Experienced a Seven-Day Stint with Whoop on Ankle: Avoid This Misstep if Possible
Title: Whoop MG: Ankle Tracking Reveals Questionable Data
Hey there! Here's a sneak peek at my experience with the Whoop MG, the latest tech marvel from the folks at Whoop. While I was pretty chuffed with its lifespan estimation feature, I had to give it a spin on my ankle thanks to my smartwatch conundrum.
After seeing my Whoop age mimic my biological one at first, I was determined to make the tracking gadget see my youthful spirit. With an abundance of work-related travel during the first three weeks, it's understandable that my Whoop age wasn't quite where I wanted it to be. But, with a little patience, I managed to shave off a couple of years and even speed up my aging process to -0.1!
Pumped to maintain the youthful momentum, I faced a problem: I needed to test out new smartwatches, and the Whoop MG had to make room on my wrists. As the Whoop doesn't necessitate wrist-bound wear, I thought the ankle could be the perfect spot.
Although Whoop advises against tracking on the ankles, a quick internet investigation suggested that some users had positive experiences doing just that. So, buckling up the Whoop MG on my ankle, I started tracking.
The first night went swimmingly—my stats were solid and in line with my usual data. The device accurately picked up my sleep and wake times. The ankle placement seemed to be working like a charm for day-to-day tracking. Confident about my decision, I laced up for a run the next morning.
However, the accent was on 'unexpected' as I eagerly checked my post-exercise stats. The sensor drastically overestimated my maximum heart rate and average heart rate during the runs, putting me in the vicinity of 205 and 168 bpm respectively. To put those numbers in perspective, my usual estimated max heart rate and average heart rate during moderate-effort runs should be around 180 and 140-145 bpm, respectively.
To add a cherry on top, the Whoop claimed that I spent zero minutes in Zone 1, which is essentially impossible unless you start sprinting and never slow down. Such skewed data threw off my recovery suggestions, strain calculations, and overall progress tracking. In a nutshell, it messed up the whole system.
Alas, I'll have to put the Whoop MG on pause until I get my hands on some bicep band or Whoop Body underwear. Fingers crossed Whoop releases new bands for the MG soon, so I can continue proving my amazing vitality to the machines! Ciao for now, and keep techin' it up!
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Now, let me walk you through some facts from the lab:
- The Whoop MG is designed primarily for wrist wear, with off-wrist alternatives being limited due to incompatible older 4.0 apparel not working with the MG or 5.0 models[2][1].
- Users wearing the Whoop MG on the ankle during physical activity like running may see less reliable results, especially when it comes to heart rate and strain measurements, compared to wrist placement[2].
In a nutshell:
- Alternatives to wrist wearing for the Whoop MG are scarce, as official off-wrist accessories compatible with the MG are not currently available.
- Wearing the Whoop MG on the ankle can still provide accurate rest data.
- However, during workouts like running, heart rate and strain accuracy may suffer, making wrist the preferred location for consistent tracking[2].
So, though it's doable, be prepared for differences in data accuracy when using the Whoop MG on your ankle, especially during physical activities. Happy techin'!
In the process of testing the Whoop MG on my ankle for best results, it was discovered that using the gadget in this unconventional location may not yield accurate heart rate and strain measurements during physical activities, compared to wrist wear. This is in line with the lab findings that suggest heart rate and strain accuracy may suffer when the Whoop MG is worn on the ankle during exercises like running. Despite these discrepancies, the Whoop MG on the ankle can still offer reliable rest data for tracking purposes in daily life.
