I would like to know what is your experience with hart rate monitoring during swimming. I use Garmin watch for tracking, for four years Tactix Delta and from December Tactix Amoled. In the first year the Delta with its built-in optical sensor measured the HR very well, I was satisfied with more than 90% reliability of the results. But something happened in mid of 2021, from this date, the result from the optical sensors are not reliable any more. This was the reason I changed to Tactix Amoled with the latest version of built-in sensor but it doesn't work either. I started to use Garmin HRM Swim what works correctly. But it is also not a perfect solution. I hate to wear it in a public swimming pool, not comfortable, it might be loosen during the swimming or after kicking off the wall. Furthermore after some months the chlorine ruins the strip completely.
Hi Laszlo. Thanks for your question. Undoubtedly the best place for a HR device when swimming is on the temple on the side of the head which is why the Polar Verity and OH-1 is so reliable. However, it doesn't track pace against it (at least not the OH-1) so without this extra data it can be a bit meaningless. The next best is the chest strap, but as you know, not comfortable. That then leaves us with the wrist. The Apple Watch is good in the pool but a lot less reliable in the open water, reading extremely high. Some sources online point to this being due to the colour spectrometry of the ocean / river being different to that of the pool. I've always found Garmin to be better with this differential but havent had a new one since well before the dates you mention. One thing’s for sure, there's still not one ideal solution I'm afraid…
Hi Paul, thank you for the answer. I've tried Polar Verity too but it's not fully compatible with Garmin :( What you wrote about the difference of spectrometry of open water and swimming pool is interesting. The Garmin built-in sensor seems to be much better to me in ocean/sea than in swimming pool...
Thanks for the reply. I have done this for all my teams and also with a small group of “old geezer” masters swimmers when we workout together on off days.
I have an Apple Watch and garmin HRM chest strap. Neither records hr while swimming well. They usually drop out. What are the best HRMs to wear while swimming?
This makes so much sense. I understand now what you have told me many times: “Don’t focus on the high HR you have achieved; look at the curve or dips in your HR.”
And, of course, the dip in HR when you lead in the lane to drafting in the lane.
A thought on endurance sessions being daunting for swimmers. I’m going to be bold and claim the opposite, but given I’m solely focused on open water it might make sense.
Looking at “the session of the day” from social media I’d much rather have a straight 10x400 as the purpose seems more obvious to my simple mind. Heart rate and pace should be according to session goal if I hold technique for the session.
I agree wholeheartedly - that's not to say that you can't make something like a 10x400 "fun" (you can), but if you're always doing shorter intervals with lots of rest and wondering why your training performance doesn't match your racing, this could be why!
Paul, I have used heart rate as a basic training measure for as long as I can remember…and way before devices. Remember I am older than Google. Very simple: look at the clock, how many beats in 6 seconds, add a zero, heart rate in the ball bark. Now, does your heart rate fit in to the work effort/distance/speed I am asking for. Also keeping track of average team heart rates let me know how my workouts were effecting the whole. Swimmers reported morning resting heart rates everyday for me to assess conditioning/training stress and recovery ability. All done by the seat of my pants because of how it just made sense to do so. Now at my age, 75, my rest interval is as long as it takes my HR to rest to 100…that is my send off.
Maybe the Polar Verity could be an option? I use the clip for attaching it to my goggles, or slip it under the cap. It needs a sharp push off and a sharp lap finish to record the lap, no floating gently the last few centimetres to the wall.
The Verity is the pinnacle of accuracy, though it won't reference against your speed as such (just time). Some devices allow you to pair with the Verity though which can be great.
I would like to know what is your experience with hart rate monitoring during swimming. I use Garmin watch for tracking, for four years Tactix Delta and from December Tactix Amoled. In the first year the Delta with its built-in optical sensor measured the HR very well, I was satisfied with more than 90% reliability of the results. But something happened in mid of 2021, from this date, the result from the optical sensors are not reliable any more. This was the reason I changed to Tactix Amoled with the latest version of built-in sensor but it doesn't work either. I started to use Garmin HRM Swim what works correctly. But it is also not a perfect solution. I hate to wear it in a public swimming pool, not comfortable, it might be loosen during the swimming or after kicking off the wall. Furthermore after some months the chlorine ruins the strip completely.
Any other suggestion?
Hi Laszlo. Thanks for your question. Undoubtedly the best place for a HR device when swimming is on the temple on the side of the head which is why the Polar Verity and OH-1 is so reliable. However, it doesn't track pace against it (at least not the OH-1) so without this extra data it can be a bit meaningless. The next best is the chest strap, but as you know, not comfortable. That then leaves us with the wrist. The Apple Watch is good in the pool but a lot less reliable in the open water, reading extremely high. Some sources online point to this being due to the colour spectrometry of the ocean / river being different to that of the pool. I've always found Garmin to be better with this differential but havent had a new one since well before the dates you mention. One thing’s for sure, there's still not one ideal solution I'm afraid…
Hi Paul, thank you for the answer. I've tried Polar Verity too but it's not fully compatible with Garmin :( What you wrote about the difference of spectrometry of open water and swimming pool is interesting. The Garmin built-in sensor seems to be much better to me in ocean/sea than in swimming pool...
Worth a look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swS8s6uxBvY
Thanks for the reply. I have done this for all my teams and also with a small group of “old geezer” masters swimmers when we workout together on off days.
“Diamond Geezers” 😊
I have an Apple Watch and garmin HRM chest strap. Neither records hr while swimming well. They usually drop out. What are the best HRMs to wear while swimming?
Do you have the Apple Watch set tightly enough on your wrist? It should be pretty reliable in the pool especially.
This makes so much sense. I understand now what you have told me many times: “Don’t focus on the high HR you have achieved; look at the curve or dips in your HR.”
And, of course, the dip in HR when you lead in the lane to drafting in the lane.
Yes, when you draft, that curve really comes down - you might be swimming easier, but not more effective for your training.
A thought on endurance sessions being daunting for swimmers. I’m going to be bold and claim the opposite, but given I’m solely focused on open water it might make sense.
Looking at “the session of the day” from social media I’d much rather have a straight 10x400 as the purpose seems more obvious to my simple mind. Heart rate and pace should be according to session goal if I hold technique for the session.
I agree wholeheartedly - that's not to say that you can't make something like a 10x400 "fun" (you can), but if you're always doing shorter intervals with lots of rest and wondering why your training performance doesn't match your racing, this could be why!
Let me know if you have any questions about today's blog?
Paul, I have used heart rate as a basic training measure for as long as I can remember…and way before devices. Remember I am older than Google. Very simple: look at the clock, how many beats in 6 seconds, add a zero, heart rate in the ball bark. Now, does your heart rate fit in to the work effort/distance/speed I am asking for. Also keeping track of average team heart rates let me know how my workouts were effecting the whole. Swimmers reported morning resting heart rates everyday for me to assess conditioning/training stress and recovery ability. All done by the seat of my pants because of how it just made sense to do so. Now at my age, 75, my rest interval is as long as it takes my HR to rest to 100…that is my send off.
Great to hear from you Ron - was that with the Chilean team?
Maybe the Polar Verity could be an option? I use the clip for attaching it to my goggles, or slip it under the cap. It needs a sharp push off and a sharp lap finish to record the lap, no floating gently the last few centimetres to the wall.
The Verity is the pinnacle of accuracy, though it won't reference against your speed as such (just time). Some devices allow you to pair with the Verity though which can be great.
Have you looked at using an Apple Watch or Garmin device Jeremy? These will record for you from the wrist and also match against your swim splits.