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If you’re looking for your very own personal trainer, check out the F55. If you need help in how hard to train and how often, here is the solution for you. Polar’s intelligent functions ensure that you will reach your fitness targets. It comes in two distinctive colors, but more importantly, it will help motivate you to maximize all aspects of your fitness workout.
A personal program guides how hard, how often and long you need to train to improve your fitness. See your progress and get motivated by doing an intelligent but simple fitness test and get a fitter body with the strength training program. A relaxation test tells you how relaxed your body is.
This model downloads to Polar's Personal Trainer website
For examples - click here
More detailed information under
"Great information on this product"
and more detailed features at bottom of page
(see below)
Polar F55 Wrist unit
Polar Wearlink Coded chest transmitter
Elastic strap
Fitness body card
Personal guide to fitness
Fitness user guide
Customer care guide
Two year warranty
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How to set your Polar product to Connect Mode
Press the OK button and then the up (upper right button) to enter Connect mode.
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Benefits of Heart Rate Monitoring
Why is it important to monitor your heart rate when you exercise?
Your heart rate is a convenient, reliable, personal indicator of the intensity of your exercise.
It's good to know the intensity of your exercise so you can vary it depending on your fitness level and the goals you want to achieve by exercising.
Heart rate monitoring brings following benefits to all levels of users:
Exercise Beginner
Teaches you about your body's reaction to exercise
Keeps you from starting out too hard (as beginners are often tempted)
Helps you control the intensity of your exercise routine
Provides feedback on your improvement
Regular exerciser
Helps you control the intensity of your exercise program under different circumstances
Helps you fine-tune your program for the best results
Gives you plenty of feedback both during and after a session, teaching you more about your body's reaction to exercise
Helps you see how you're progressing
Serious exerciser
Helps you make sure you work out at the right planned intensities for your training program (hard enough on hard days, light enough on recovery days, enough recovery between intervals, etc.)
Enables you to track and accurately adjust your training program
Teaches you about your body's reaction to training, providing an early warning of overtraining, flu, etc.
Provides feedback on your progress |
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How to Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate
The most accurate way of determining individual maximum heart rate (HRmax) is to have it clinically measured, usually on a maximal treadmill or by taking a bicycle stress test supervised by a cardiologist or exercise physiologist. HRmax can also be estimated by using the commonly used formula: 220 minus age. Research has shown that the formula is not very accurate, especially for people who have been fit for many years or for older people. The HRmax-p score, however, predicts individual maximum heart rate value more accurately. This feature is included in most Polar running computers.
If you have done some hard training in recent weeks and know that you can safely reach maximum heart rate, here is a simple test you can take.
You should consult your physician before undertaking this test. We also recommend you take the test together with a training partner.
Step 1: Warm up for 15 minutes on a flat surface, building to your usual training pace.
Step 2: Then choose a hill or stairwell that will take you more than 2 minutes to climb. Run up the hill/steps once, building to as hard a pace that you can hold for 20 min. Return to the base of the hill/steps.
Step 3: Run up the hill/steps again, building towards a pace you can just about hold for 3 km. Note your highest heart rate. Your maximum is approximately 10 beats higher than the noted value.
Step 4: Run back down the hill allowing your heart rate to drop 30 to 40 beats.
Step 5: Run up the hills/steps once again at a pace that you can only hold for 1 minute. Try to run half-way up the hills/steps. Note your highest heart rate. This brings you close to your maximum heart rate. Use this value as your maximum heart rate to set training zones.
Step 6: Make sure you get a good cool-down of a minimum of 10 minutes.
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Different Training Heart rates are used for Different Purposes
Training heart rates are ranges of percentages of your maximum heart rate (HRmax).
Each range is useful for different purposes and is associated with different fitness benefits.
Training heart rate 50-60% HRmax- Great for recovery sessions.
