Cardio load has been significantly revised in the new Fitbit app. Android users can test it out in “public preview” starting this week. (This is the same preview that provides access to AI fitness coaches. I tested it yesterday and the results were disappointing..) Your cardio load is now tracked weekly, making it much easier for the app to make reasonable recommendations.
What is cardio load?
The cardio feature is Fitbit’s attempt to guide your exercise routine. Obviously, a beginner shouldn’t jump into an hour-long hard workout right from the start, and someone training for a marathon shouldn’t slack off for no reason. Cardio load is an attempt to put a number on how much exercise is neither too much nor too little for you.
Commonly used by athletes and trainers portion Whether you’re a runner counting miles on a spreadsheet or a coach who instinctively says, “Let’s take a break today,” it’s a model of exercise.
Fitbit uses the hilariously named TRIMP approach (“TRAining IMPulse”). Every minute your heart rate goes up counts as cardio load, and every minute your heart rate goes up counts as more effort. i have More details on this calculation can be found here..
Why cardio load is confusing
The idea seemed good. Fitbit calculates how much cardio you should aim for each day based on how much exercise you do. You can tell the app whether you want to increase your fitness or just maintain your fitness, and the numbers will adjust accordingly.
But for many people, those numbers never made sense. Numbers fluctuate from day to day and often do not match what a person’s medical history and health actually requires. many users establish Recommended cardio loads continued to increase, and rest days raised warnings about undertraining.
A sampling of Reddit threads from r/fitbit include the following titles:Cardio load baffles me.,” “Aerobic exercise, I hate you,” “Cardiac load is unrealistic,” “Cardio Loads Are Not Wrong, They’re Dangerous,” and “Fitbit, fix your cardio load or scrap it.”
What do you think so far?
Why the new features are better
Source: Beth Skwarecki/Fitbit
Google explained I’m implementing a very simple fix. That means calculating cardio load recommendations. main Instead. The cardiac load calculation itself does not change at all.
In the end, it’s normal to have Alternating between hard days and easy or rest daysAny load management instructions should be able to handle this. Google also points out that background activity levels (e.g. the amount of walking you do when grocery shopping) increase your cardio load, which also makes it difficult to follow the daily recommendations.
The new version of the Fitbit app now displays a large donut at the top of the screen along with your weekly goal progress. With a few quick runs, I’m now 41% of my weekly goal. There’s also a graph that shows where my goals are and what I consider “overreaching.” This makes much more sense.
