Understanding the Difference Between Exertion and Effort

Many users wonder why their Effort scores from individual workouts do not add up to their total Exertion for the day. This is because Exertion and Effort measure different things and are calculated using separate formulas.

What Is Exertion?

Exertion is a measure of your total cardiovascular load throughout the day and is influenced by multiple factors, not just workouts.

✔ Measured on a 0-10 scale

✔ Based on your 30-day average max heart rate (or a custom max heart rate) and 60-day average resting heart rate

✔ Accumulates over the entire day, not just workouts

✔ Includes cardiovascular impact from items like stress, alcohol, job, and daily activities

✔ Some workouts (e.g., yoga, walking) may result in 0 Exertion if they do not elevate heart rate significantly

💡 Example: You could have a high Exertion score after a long, stressful day without working out, while a low-intensity workout may contribute little or no Exertion.

What Is Effort?

Effort is a measure of how much cardiovascular work you are putting in during a workout.

✔ Measured on a 0-10 scale

✔ Calculated using heart rate data only during a workout

✔ Measures how long you spend near your max heart rate during exercise

✔ Higher heart rate = Higher Effort score

💡 Example: A high-intensity sprint workout where your heart rate stays near max will have a high Effort score, whereas a light stretching session may have an Effort of 0.

Why Don’t Effort Scores Add Up to Exertion?

Since Exertion includes more than just workouts, adding up your Effort scores will not equal your total Exertion for the day.

✔ Exertion tracks cardiovascular strain from all activities, including stress and daily movement.

✔ Effort only measures cardiovascular work during a recorded workout.

Key Takeaways

Exertion is your total daily cardiovascular load, while Effort measures workout intensity.
Exertion accounts for stress, daily activities, and all exertion throughout the day.
Effort is only based on workout heart rate data.
Adding up your Effort scores will not match your total Exertion for the day.

If none of these troubleshooting steps resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Athlytic support for further assistance.