how accurate are Garmin HRM?

KevChallis

I ask, as I am 29, and shows my max heart rate on todays ride at 202, I also got 202 on a cheap him but thought it may be inaccurate due to it being cheap, but I hit the same again today, only once, when I was attacking a starve route I wanted to beat my brother on lol. the garmin also shows my heart rate at rest drops as low as 52-54, can anybody tell me what this means, as I am intrigued, as I haven't had a HRM before.

Thanks

NeXXus

So your current known max HR is 202 and your resting HR is 52-54.

That's all. Evidently, the fitter you get, the lower resting will be (at complete rest first thing in the morning)

KevChallis

Thanks, didn't know if it was more technical lol, you hear all these things of 220 minus your age is your max HR etc... didn't know if anything to be worried about, as I was really struggling as such, just max effort.

NeXXus

220-age is for the most part a load of crap, why calculate when you have enough means find very close to if not your real value.

KevChallis

I was just concerned when I keep getting 202, I was thinking something wasn't right, and wanted to check

NeXXus

202 doesn't tell anyone who'd reply here enough to say either way.

Silly Old Hector

I picked up how to do a heart rate test from the British Cycling website.

keef66

220 minus age is a rough approximation of average max heart rate for a population / large sample. For an individual it's pretty meaningless, and basing HR training zones on this calculated value could be at best ineffective and at worst downright dangerous.

Having said all that, at 57 the formula would have my MHR at 163. Last time I did a proper test my Garmin maxed out at 165, so I guess I'm Mr average

Although improving fitness tends to reduce your resting heart rate, a low resting heart rate per se isn't always an indicator of fitness...

KevChallis

Thanks for your replies