Fitbit Ionic Heat Rate Zone Alerts?

[jaserunner]

Hello!  I wanted to know if the new Fitbit Ionic will send an alert (vibration or other) when the different heart rate zones are entered/exited? 

[shipo]

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@jaserunner wrote:

Hello!  I wanted to know if the new Fitbit Ionic will send an alert (vibration or other) when the different heart rate zones are entered/exited? 

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Highly unlikely.

The thing is, even if such alerts existed, they would be both erroneous and irrelevant.  Why?  Because the whole premise of Max heart rate and subsequent zones is highly flawed in that the calculated max and zones are as accurate for one person as they are inaccurate for the next.

[jaserunner]

The heart rate zones are definitely not erroneous and irrelevant for multiple reasons.

1) Devices that do have these alerts allow you to adjust these zones based on your individual needs because these zones are different for different people. 2) Some people may have the tenancy to work out more or less then they should.  Which is why HR zones exists... Smh.  Staying within a heart rate zone by using alerts will keep people from staring at their watch while jogging.   3)  This already has been identified in the industry as a useful and needed feature which is why other competitors use this feature already. This is also why they (including fitbit) put so much technology into the monitor on the device to begin with. 

End Result: If a person is looking to buy a fitness watch for the heart rate zone feature and the watch does not alert you in different zones, then the product is a waste and not right for you. 

[shipo]

@jaserunner, sorry, I am a coach and have learned from the best and coached hundreds of runners.  Heart rate zones are a fad and highly erroneous.  I mean geez, speaking strictly for myself, if I were to pay attention to the stupid heart rate zones, I wouldn't ever get in a decent workout.  Why?  Because I can sustain a heart rate at or above my "Maximum" heart rate for an hour or more.  I would say more than half of the runners I coach are in a similar boat; if they were to pay attention to the zones, they'd be in the "Peak" zone for all but their slowest paced LSD (Long Slow Distance) workouts.

The sad fact is, heart rate zones are a bill of goods sold to a gullible public looking for the latest fad to help them progress.  For runners, the old tried and true "breathing" based pace management method is both far more beneficial and universally applicable.  Basically:

• For Long Slow Distance workouts: Run so you can maintain a conversation in short sentences.
• For Speed Drill workouts; Run so you can just barely sustain your pace from a breathing perspective.

[BoomTap]

I'm with you on this one Jase.  My other HR monitor/app has adjustable heart rate zones and tells me through my headphones when I change zones.  I find it super helpful to keep me at my long-slow pace when training.  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to jog around talking to myself to see if I'm in the zone or not otherwise.  🙂

The problem with my other one is that the HR monitor sucks and the app only uses their monitor.  Imagine the wonderful world if the two companies got together?

I won't say the name of the company but it rhymes with "funtastic".  🙂

[shipo]

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@BoomTap wrote:

I'm with you on this one Jase.  My other HR monitor/app has adjustable heart rate zones and tells me through my headphones when I change zones.  I find it super helpful to keep me at my long-slow pace when training.  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to jog around talking to myself to see if I'm in the zone or not otherwise.  🙂

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I'm thinking the better part of valor would be to refrain from responding to that comment, even if it was intended to be humorous.

[jaserunner]

"BoomTap", Yes I also use the other HR Monitor/App the rhymes with "funtastic"!   I wish the companies would work more together instead of hindering technology.  And your right I'm also looking for a better HR Monitor. I was hoping Fitbit would complete this feature in their product but they are missing the key ingredient, alerts.  If they didn't add the alert feature to this new Ionic device I will probably have to move on to the a more expensive brand.  You know, the one that sounds similar to "Garment". 

[racertempo]

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@jaserunner wrote:

End Result: If a person is looking to buy a fitness watch for the heart rate zone feature and the watch does not alert you in different zones, then the product is a waste and not right for you. 

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Can't imagine anyone is buying a smartwatch or fitness tracker for 1 singular function alone.  The product shows zone, it is not a waste by any means. 

[Julia_G]

@shipo, I am quite interested in (and reassured by) your comments.  When I run I am always in the "peak" zone within minutes and stay there the whole time.  I can talk (but I would rather not!)