Training heart rate 60-70% HRmax- Improves the heart's ability to pump blood- Increases the number of small blood vessels in your muscles- Increases the enzymes in your muscles responsible for oxygen metabolism- Increases the strength of your muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones- Improves your endurance- Burns fat as the body's main energy source at this intensity
Training heart rate 70-80% HRmax- Also called the "steady state" because it's the fastest pace you can maintain for long periods of time (for example, a competitive Ironman athlete will race near this intensity)- Accustoms the body with a faster pace- Improves endurance- Begins to raise the speed you can maintain without building up lactic acid (your anaerobic threshold)- The more fit you are, the greater the percentage of fat your body uses as fuel, enabling you to perform longer at this rate while preserving limited stores of glycogen
Training heart rate 80-90% HRmax- At this intensity, you begin to "go anaerobic" and build up lactic acid (reach your anaerobic threshold)- Your anaerobic threshold increases along with your fitness- This intensity can be maintained for about one hour in competition
Training heart rate 90-100% HRmax- Is only needed for sprint training - racing over short distances (track sprinters, short-distance swimmers). |
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Polar Fitness Test
Measure your aerobic fitness level easily with the Polar Fitness Test.
Polar Fitness Test is a breakthrough in aerobic fitness testing that helps you easily get useful information about your physical condition. The test was developed to measure aerobic fitness based on changes in your resting heart's beating. The test is based on several variables (heart rate, heart rate variability, age, body weight, gender and level of physical activity).
You can perform the Polar Fitness Test easily and reliably in the privacy of your own home. All you need is your Polar Heart Rate Monitor and five, short minutes to get a measure of your current fitness level. It is a safe test, even if you are unfit, as it does not require any physical exertion whatsoever. In fact, you should perform the test at complete rest.
With Polar Fitness Test, you get a score, Polar OwnIndex, that's comparable to your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), with a similar range of values. Sedentary, out-of-shape people might have values of around 20, while for some Olympic-level athletes, it may be as high as 95.
Progress in your OwnIndex will gradually occur over time. Testing yourself once or twice a month will give you a good picture of these changes, making the OwnIndex an excellent yardstick to track the way you aerobic fitness is improving. |
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A Healthy Heart Through Training
The cardiovascular system serves several important functions in the body.
For example, it delivers oxygen and nutrients to and removes carbon dioxide and metabolic waste products from every cell in the body. Your body's cardiovascular system has three components:
The heart (cardiac muscle)
The blood vessels
The blood
The heart is the pump that moves blood from the lungs (where the blood picks up oxygen) to the muscles (which burn the oxygen as fuel) and back to the lungs again. The harder you are training, the more fuel your muscles need and the harder your heart has to work to pump oxygen-rich blood to the muscles.
As you get more fit, your heart is able to pump more blood with every beat. As a result, your heart doesn't have to beat as often to get the needed oxygen to your muscles - so both your resting heart rate and your exercise heart rate (at any given exertion level) decrease.
Heart rate is one of the simplest and most informative of the cardiovascular parameters. When you start training, your heart rate increases rapidly in proportion to the intensity of the training. In Polar Heart Rate Monitors the transmitter in the belt detects the electrocardiogram (ECG), the electric signal originating from your heart. The transmitter then sends an electromagnetic signal to the Polar wrist receiver, which shows you information about your heart rate. |
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Fluid Balance
Whether you're training in hot or cold weather, you need to drink frequently.
Over long-term activity, your exercise tolerance decreases because of the water your body loses through sweating - unless you adequately replace the lost fluids. For marathon runners, fluid losses can be as high as 5.4 liters (1.5 gallons) per hour.
If you don't drink enough, you become dehydrated and your body's total blood volume drops. Because the heart has access to less blood, it has to pump faster to circulate the same amount of blood - and your heart rate rises. If you don't replace the lost fluids by drinking, your heart rate will increase, and your ability to perform will decrease rapidly.
