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Hudzilla95

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 13, 2019
124
139
UK
I’ve been enjoying fitness+ and I’ve been trying out all the different workout types.... I tried HIIT yesterday and didn’t get a burn bar come up. I thought it was just because it was the first one so tried another HIIT today and it didn’t come up today either... I’ve turned it on on the little menu but it still isn’t there.

Any ideas?
Also using Apple TV 4K for the workouts.. not tried it with iPad or just on the iPhone.
 

canyonblue737

macrumors 68020
Jan 10, 2005
2,229
2,785
I wonder if a certain number of people have to take that particular class before it has enough to compare you to? i've always gotten a burn bar but then half the time my exercise summary page on the Fitness app doesn't have it or 12-48 hours and then it appears...
 

DrewInAZ

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2020
4
0
Tucson, AZ
I'm still seeing the burn bar on Apple TV during my Fitness+ workouts, but for the past two days the burn bar hasn't shown up in the Fitness app on my iPhone when I select the details about a specific workout I've completed. Previously the burn bar appeared with the other workout detail (heart rate, recovery, etc).

Aside from this, I have to say I'm really liking Fitness+ and I hope they continue adding content to prevent any workout reruns...
 

ProfessionalFan

macrumors 603
Sep 29, 2016
5,829
14,796
On a related note, I'm wondering how accurate the Burn Bar is. I don't feel like I'm doing amazing at the workouts but I am always at the "front of the pack" in them.

I love Fitness+ and plan to subscribe for a year after the trial, but that burn bar could be a placebo thing. Either that or I'm better than I think I am.
 

Sirious

macrumors 68000
Jan 2, 2013
1,660
2,826
United Kingdom, London
On a related note, I'm wondering how accurate the Burn Bar is. I don't feel like I'm doing amazing at the workouts but I am always at the "front of the pack" in them.

I love Fitness+ and plan to subscribe for a year after the trial, but that burn bar could be a placebo thing. Either that or I'm better than I think I am.
I completely agree with everything you wrote here. I borderline 'beginner' and I love the motivation of the Burn Bar, but it has to be slightly inaccurate right?
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,787
1,017
I completely agree with everything you wrote here. I borderline 'beginner' and I love the motivation of the Burn Bar, but it has to be slightly inaccurate right?
it looks like the burn bar does some adjusting based on your stats. A petite woman will burn far fewer calories working at the same intensity as a 6'2 guy with a rugby build.

 
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rhyme2

macrumors member
Dec 14, 2020
46
72
I am finding I am always “middle of the pack” on my burn bar. I just finished a HIIT workout where I kept my HR at 85-100% max for most of the 30 minutes and I was “middle of the pack” throughout the workout. My previous HIIT workout, I was 70-90% MHR and was still “middle of the pack” throughout. Has anyone else been able to shift it? (I’m female, fit, small, and middle aged, in case it is relevant).
 

Hudzilla95

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 13, 2019
124
139
UK
Did you check your settings?

Showing the burn bar is optional.

It may just need to be re-enabled.
It was enabled in the settings.
I restarted my Apple TV for a second time and it started working... no idea why the first restart didn’t fix it
 

LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,342
9,446
Over here
I am finding I am always “middle of the pack” on my burn bar. I just finished a HIIT workout where I kept my HR at 85-100% max for most of the 30 minutes and I was “middle of the pack” throughout the workout. My previous HIIT workout, I was 70-90% MHR and was still “middle of the pack” throughout. Has anyone else been able to shift it? (I’m female, fit, small, and middle aged, in case it is relevant).

The burn bar is based on calorie burn, not HR. Everyone is different in terms of calorie burn or at least the Apple Watch interpretation of it. I am Male, 48 and reasonably fit, always seem to be at the front of the pack.
 

rhyme2

macrumors member
Dec 14, 2020
46
72
The burn bar is based on calorie burn, not HR. Everyone is different in terms of calorie burn or at least the Apple Watch interpretation of it. I am Male, 48 and reasonably fit, always seem to be at the front of the pack.
It’s based on relative calorie burn not absolute calorie burn, I believe... which should make it effectively based on HR.
 

LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,342
9,446
Over here
It’s based on relative calorie burn not absolute calorie burn, I believe... which should make it effectively based on HR.

