Discovery Health - Vitality & Team Vitality plus everything else you need to know

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I discovered this one day when my HR monitor stopped working.

I was busy with my session and my avg HR was at 60% or 70%+ and then there was nothing for a period of time.

Finished with the same avg HR as when it stopped working.

 

The "flaw" is actually on the device side.

The device records your HR and works out your avg HR and then if there's nothing it just leaves it there. Suppose that it doesn't know what to use and it can't use zero (because you'd be dead) and so it just stops calculating HR.

yep. 

[Frosty]

I've given up trying to talk point allocation with Discovery and just accepted that it's a blanket model that needs to satisfy the majority. The last discussion I had with them revolved around Multisport events - before TTA Duathlon champs in December I did a mini duathlon the day before, just to do a race simulation - 5km run, 12km cycle, 2.5km run. Total time just over an hour, ave HR about 70%. Total points - 0. Their argument - I mustn't use the Duathlon/Triathlon function on my Multisport watch because it splits the workout into 3 sections which were all under 30mins. My argument - I bought the watch to use for Multisport, because it has that specific function and I want to be able to see the 3 events separately including my transition times. When I asked them how it was possible to get more points by ordering a Macdonalds Supersize meal and eating it on the couch in the gym, than by doing a sprint duathlon at a HR of 70% they didn't seem amused!

Are you using Garmin?

 

I know the steps below are an additional schlep, but it is a legitimate work around to get the points. It is not a loophole (cheat) as some have mentioned in the posts above... (don’t worry, my lips are sealed, it’s a flaw in their system).

 

In another thread, a club mate mentions the use of two Garmin devices/accounts. I have two accounts - one linked to Discovery, and my “active one”. The one linked to Discovery is for this purpose... to submit activities that meet their criteria without it affecting my normal account.

 

Back on track, here’s my solution:

 

You can combine your activities into one using FitFileTools (http://www.fitfiletools.com). Then download the new .fit file before uploading to Garmin Connect. You may need to delete the existing files in GC as duplicate activities aren’t allowed.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wolver]

I discovered this one day when my HR monitor stopped working.

I was busy with my session and my avg HR was at 60% or 70%+ and then there was nothing for a period of time.

Finished with the same avg HR as when it stopped working.

 

The "flaw" is actually on the device side.

The device records your HR and works out your avg HR and then if there's nothing it just leaves it there. Suppose that it doesn't know what to use and it can't use zero (because you'd be dead) and so it just stops calculating HR.

I disagree that this is a device flaw. I would rather the session average heart rate doesn't reduce the average heart rate just because the HR lost signal for whatever reason. It could make a tempo session look like a recovery session. if you know what I mean.

[wolver]

Wonder if I should try this with my Suunto account. Stopped syncing Monday... 2 workouts' points pending and Friday is getting closer. Mailed them but so far only received a ref#

 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Having the same issue with my Suunto not pulling through the points. See that it is a known issue as per the below on their website. FYI the point need to reflect by Tuesday next week not Friday, so still time for it to be resolved.

 

03-01-2018: Delay in point allocation

There is currently a delay in the allocation of points. We are working on having this resolved as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

[g3n151d3]

Having the same issue with my Suunto not pulling through the points. See that it is a known issue as per the below on their website. FYI the point need to reflect by Tuesday next week not Friday, so still time for it to be resolved.

 

03-01-2018: Delay in point allocation

There is currently a delay in the allocation of points. We are working on having this resolved as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Ah thank you!

 

I called them this morning and according to them the workouts do show on their side and there was "an issue"...

 

So let's see - I get my surprise coffee spin this week again [emoji16]

 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[g3n151d3]

Having the same issue with my Suunto not pulling through the points. See that it is a known issue as per the below on their website. FYI the point need to reflect by Tuesday next week not Friday, so still time for it to be resolved.

 

03-01-2018: Delay in point allocation

There is currently a delay in the allocation of points. We are working on having this resolved as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

edit : double post Edited January 4, 2018 by g3n151d3

[Cyclewizz]

I disagree that this is a device flaw. I would rather the session average heart rate doesn't reduce the average heart rate just because the HR lost signal for whatever reason. It could make a tempo session look like a recovery session. if you know what I mean.

 

I understand what you saying but the opposite is also true.

Hammer it for 2 min, take the HR monitor off and a recovery session looks like a tempo session.

 

Looking into my crystal ball I'll predict that eventually they'll use power and then things will be more difficult but I suppose somebody will find a loop hole.

 

Plenty of ways to cheat the system but eventually the cheater will be caught out.

[Veebee]

Nope. Works with Garmin as well. 

 

Tried it, it works. Get the HR up before you start the session, wait for it to hit 150bpm or whatever your 80% / 70% / 60% whatever is, then start the "exercise" (press record) and immediately (within 10s) remove the HR belt. Keep the watch ticking over until you've hit your desired "exercise time". Hey presto. You've only got 10s of recorded HR data, but over that period you were at >80% and your exercise was >30min. 300 points. 

