anything, being fit actually tends to reduce your max heart rate a bit.

If it is a true good reading of 200, then that is what you should use.

But if those 200 readings come from Fitbit, I wouldn't put too much faith in that unless you have verified that by some other method such as a more accurate chest strap.  Fitbit's readings sometimes show spikes that are not real.  200 seems very high for someone your age, though of course people vary.

[randijaa]

Thank You JohnnyRow
It is like this: for the last 7 - 8 years I have been in a research group, training intervals with high intensity. My VO2max and heart rate was measured on tread mill, with mask and everything - (thrice: 160, 167, 174) - My Ionic device and Fitbit sometimes show 180/190/200 for a while when running, but I don't think that is reliable. But what I wonder: Will Fitbit regulate my zones when I set up "automatically"?

[randijaa]

Thank You JohnnyRow.
It is like this: for the last 7 - 8 years I have been in a research group, training intervals with high intensity. My VO2max and heart rate was measured on tread mill, with mask and everything - (thrice: 160, 167, 174) - My Ionic device and Fitbit sometimes show 180/190/200 for a while when running, but I don't think that is reliable. But what I wonder: Will Fitbit regulate my zones when I set up "automatically"?

PS.A better, more exact formula for max pulse manually, instead of 220 minus age is: Take your age and multiply this by 0.64. Then subtract this from 211.

[JohnnyRow · Accepted solution]

Fitbit will set your zones based on your max and resting heart rates, using whatever you choose for your max, either the Fitbit number of a number you input to override that.  Whatever number you input for max will adjust the boundaries of all zones.  You can see this by tapping 'Zone Minutes' on phone app, which will show the heart rate ranges for each zone.  If you change your max, you can see you zones change accordingly.

Since you have had your max heart rate measured accurately, I would use that, perhaps lowering it a few beats if the last measurement was a few years years ago.

As far as PAI points, I used to read a lot about that , especially when it was tied to a specific tracker (which I tried but could rarely get to sync), which was abandoned to break out PAI as a stand-alone.  I'm not sure I remember correctly, but I think if you start getting readings of 190-200, that won't actually give you any more points than being in the highest zone would.  If you fitbit readings are fairly accurate other than when getting these very high readings, then you should be okay.  But if it seems your Fitbit readings are always 20 bpm too high, then it is problematic.

I don't feel like that quite answered your question so feel free to try to explain it further if you want.

Incidentally Fitbit's change to Active Zone Minutes with the weekly goal, and rewarding double points for minutes in aerobic zone, makes it somewhat more similar to the PAI score method, though probably not as precise.

[randijaa]

Thank you. Now I set my Max to manually160. Lower a bit. Earlier Peak 127,Cardio 106, Fatburning 89. Now the numbers are 144, 118, 97. Guess it will be harder to earn PAIs then. I’ll try it out. Should like to have a device that was really reliable. Wonder if Sense is more reliable than Ionic?

[JohnnyRow]

I don't know what your max was set to before, but if you lowered it, that should also lower the zone ranges.

[randijaa]

It was lower before because it was set automatically. Now the zone rates are higher.