So drinking fluids during exercise has several benefits:
Fights dehydration
Offsets body temperature increase
Minimizes cardiovascular stress |
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Introducing Training Changes
Our bodies take time to adapt. Give yours the opportunity adjust slowly to any changes you make in your training routine. The following guidelines explain how.
Training Volume
The "10% rule" is a useful guideline. Don't increase the volume of your workouts (how much you exercise and for how long) by more than 10% per week. More experienced athletes can probably get away with increasing their volume by 15 or 20% during periods of lesser volume.
Training Intensity
Suddenly starting to do hard, 90% effort intervals is just asking for injury or overtraining stress. Instead, introduce harder training into your routine slowly and gradually. Start with just a few 80% effort repeats, and then build slowly to doing a full set of 85-90% intervals.
Equipment
Even a small change in your equipment or environment - your brand of running shoe, the type of surfaces or terrain you run on, the seat height or seat position of your bike or even the type of pedals you use - can stress your body and cause an injury. Introduce these kinds of changes with care, staying aware of what feels different. |
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Recovery
If you train very intensively, you need adequate recovery between training sessions.
Exercise puts positive stress on the body by forcing it to function outside its comfort zone. During rest, the body will make adjustments to better face the challenge next time you exercise. These adjustments are what will make your body stronger. In other words, fitness improves not during exercise but during rest. Giving your body ample time to recover from exercise is therefore crucial to getting fit.
Disregarding the need to rest and recover is quite common practice and may lead to injury, overtraining or fatigue. Resting properly isn't the same as skipping workouts or being lazy. Resting is about giving your body the time it needs to get stronger and fitter.
Suggestions for recovery:
Take one or two days off per week from exercising
Follow a hard workout day with an easy day
Don't be afraid to take a day off or reduce training if you're tired |
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Stretching
Whenever you exercise, be sure to stretch.
Stretch first after your warm-up, when your muscles aren't so tight, and again after the cool-down period. Stretching for five minutes after you warm up will improve your workout and help prevent injuries.
Why? Because repetitive exercise tends to reduce muscle flexibility. Also, tissues like muscle and skin lose elasticity with age. So if you increase the intensity or duration of your workouts, maintaining muscular flexibility in your lower legs, thighs, gluteals and back will become even more important.
There are stretching techniques for almost every major muscle group. If you aren't familiar with different techniques, consult any sports physiologist or coach for advice. Below are some tips to help you stretch properly no matter what technique you use.
Stretching Tips
Never stretch cold muscles. Be sure to warm them up before stretching.
Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds to give your muscle time to adapt to the stretch.
Never bounce in a stretching pose or force a muscle into a position that causes pain.
Relax and breathe deeply and slowly while holding each stretch position.
If you are stretching your arms, legs or sides, remember to stretch both sides. |
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Tapering
Tapering refers to a period of easy training immediately before a competition.
Before an important race, you might take an entire week of easy, low-volume training (25% of your high-volume week with one or two short, sharp, faster sessions early in the week).
Before a regular weekend race, you might take two to four days easy.
Rest to be at your best! |
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Warming up and Cooling Down
Much like a high-performance car on a cold winter morning, our bodies need to start with a slow "warm-up" period before we can increase the pace into a full workout.
This crucial period allows blood to be directed from the abdominal organs and towards the exercising muscle so that it can get the oxygen and energy it needs. Blood also moves toward the skin to allow the extra heat created to escape, causing the body to sweat.
At the end of a workout, the cool-down period allows the body to flush out metabolic waste from exercise, such as lactic acid. It also ensures that the heart rate and distribution of blood flow returns to normal gently.
Warm-Up Examples
For Beginners:
Run - 10 minutes starting at a fast walk, easing into a slow, comfortable jog
Cycle - 10 minutes spinning (pedaling with a high cadence of 90-100 revs per minute) easily in a low gear
Swim - 10 minutes easy swimming in varied strokes, also taking the time to practice stroke drills and technique
For Competitive Athletes:
Run - 5-10 minutes warm-up for runs up to 80% HRmax. 15-20 minutes for hard intervals or time trials, finishing the warm-up with a thorough stretching session.
