Heart rate zones alert feature

 Many fitness enthusiasts and individuals of whom base their workouts on target heart rate zones would really appreciate a heart rate alert feature implemented into the new Fitbit Ionic as well -if possible ALL Fitbit watches. This feature would allow a Fitbit user to manually set their Fitbit watch to alert the user once their targeted maximum and minimum heart rate has been achieved while performing a workout. Â The watch would vibrate on the user's wrist alerting the user when their selected heart rate has been accomplished or met allowing the user to more cater their workouts to stay within a selected threshold. Â Implementing this feature will also serve well as a safety feature which can alert the user when their calculated heartrate is dangerously high or above the maximum threshold that they set enabling the user to adjust their workout accordingly. Â Some Fitbit users I can imagine and many other individuals have cardiovascular/heart related issues which prevent them engaging in a workout that is too intense therefore a heart rate alert feature implemented into the new Fitbit Ionic would make the watch more marketable to the present customer base, a broader audience of fitness enthusiasts, and desirable to a whole new market of individuals of whom have cardiovascular/heart issues and will really appreciate a heartrate alert feature implemented into their fitness/activity trackers. Overall, implementing this feature will likely increase popularity of the watch, increase revenue, and appeal to a wider range of individuals that are taking steps to improve their health through daily workouts but are limited to what they can do due to cardiovascular/heart concerns. Â Implementing this feature can likely be as simple as have software engineering add it to a software/firmware update which will allow it to perform identical to the silent/vibrating alarm feature already included in most Fitbit watches anyhow.

 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity, format & labels.

1,448 Comments
WellnessCoach
First Steps

I noticed someone posted earlier about silent alarms for heart rate when you are out of your "zones" to get the best possible workout.  I would like to also see an option so you can set at what heartrate you want the alarm to go off. I am a wellness coach and I have many clients who struggle with stress management.  If they are notified when their heartrate gets to a point (that they feel is measurable) it will help them "re-set" and  take some deep breaths and hopefully help manage their cumulative stress throughout the day.

 

Badges are a big incentive for some, so if you could add badges for staying "calm" for so many days, or a quick recovery that may be helpful as well.

ebikeman
Jogger

I echo the sentiments of suggestor. Not only knowing when you're in a specific zone is helpful in maximizing your workout but also knowing when you exceed you zone to prevent serious injury is important too. 

blutdi
First Steps

I bought fitbit hr thinking this was already an option. I searched online on how to turn it on and is how I got here.  This thread was started in 2014; it seems to me that fitbit manufacturer does not care about our feedback. It would take simple sofware upgrade to do this, yet it has not been done since 2014; it won't get done.

poloh
First Steps

+1

As a runner I would really like to have an alarm when I reach a certain heart rate (e.g. 133) so that I can be reminded (usually) to slow down so I stay on track without having to look at the device. It can be a vibration or a sound.

Aligi
First Steps

I believe that it would be very helpful to receive an alert on my surge to notify me when I've hit a certain heart rate, in order to make sure I'm staying within my desired heart rate range.

In particular I would like set the minimum and maximum values heart rate (e.g. 120 and 160) within which to stay during your workout. In many activities (such as jumping rope) I can not constantly looking at the display, but I wish surge vibrates when I go out from that range (eg: if I go down below 120 or surpass the 160).

I know that much cheaper heart rate tracker do have this function.

Moreover I was conviced that this funtion was available on the Surge because in your website it is written:

"Maximize training, maintain intensity and monitor calorie burn with automatic wrist-based heart rate monitoring. With continuous heart rate readings, Surge keeps you in the zone"

Thank you very much fro considering this request.

 

MrsGreat
First Steps
Can a feature be added to be able to set an alarm for a specific HR number - whether high or low?
I'm pregnant and my Dr wants me to stay below a certain number while I workout. It would be super helpful if FitBit could alert me if I'm close to my max.
skclinkenbeard
First Steps
The heart rate alarm would be a huge help for me. After all, stress and my worry about my heart rate is the reason I got a Fitbit in the first place. So this feature idea sounds really helpful and also easy to install, just an alarm to let me know when I'm at a level that is too high
Rxvoyager
Jogger
I would love this feature to let me know I'm nearing my max and need to back down a bit. I lose my groove stopping to check so often during a workout
rlr391
First Steps
I have a genetic heart condition that limits how high my heart rate should get. It would be great if I could set the Fitbit to silently ring when I reached that threshold. I got the Charge HR to monitor my heart rate, but it would be really helpful to have this feature rather than checking my wrist constantly while running to make sure I am not going over that certain point. Thanks!
project
Recovery Runner

Yes!  Heart Rate Monitor Alarms!  Please.  I'm fairly healthy minus weight issues.  My doctor knows that I am working on my health through diet and exercise and I asked her "What is my maximum heart rate?"  She gave me a personalized goal.  I would like an alarm that alerts me when I'm in my targeted zone and a different alarm when I've reached my maximum heart rate so that I will slow down a bit.

