How accurate is the built-in pulse sensor on NordicTrack treadmills?

[Thomas Martinez]

What do you all think of the heart rate grips on NordicTrack treadmills?
Place both hands on the metal grips and the treadmill will take a reading of your heart rate from your palms. Standard feature on treadmills in this price range.
According to a write up, the treadmills heart rate sensor compares with Apple Watch heart rate sensors at the same time and displays very similar reading.
Generally, grip based sensors are only approximate. The same can be said for optical sensors taking heart rate measurements from the wrist.
For casual use, NordicTrack treadmills heart rate grips is fine. For training zones, a chest strap sensor will beat the treadmills heart rate sensors. For individuals looking for an approximate reading without purchasing a chest strap sensor, the built in heart rate sensor from the treadmills is usable. Have you compared the heart rate sensor from your NordicTrack treadmill with the chest strap sensor?

 

[Mic]

chest strap or it didnt happen. Grip sensors are a gimmick at best, ive never had one read within 10bpm of my polar h10

 

[Proud]

I’ve tested the heart rate sensor on my 1750 treadmill against a Wahoo Tickr sensor. The readings are within 3-5 bpm when resting or doing low intensity intervals. When I hit 140 bpm or above and my hands starts to sweat, the grip sensor essentially fails. It will show either 90 or 180 when I know my bpm is somewhere in the high 160s. It’s fine for warmups though.

 

[Obedient Oyst]

why does sweat mess it up though? wouldnt more moisture mean better contact with the metal?

 

[Impossible Ibex]

Apple Watch isnt exactly a benchmark lol

 

[Aero Sumo Fortress]

the write up on grip sensors was probably from NordicTrack marketing dept fluff tbh

 

[Proud]

why does sweat mess it up though? wouldnt more moisture mean better contact with the metal?

The sweat introduces salt to the measurement and also likely messes with the sensors grip pressure when gripping with sweaty palms. The sensor measures the voltage in each hand and anything that mess with that reading is going to cause incorrect bpm measurements.

 

[Ingenious Dog Dre]

I dgaf about heart rate measurements on treadmills. If you need to know when you are tired just listen to your body.

 

[Obedient Oyst]

The sweat introduces salt to the measurement and also likely messes with the sensors grip pressure when gripping with sweaty palms. The sensor measures the voltage in each hand and anything that mess with that reading is going to cause incorrect bpm measurements.

ok that makes sense. So is it actually ECG based then? i thought it was optical like the watches