Cycle - 10-15 minutes warm-up for any ride up to 80% HRmax. 30 minutes warm-up for hard intervals or time trials, finishing the warm-up with a thorough stretching session.
Swim - 800m using different strokes, stroke drills. |
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Why use a heart rate monitor?
By monitoring heart rate, the simple observation that the harder we exercise, the faster our heart beats is put to good use. Professional athletes and amateurs alike have for decades been relying on the information provided by their heart rate monitor for the following reasons:
A heart rate monitor is like a rev counter, giving a precise measurement of exercise intensity.
Training at your own ideal pace is made possible with a heart rate monitor.
Direct measurement of heart rate during exercise is the most accurate way to gauge performance.
Progress can be monitored and measured, increasing motivation.
It maximizes the benefits of exercise in a limited amount of time.
It introduces objective observation. Are you on the right track? Are you improving?
It is a tool for regulating frequency and intensity of workouts.
Because of the immediate feedback it provides, heart rate monitoring is an ideal training partner.
How does it work?
When you start training, your heart rate increases rapidly in proportion to the intensity of the training. In Polar Heart Rate Monitors, the transmitter belt detects the electrocardiogram (ECG - the electric signal originating from your heart) and sends an electromagnetic signal to the Polar wrist receiver where heart rate information appears.
The heart moves blood from the lungs (where the blood picks up oxygen) to the muscles (which burn the oxygen as fuel) and back to the lungs again. The harder the training, the more fuel the muscles need and the harder the heart has to work to pump oxygen-rich blood to the muscles.
As you get fitter, your heart is able to pump more blood with every beat. As a result, your heart doesn’t have to beat as often to get the needed oxygen to your muscles, decreasing resting heart rate and exercise heart rate on all exertion levels. |
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Measuring for the best fit with your chest transmitter
Because Polar offers more than one size (elastic strap sizing), we would like to help you have the proper fit.
The measurement for the transmitter should be taken right below the pectoral muscles, or breasts. If you are borderline between two sizes, go with the next size larger.
Transmitter sizes are calculated in inches and should be based on personal comfort level. If you order the incorrect size, you can exchange just the elastic strap portion of the transmitter, or order a replacement located in the strap area of accessories. |
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How to take care of your product:
Care of the Transmitter -
Proper care of the transmitter after use ensures longer service life for the transmitter.
• Wash the transmitter regularly after use. T31, T31C, T61 transmitters should be washed with a mild soap and water solution. Dry it carefully with a soft towel after washing.
• WearLink transmitter strap and connector should be rinsed with water. Never store the transmitter when it is wet, and store the strap and connector separately. Sweat and moisture can keep the electrodes wet and the transmitter activated, which shortens the battery life.
• Store your Polar product in a cool and dry place. Make sure that the electrodes do not contact anything damp, such as sport towel or wet elastic strap. Do not store a wet transmitter in any kind of non-breathing material, such as a plastic bag or a sports bag.
• Do not bend or stretch the transmitter. This may damage the electrodes.
• Readjust the elastic strap periodically so that the transmitter fits firmly around the chest.
• Only dry the transmitter with a towel. Hard-handed handling may damage the electrodes.
• Keep your Polar product out of extreme cold and heat. The operating temperature is -10 ºC to 50 ºC/ 14 ºF to 122 ºF. Do not expose the Polar prodcut to direct sunlight for extended periods, such as leaving it in a car.
• T31, T31C, T61 transmitters can be washed with mild soap and a gentle brush. If the electrodes appear discoloured, the transmitter needs to be washed. Do not use any alcohol or a solvent based detergent.