Indeed but still relies on the number of calories burnt to determine where on the burn bar you are. My average heart rate could be 135 and yours 150 for the same HIIT, doesn't mean your relative calories will be higher than mine or others. It's not the best metric to use but it's the one Apple prefer.
 

rhyme2

macrumors member
Dec 14, 2020
46
72
Indeed but still relies on the number of calories burnt to determine where on the burn bar you are. My average heart rate could be 135 and yours 150 for the same HIIT, doesn't mean your relative calories will be higher than mine or others. It's not the best metric to use but it's the one Apple prefer.
My point is that if my average HR is much higher in one HIIT workout than another, I will burn more calories in that workout. Hence, I should be higher on the burn bar in that workout. But I am always in the middle of the burn bar regardless.
 

LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,342
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Over here
My point is that if my average HR is much higher in one HIIT workout than another, I will burn more calories in that workout. Hence, I should be higher on the burn bar in that workout. But I am always in the middle of the burn bar regardless.

Ok, but you will only be higher if you are burning more calories than other people that have set the 'front of the pack' level. At the end of each workout, it displays your position in terms of calories burned and where you would have a need to be in terms of being higher.

So below, for example, I was in front of the pack, that is determined by burning more than 279 calories, I got to 288.

Have a look at where your position was in previous workouts and check it in future ones.

1609791360781.png


For clarity, there are 5 positions. Using that image above.

Behind the pack = less than 60
In the pack = 60 - 88
Middle of the pack = 88 - 279
Front of the pack = 279 - 326
Ahead of the pack = more than 326

Also note that this changes frequently, I did the above workout 4 days ago, I did the same workout earlier today, to be front of the pack today the burn has increased, you need to be 282 - 328. As more people do the workout their burn is taken into account and the calorie burn changed.

And of course, no two workouts are the same in terms of burn bar, the ranges will be different in each.
 
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rhyme2

macrumors member
Dec 14, 2020
46
72
Ok, but you will only be higher if you are burning more calories than other people that have set the 'front of the pack' level. At the end of each workout it displays your position in terms of calories burned and where you would have need to be in terms of being higher.

So below for example, I was front of the pack, that is determined by burning more than 279 calories.

Have a look at where your position was in previous workouts and check it in future ones.

View attachment 1706842
Again, it’s relative calories not absolute calories. A large young man will burn more calories just sitting on a couch for half an hour than a small old woman will, working out hard.
 

LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,342
9,446
Over here
Again, it’s relative calories not absolute calories. A large young man will burn more calories just sitting on a couch for half an hour than a small old woman will, working out hard.

As far as I am aware it is balanced for weight, age and gender, calculating effort using MET. The burn bar metrics shown are relevant to others considered in the same group as you, so it would not match a large young man with a small old woman in the burn bar bands for example.

So assuming it works as it should then you are 'middle of the pack' based on the group of people that are similar to you and you are being compared against. Nothing wrong with that, always (most likely) going to be others that are putting in more effort and burning more.

Again, look at your burn bar at the end of each workout, that gives you an indication of how far away from being in a higher position to your group and therefore how much more effort you need to put in, if it is that important.
 
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rhyme2

macrumors member
Dec 14, 2020
46
72
It isn’t just that more effort doesn’t move the burn bar up in my experience. Less effort doesn’t move it down, either.
 

Canyda

macrumors 65816
Sep 7, 2020
1,037
1,278
My burn bar never moves off 0 calories in any workout in which it's enabled. It's starting to frustrate me because I'm obviously working hard on these workouts yet the calories aren't transferring over to the burn bar.

24CA7542-1587-471B-A0B4-FBA25413B09C.jpeg
 

LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,342
9,446
Over here
It's starting to frustrate me because I'm obviously working hard on these workouts yet the calories aren't transferring over to the burn bar.

Have you enabled the Burn Bar? Some have reported they turned it off and it still shows but always displays 0 and is your health data entered via the health app? i.e. height, weight and so on, without it it cannot match you with others.

If you have got the bar enabled in the App and your health data entered, try turning it (burn bar) off and back on in case it is stuck in some way.
 

Canyda

macrumors 65816
Sep 7, 2020
1,037
1,278
Have you enabled the Burn Bar? Some have reported they turned it off and it still shows but always displays 0 and is your health data entered via the health app? i.e. height, weight and so on, without it it cannot match you with others.

If you have got the bar enabled in the App and your health data entered, try turning it (burn bar) off and back on in case it is stuck in some way.
I’m now thinking it may be because I didn’t have a recent weight entered. That’s been updated and we will see if it makes a difference.
 

Canyda

macrumors 65816
Sep 7, 2020
1,037
1,278
I’m now thinking it may be because I didn’t have a recent weight entered. That’s been updated and we will see if it makes a difference.
I can confirm that with an updated weight entered, my burn bar now operates as advertised. Thanks to @LeeW for the suggestion!
 
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