 

haha you just made life easy for us all... now I can be even more lazy

[Vetplant]

haha you just made life easy for us all... now I can be even more lazy

I am very thankfull for this, I have found myself chasing 30min sessions at 80% HR just to make my weekly targets for vitality, instead of doing what is best for my actual training.

 

If I can knock the weekly targets out of the way I can get back to training the way a training plan has been set up, which might mean 60% of heartrate. Luckily I recently got a power meter, which is way more reliable to pace oneself during sessions, so the HR monitor can be removed once the required AVE HR is reached.

 

These weekly Vitality targets are probably great for getting inactive people motivated, but it might actually be detrimental to fit people trying to improve. But this has probably been debated on here a gazillion times, at least now we have a workaround.

 

Brilliant

[wolver]

I understand what you saying but the opposite is also true.

Hammer it for 2 min, take the HR monitor off and a recovery session looks like a tempo session.

 

Looking into my crystal ball I'll predict that eventually they'll use power and then things will be more difficult but I suppose somebody will find a loop hole.

 

Plenty of ways to cheat the system but eventually the cheater will be caught out.

Agreed with you from a vitality points perspective, I was think from an actual training data perspective, ie using the device for intended use rather than free smoothies 

[GhostSixFour]

In another thread, a club mate mentions the use of two Garmin devices/accounts. I have two accounts - one linked to Discovery, and my “active one”. The one linked to Discovery is for this purpose... to submit activities that meet their criteria without it affecting my normal account.

 

 

Anyone using the polar app with a BT HR belt? Would that work? Run the app for the first 5 minutes then leave phone in pocket or something?

[GhostSixFour]

Anyone using the polar app with a BT HR belt? Would that work? Run the app for the first 5 minutes then leave phone in pocket or something?

Or, if you're really lazy. Download the GPX file from your device site, open it up in Notepad++ look for the HR field, change the first one to you desired BPM and delete the rest. 

 

Don't have vitality, so not tested there, but have tested on sportstracker and it shows the first HR then as average.

[Frosty]

Or, if you're really lazy. Download the GPX file from your device site, open it up in Notepad++ look for the HR field, change the first one to you desired BPM and delete the rest.

 

Don't have vitality, so not tested there, but have tested on sportstracker and it shows the first HR then as average.

For that very reason Discovery don’t accept GPX files, it has to be the original file, i.e. the FIT file from Garmin.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Veebee]

I am very thankfull for this, I have found myself chasing 30min sessions at 80% HR just to make my weekly targets for vitality, instead of doing what is best for my actual training.

 

If I can knock the weekly targets out of the way I can get back to training the way a training plan has been set up, which might mean 60% of heartrate. Luckily I recently got a power meter, which is way more reliable to pace oneself during sessions, so the HR monitor can be removed once the required AVE HR is reached.

 

These weekly Vitality targets are probably great for getting inactive people motivated, but it might actually be detrimental to fit people trying to improve. But this has probably been debated on here a gazillion times, at least now we have a workaround.

 

Brilliant

 

well I've never needed to cheat the system in all the time it has been running, but it will come in handy knowing what can be done... oh well, they take soo much from us so why cant we get a lil back :whistling:

[mecheng89]

Or, if you're really lazy. Download the GPX file from your device site, open it up in Notepad++ look for the HR field, change the first one to you desired BPM and delete the rest. 

 

Don't have vitality, so not tested there, but have tested on sportstracker and it shows the first HR then as average.

[mecheng89]

I am very thankfull for this, I have found myself chasing 30min sessions at 80% HR just to make my weekly targets for vitality, instead of doing what is best for my actual training.

 

If I can knock the weekly targets out of the way I can get back to training the way a training plan has been set up, which might mean 60% of heartrate. Luckily I recently got a power meter, which is way more reliable to pace oneself during sessions, so the HR monitor can be removed once the required AVE HR is reached.

 

These weekly Vitality targets are probably great for getting inactive people motivated, but it might actually be detrimental to fit people trying to improve. But this has probably been debated on here a gazillion times, at least now we have a workaround.

 

Brilliant

I must disagree Rookie. I am a highly active cyclist, who follows a training plan, but one can so easy say - stuff it, I don't feel like training this week. But in all honesty I must say VAR have got me hook, line and sinker. That little incentive every week, feeding the addiction (LOL) is sometimes just that little push you need to get your workout done.

 

That said - with my training program, I easily go over 70% of my HR over the course of an hour (my workouts are typically 1 - 1h30), so I'm almost guaranteed 300 points right there. I'm not pushing beyond what the program asks of me. 3 of those (workouts) a week and you're done and dusted. Being part of an active club that rides Saturday and Sundays guarantees me at least 200 points, and at most 600. 

 

60% of max HR is a coffee ride tbh, easy 100 points if longer than an hour, else it's "just" 50 points.