• WearLink strap and the elastic strap of the T31, T31C and T61 should be washed regularly in a washing machine at 40ºC/104ºF or at least after every fifth use. This ensures reliable measurement and maximizes the life span of the transmitter. Use a washing pouch. Do not soak, spin-dry, iron, dry clean or bleach the strap. Do not use detergent with bleach or fabric softener. Never put the transmitter connector in the washing machine or drier!
• If your T31, T31C or T61 transmitter does wear out, a new one is available at a special replacement cost. Polar recycles used transmitters. (Please note, that this does not apply to WearLink transmitters.) |
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How to use a chest transmitter
To take off the chest transmitter, twist the connection as if you are ringing out a kitchen towel.
To keep the chest transmitter clean, simply wipe off with a clean towel after each use. Occasionally wash in a washing machine on cold with a small amount of detergent. Hang dry. |
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Abnormal Heart Rate Readings During Exercise
There can be several reasons for abnormal or irregular readings during exercise. Due to the same reasons, heart rate may stay at the same value for a long time or the heart rate stays at zero (0).
1. Poor contact between the skin and the electrodes of the transmitter
For accurate heart rate measurement, the contact between skin and the electrodes should be as good as possible. Polar transmitters measure the ECG signal from the chest, where it is the strongest. The weak heart-generated signals need to be accurately measured before the calculation of the heart rate. It is therefore important to ensure that the contact between the skin and the electrodes is as good as possible.
Here are some tips how to ensure good contact:
1.1. Moisten the grooved electrode areas on the back of the transmitter. At the beginning of the exercise session your skin may be dry and the moisture will help ensure better contact. When you start to sweat the contact will improve because the salt in the sweat conducts the electrical signals very well. Saliva is a good conductor as well. However, if you have a WearLink31 or WearLink W.I.N.D transmitter, it is essential that you moisten the electrodes well under the tap water before the exercise.
1.2. Tighten the elastic strap of the transmitter. If the transmitter is loose, the movement of the electrodes disturbs the detection of the ECG signal. If the standard strap does not fit satisfactorily, larger and smaller elastic straps are available as accessories.
1.3. The type of the ECG signal slightly varies from person to person. The form of the ECG signal can depend on form of the chest, the anatomical location and position of the heart, position of the electrodes and the amount of body fat. If the ECG signal is weak, disturbances can more easily spoil the signal. Find the best contact by turning the transmitter left or right, or place it lower or higher. There have been cases where the transmitter detects the heart rate better when it is turned upside down so that the Polar logo is upside down and facing out, or even when attached on the persons back with the Polar logo upside down and facing out.
1.4. For active sports like aerobics or marathons, women can use the accessory Heart Bra which makes the transmitter stay in place better. Ask your local Polar dealer or distributor for the availability of this product.
1.5. Hairy chest may also weaken the contact. Try to find the best possible position for transmitter.
1.6. In demanding cases, use conductive electrode lotion or gel to improve the contact. After using them, it is very important to wash the transmitter carefully. However, it is not recommended to use conductive electrode lotion or gel when using the WearLink31 or WearLink W.I.N.D transmitter since the lotion or gel can block the electrode area. |
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Trouble Shooting problems with your Polar Transmitters
1. Is the transmitter belt worn correctly? The belt should be flat against the skin, with the Polar logo right side up.
2. Are the electrodes on the transmitter moist? Moistening the transmitter electrodes is essential for good skin contact to obtain reliable and accurate readings.
3. Is the transmitter clean? Regular cleaning of the electrodes is recommended - see Care and Maintenance guide or User manual.
4. Is the receiver within a 3 foot range from the transmitter?
5. Are the heart rate signals very high and abnormal? Relocating the receiver may help. Check the list of sources of disturbances in this document below.*
6. Check that there are no other transmitters within 3 feet if you have a non-coded Polar HRM. Other Polar HRMs can cause inteference.
7. Has the receiver battery been changed by an unauthorized party causing internal damage to the receiver? If not sealed properly, moisture can enter the receiver causing permanent damage to the internal components.