My Garmin (with a chest strap) beeped at me all the time -- I could have turned it off -- and I did try to drop the pace a bit because I was worried that it might be dangerous to constantly come close to, or even exceed, my theoretical maximum HR.

I guess I would appreciate the option on the Fitbit, even if I mostly ignored it (as I did with the Garmin...).

[davidf100010]

Shipo,

I'm not sure you are understanding what they are saying. If you could adjust your max heart rate on the fitbit to whatever matches your level of health then you could get a warning when you went below or about your range and you could get in a good workout. One extra tool you can keep a history of is always a good thing. If you want to use it use it if you don't then you don't have to. Your max heart rate would be set by you not some calculated number.

[shipo]

A few comments:

• The Fitbit software does allow one to adjust their Max heart rate to be more realistic for the owner of the device, in my case, even though my calculated heart rate is 160, I need to set my max to 185.
• Even with the max adjusted, which in turn adjusts the zones underneath it, heart rate training is a farce; and most, if not all good coaches shy of those coaching elite athletes where every tenth of a second is important, teach away from heart rate training.
• Long story short, monitoring breathing is the best and safest way for the non-elite athlete to gauge their training effort.  Note, when I say "safest", by that I mean for the whole body not just the cardio-pulmonary systems. 

[shipo]

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@Julia_G wrote:

@shipo, I am quite interested in (and reassured by) your comments.  When I run I am always in the "peak" zone within minutes and stay there the whole time.  I can talk (but I would rather not!)

My Garmin (with a chest strap) beeped at me all the time -- I could have turned it off -- and I did try to drop the pace a bit because I was worried that it might be dangerous to constantly come close to, or even exceed, my theoretical maximum HR.

I guess I would appreciate the option on the Fitbit, even if I mostly ignored it (as I did with the Garmin...).

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Hey @Julia_G, geez, the Garmin would drive me bonkers if I was to wear it during training; even on my slowest runs I would be up in the calculated "Peak" zone for my age for literally 98% of my run.  🙂

[davidf100010]

I agree with what you say. But surely you know that heart rates are also related to breathing. When I'm doing a long bike ride and I get to a hill and start breathing heaver then in cruse my hearth rate also goes up. I don't think the OP was talking about training by heart rate but just wanted a small vibration when you go outside the zones you set and by default would put you outside a heart rate that matches your breathing zone. Just a way to get an early warning of you going outside your breathing zone especially when you are tiered. Who knows it may help you recognize faster when you are getting outside of your breathing zone.  

[shipo]

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@davidf100010 wrote:

I agree with what you say. But surely you know that heart rates are also related to breathing. When I'm doing a long bike ride and I get to a hill and start breathing heaver then in cruse my hearth rate also goes up. I don't think the OP was talking about training by heart rate but just wanted a small vibration when you go outside the zones you set and by default would put you outside a heart rate that matches your breathing zone. Just a way to get an early warning of you going outside your breathing zone especially when you are tiered. Who knows it may help you recognize faster when you are getting outside of your breathing zone.  

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The thing is, why should you even care about the zones?  The heart will take care of itself, just monitor your breathing and you'll be good to go.

[jaserunner]

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@jaserunner wrote:

The heart rate zones are definitely not erroneous and irrelevant for multiple reasons.

1) Devices that do have these alerts allow you to adjust these zones based on your individual needs because these zones are different for different people. 2) Some people may have the tenancy to work out more or less then they should.  Which is why HR zones exists... Smh.  Staying within a heart rate zone by using alerts will keep people from staring at their watch while jogging.   3)  This already has been identified in the industry as a useful and needed feature which is why other competitors use this feature already. This is also why they (including fitbit) put so much technology into the monitor on the device to begin with. 

End Result: If a person is looking to buy a fitness watch for the heart rate zone feature and the watch does not alert you in different zones, then the product is a waste and not right for you. 