 

I agree with WellnessCoach.  This also would be great to monitor stress levels.

usapastime
Recovery Runner

I wish that it would give a high for the day, too!!  I have a condition where my HR gets too high and to be able to record the high at the end of the day would be great!!!  The tracker does resting and an average every 5 minutes.  However, my HR was 136bpm for 2 minutes last night & so I sat down and it dropped dramatically, making the average somewhere around 115bpm.  Thus, it isn't recorded anywhere that my HR got that high!!

Typhon
First Steps

I wear glasses and it is difficult to see small text on the Blaze when training in the gym.

I can however navigate through some of the app's because of the use of colour.

 

I would love to have the screen display user configurable HR zones as a colour swath with a single identifiable vibration alert for Up HR Zone and one for Down HR zone coinciding with perhaps a 3 second colour flash to remind user of currnet HR zone.

 

The use of colour with large icons / swaths my well be something the developers should consider.

Many people like to work out without glasses and are unfortunatly loosing focal flexability to be able to read small devices without the assistance of glasses.

 

Demographic Consumer profile would include most customers male / female over 40 and the visually impaired which currently is not being serviced by most in the sport watch industry.

 

Benefits:

Very cost effective development

To expand the products target market.

To create market / competitor differentiation.

To create better product differentiation internally utilising colour screen.

 

Many thanks

André

March 2016

 

Powerspectra
Stepping Up
Agree heart rate zone alarms would be great and could save lives
Anointedrj
Recovery Runner

As someone who has had a heart attack and have damage, but still works out, I would greatly appreciate alarms or notifications when entering percentage zones.

12tb
First Steps

I am morbidly obese & my resting hr is under 80, my 18 yr old thin daughter is 110. I'm not sure how this happens. She is about to go to the gym for the first time and I am concerned about her HR more so than mine. An alarm for a high HR would be so beneficial for both of us. But what is a dangerously high HR and does it vary? 

Vincnet
Base Runner
+1, mandatory for a fitness device or at least show HR with wrist move instead of Time when you're in training mode.
Vincnet
Base Runner
Btw, have a Charge HR since Nov 2015 and no update since first sync. What's going on with Fitbit update policy ? Is there one ? I didn't see any information about these cycles, unacceptable for a company that produces software. Even the stock market loses confidence in Fitbit, some shareholders complaining about slow upgrade cylcles. Fitbit, it's time to react and listen your customers if you want them to keep them !!!!! Personally, I'll wait 2 more months and there's nothing new, I'll switch to a different brand.
BigHaole
Strider

@Vincnet, I think the update policy is going to be "time to buy a new tracker."  Fitbit is betting on it being another Fitbit...I am not.

Culpritt
Jogger

the first post about this update was 20th December 2014 this has still not been implemented.

I have a 15 year old timex that has this feature. Clearly FITBIT are failing their clients who have spent a considerable sum of money on the products. This is code change is not like rewriting the original software it is just linking what is already there.

Miguelsantiago7
First Steps
It would also be nice to be able to purchase a separate heart monitor that would work with existing models.
Kimmieh48323
First Steps
Continuous vibration when heart rate reaches an unsafe level charge hr.

It has been over a year with over a thousand votes - so moderators please give us an update.  Can this idea at least be under consideration or has the Fitbit marketing team decided to drop support for legacy items?

jeremyvictor
First Steps
I posed this question on Twitter this morning .... here is the response.

*Fitbit Support* ‏@FitbitSupport 2h2
hours ago

Hi! We have no news on this one yet. We will surely announce it once this
becomes available. Keep in touch for any questions!
euphomus
First Steps

second the idea. Would be helpful to know I'm in my zone or moreso, I've dropped out of my zone and it's time to push harder. 

euphomus
First Steps

add my vote. I'd want to set mine to vibrate if i dip below the target HR during exercise - a gentle reminder to kick up the intensity 

To comment, you must first accept the terms of the Idea and Feedback Submission policy.