Low HR during 2k test

[Sean H]

Hi all

I'm new to rowing (5 months) and I've been progressing reasonable well. I started using my watch heart rate monitor last month and I have noticed a huge difference with my heart rate during test pieces. I thought it was a error because of gripping the handle but it doesn't rise (only 5 bpm) after i complete the piece. I've listed examples below

Test piece
1K - 3:09 - spm 30 - HR max 117 bpm
2K - 6:55 - spm 28 - HR max 121 bpm

Training
2 x 3km - 2min/500m - spm 19 - HR max 176 - Av 163 bpm
3 x 2km - 1:50min/500m - spm 24 - HR max 179 - Av 151 bpm

I have completed 5 x 2km test pieces over the 5 months and the last one I completed yesterday was the first one I didn't think i was going to die afterwards. I'm wondering if i should have pushed myself harder. I set myself a plan of averaging under 1:44 but maybe I mentally blocked myself from a better time and reserved too much for the sprint at the end (which i also left too late). I'm just very confused because i don't think its improved fitness.

What i'm wondering is:

1. Is this normal?
2. Did i not push myself hard enough?
3. Is it something physiological?

Thanks

Sean

[hjs]

If you have a 179 max, 120 should be very easy to reach, those numbers can’t be right. Really something is not working have it should be and its not your heart.

[winniewinser]

Hi all

I'm new to rowing (5 months) and I've been progressing reasonable well. I started using my watch heart rate monitor last month and I have noticed a huge difference with my heart rate during test pieces. I thought it was a error because of gripping the handle but it doesn't rise (only 5 bpm) after i complete the piece. I've listed examples below

Test piece
1K - 3:09 - spm 30 - HR max 117 bpm
2K - 6:55 - spm 28 - HR max 121 bpm

Training
2 x 3km - 2min/500m - spm 19 - HR max 176 - Av 163 bpm
3 x 2km - 1:50min/500m - spm 24 - HR max 179 - Av 151 bpm

I have completed 5 x 2km test pieces over the 5 months and the last one I completed yesterday was the first one I didn't think i was going to die afterwards. I'm wondering if i should have pushed myself harder. I set myself a plan of averaging under 1:44 but maybe I mentally blocked myself from a better time and reserved too much for the sprint at the end (which i also left too late). I'm just very confused because i don't think its improved fitness.

What i'm wondering is:

1. Is this normal?
2. Did i not push myself hard enough?
3. Is it something physiological?

Thanks

Sean

Wrist HRM's are not generally that accurate during sessions as the wrist is moving a lot and it can't measure the HR too well. Chest straps tend to be more accurate....I use the Polar H10 and it's been very good.

I think the only watch with a half decent reputation for wrist HRM is the Apple watch.

Cheers

[mict450]

Wrist mounted HRMs are notoriously inaccurate when used with the erg. Suggest you get a chest strap or optical HRM.

edit: Alex was faster on the keyboard.

[Sean H]

Thanks for the quick response.

I'm going to purchase a chest HRM. It was confusing that only my test pieces are inaccurate.

[Cyclist2]

Monitor issues aside (I used a Polar chest belt with the analog pickup into my PM3), I noticed that my HR didn't get as high during a one-time max effort 1K or 2K. It seems there just isn't enough time for the HR to "catch up" with the max effort for the shorter time. I have no empirical data, just anecdotal, but when I was training hard for races that's what I noticed. During my training I could get up into the 160s and 170s, like you, routinely. I'd generally get into the 150s during a 2K test or race, and I'm sure some of that was nerves as much as effort.

[GlennUk]

FWIW my wife has a garmin voviactive4s (i think) she had a VivomoveHR before that and neither gave consistent HR readings, on many occasions not providing output at all unless she had the damn thing tight enough and in just the right place.

She now shares my Polar H9 and has absolutely no problems.

Personally for rowing id get a chest strap

[Remo]

My experience with wrist based HR monitors is that they are wrong most of the time.

I have a Garmin Vivosmart 4. I measure my heart rate in the morning by counting my heart beats for a minute. I then compare it with the VivoSmart which is typically it is 5 - 10 beat higher.

When I erg, I use a Wahoo chest strap. I also compare results with the Vivosmart. When I do workouts near my max HR, I find that the VivoSmart is typically 20 - 30 beats lower. than the chest strap.

[Tsnor]

+1 all the "wrist mounted optical are garbage" comments. My fitbit charge 3 is useless - HR goes down during final sprints rather than up as it lost beats. There are reports that apple is much better - I would cross check with a belt before trusting the data if you are doing heart rate zone training and using an optical watch.

Polar H10 is great and $80 US. The Polar Beat app on a phone/tablet next to erg showing graph of HR is nice on long rows where you want to keep at 70-75% of max heart rate. There are many other belts highly recommended in the forum.

Aside: You made huge progress in just 5 months " I'm new to rowing (5 months) .. ". You may be doing a lot of high impact sessions e.g. 3 x 2km - 1:50min/500m which can lead to overreach/ overtraining syndrome. Symptoms of overreach / overtraining include inability to reach a high heart rate, finding the same workout drives a much lower heart rate, seeing a rising resting heart rate. Likely it's just your watch reporting a garbage heart rate, but do google "overtraining" and see if you match the other symptoms. If you do act promptly.

[Sean H]

Thanks again for the responses.

Tsnor thanks for the information on over training. I monitor my resting heart already and if i see a rise 3-4 BPM I rest. I was only rowing three times a week and I've now raised it to 5 with more low intensity rows.

[Nomath]

I agree that wrist watches with optical HR-sensor work very poorly when your arms and hands are continuously in motion. However, directly after stopping the rowing motion they should be able to pick up while you rest your arms. Since the HR only starts to drop ±10 sec after a stop, you should be able to see whether the HR at the end of a 2K or 5K is near to what you expect.

I also use a Polar H10 chest sensor on the erg.