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Shipo,

A person would monitor HR Zones for the reasons mentioned previous.  Although everyone is entitled to an opinion stating something as fact does not make it fact. I know I'm not going to change your mind but you don't speak for all elite runners out there even if you have trained Captain America. If you have a system use it and enjoy it.  Others have systems that also work (which are not too different).  Using heart rate zones have brought me from non-runner to an enthusiast.  Although tech may be hard to for some to understand if used in a way that is proven to benefit the individual and meet their goal, then it works (simply put).  Breathing and Heart Rate go hand-in-hand and they both work...  HR Zones work better for me.

Davids first comment said it best... 

[shipo]

@jaserunner, the problem with heart rate training is it *usually* gets reasonably positive results, but as often as not, leaves performance on the table.  Many folks either artificially limit their exercise because of their adherence to this flawed methodology, or push too hard for the same reason.  As you said, I know I'm not going to change your mind, but I submit to you, had you never heard of heart rate training and gone with the old-school method of monitoring your breathing, you would have progressed at least as far as you have, probably further.

[bcalvanese]

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@shipo wrote:

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@jaserunner wrote:

Hello!  I wanted to know if the new Fitbit Ionic will send an alert (vibration or other) when the different heart rate zones are entered/exited? 

---

Highly unlikely.

The thing is, even if such alerts existed, they would be both erroneous and irrelevant.  Why?  Because the whole premise of Max heart rate and subsequent zones is highly flawed in that the calculated max and zones are as accurate for one person as they are inaccurate for the next.

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I both agree and disagree.

I agree that max heart rate is inaccurate based on the 220 - age formula, but if a person determines their true max heart rate, they can benefit greatly from heart rate training.

I had a bad stress test a few years back which resulted in them wanting to do a catheterization. It revealed that I had a heart attack at some point. My max heart rate from the stress test happened to be within a few BPM from the 220 - age formula.

I have been doing heart rate training based for the past two and a half years, and just recently had another stress test and echocardiogram done. The cardiologist told me both tests came out excellent, and that my heart was very strong. I told him about my training and that I keep my heart rate at 80 to 95 percent of my MHR for up to an hour non stop, and he told me that is why my heart is so strong now.

I do agree that if you do not verify your true max heart rate that you are not going to get the correct result with heart rate training.

To answer the OP's question.

The Ionic will probably not have an alert for the zones, but it will display what zone you are in (in real time), so all you need to do is glance at it once in a while and adjust your pace to stay in a certain zone.

[bcalvanese]

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@shipo wrote:

@jaserunner, the problem with heart rate training is it *usually* gets reasonably positive results, but as often as not, leaves performance on the table.  Many folks either artificially limit their exercise because of their adherence to this flawed methodology, or push too hard for the same reason.  As you said, I know I'm not going to change your mind, but I submit to you, had you never heard of heart rate training and gone with the old-school method of monitoring your breathing, you would have progressed at least as fnever ar as you have, probably further.

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I never knew about the breathing thing until we had some disagreements a long time ago and I started looking into it more and realized that you where correct.

Now I monitor my heart rate and breathing, and over time I have noticed that my breathing is less labored in the higher heart rate zones that it used to be in the lower heart rate zones. This is a good way to determine that fitness level is improving.

my motto now is...

if you ain't huffing and puffing and sweating... you ain't doing it right...:)

[Elles1]

Yes, would want target heart rate zone vibration. My last HR watch did this and certainly improved my fitness levels quicker. A must have. 

[bbarrera]

Yes it would be a nice feature, there are times that I want to be alerted. Like a couple of months ago on a club ride on a very hot July day when I wasn't paying attention to HR, hit a wall, and then after finishing the ride immediately received an email that I set a new HR threshold (20-min) value. Felt horrible that evening.

Heart rate monitoring while running/cycling does provide valuable information about aerobic fitness, however HR should be treated as a secondary metric to pace (running) or power (cycling). For the runners out there I think this is a nicely balanced article:

http://running.competitor.com/2014/06/training/is-heart-rate-monitoring-worth-the-bother_7095

Heart rate monitoring is not the same as heart rate training. My HRM keeps me honest and reminds me to back off when I'm suppose to do an easy active recovery ride, as I'm usually tempted to push harder. And I get valuable information about my aerobic fitness level (trending power-to-HR ratio info to track performance increases and aerobic decoupling).