Garmin is preparing to bring detailed physiological tracking to strength training, addressing a long-standing gap between endurance and resistance exercise monitoring. While runners and cyclists have long relied on wrist-based data for precise performance analysis, strength athletes are typically limited to heart rate metrics, which offer a weak correlation with muscular exertion during lifting. Now, unearthed software references suggest the company is building a system to measure muscle oxygen saturation in real time.
Clues hidden in the Garmin Connect app
An examination of the Garmin Connect application has revealed new data fields tied to muscle oxygenation. These include average, minimum, and maximum levels of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin, along with total hemoglobin concentration, indicating that users may soon be able to review these metrics across an entire training session. The physiological rationale is straightforward: a decline in muscle oxygen saturation—the proportion of hemoglobin carrying oxygen within a specific muscle—serves as a practical indicator of fatigue. Access to this localized data could help athletes fine-tune rest intervals between sets and better gauge exertion in targeted muscle groups.
How localized measurement works
Unlike systemic readings such as pulse oximetry (SpO2) or heart rate, muscle oxygen levels must be captured directly at the working tissue. This means the sensor is placed on the active muscle—whether that is the quadriceps during leg extensions or the pectorals during bench presses. The underlying technology is not entirely new; optical sensors capable of evaluating muscle load already exist in the fitness industry. Exactly how Garmin intends to engineer and introduce its own hardware solution remains undisclosed, though the in-app evidence strongly points to a product in active development.
Sources: gadgetsandwearables.com, unsplash.com, unsplash.com