8. Have the buttons been pressed under water, causing leakage in the receiver?
9. If the receiver display is frozen, carry out global reset, if your model has that feature (see the user's manual for global reset instructions).
10. The chemicals in some swimming pools and seawater may effect the ECG signal pick up by the transmitter resulting in abnormal readings.
11. The ECG signal strength varies depending on the individual's tissue composition. The percentage of people who have problems in heart rate measuring is higher in water environment than in normal use.
12. If you are a heart patient, have a second person use the unit under the same conditions and see if the problem still exists.
*Sources of electromagnetic signals can cause erratic and faulty heart rate readings. Such sources include other heart rate monitors, televisions, computers, cars, electric motors, bike computers, mobile phones, antennas, high voltage power lines, electric/invisible fences and certain motor driven exercise equipment. The problem can usually be resolved by relocating the receiver. Static build up in certain clothing can also cause interference.
May I replace the battery in the Receiver myself?
We recommend that you send your heart rate monitor to one of Polar’s authorized service centers, as the receiver should be tested for water resistance using special equipment after battery replacement. However, if water resistance is not a concern, you may take your receiver to a local watch repair shop for battery replacement. Please make sure to inform them that your unit is water resistant. |
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Display is blank or fading in the Heart Rate Monitor
This may be a consequence of low battery voltage. This event is normal if the temperature is near 0 Celsius degrees (+32 Fahrenheit). However, if this appears in room temperature, it is sign that the product needs a new battery. This may also be tested by pressing light button. If the readings on the display go dimmer when light button is pressed the battery replacement is needed.
In case of battery replacement, it is recommended to be done in the local authorised Polar Service. |
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A Pacemaker and the Polar Heart Rate Monitor
Persons who have a pacemaker or defibrillator use the Polar heart rate monitor at their own risk. Before starting use, we always recommend an exercise test under doctor's supervision. The test is to ensure the safety and reliability of the simultaneous use of the pacemaker and the heart rate monitor.
The manufacturer of the defibrillator has to approve the simultaneous use of Polar Heart Rate Monitor and the defibrillator.
Technical information about radiated magnetic field of the transmitter:
Polar Non-Coded Transmitter:
Transmission frequency: 5kHz
Means of transmission: On/Off -modulation, magnetic field by means of a 5-7ms burst for each heart beat.
Polar Coded Transmitter:
Transmission frequency: 5kHz
Means of transmission: On/Off -modulation, magnetic field by means of a train of three 5ms bursts for each heart beat Time Interval Coding.
The strength of the magnetic field right next to the transmitter is 5 uT (micro tesla) and 1 nT at 1 m distance. Even in the worst case the radiated power is under 2 nW |
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POLAR
F55M Heart Rate Monitor with
Wearlink Coded Chest Transmitter
Color: Bronze Rock
Designed for: Men
Geared for: Spinning, Fitness, Cross-Training, Weight Loss
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| Retail Price $239.95 |
Sale Price $199.95 |
FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING
(Monday - Friday)
included |
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20 to 30 inches |
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30 to 45 inches |
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46 to 60 inches |
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Replacement
Elastic Strap
to keep a spare on hand
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Replacement
Wearlink Coded
Chest Transmitter
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Universal
Bike Mount |
Buh Bump
Conductivity Cream
for better transmission |
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NuMetrex
Heart Rate Tanks/Bras-
chest strap alternative |
IrDA USB 2.0
Adapter
to transfer data |
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| Features: |
This model downloads to Polar's Personal Trainer website
For examples - click here |
Exercise: Average heart rate of total exercise
A figure expressed in beats per minute (bpm) representing the average heart rate measured over a specific period of time (e.g. a training session). |
| Exercise: Exercise Date |
Exercise: Fitness bullets
A feature showing a bullet on the display of your heart rate monitor for every 10 minutes spent exercising/training in your target heart rate zone. |
| Exercise: HR-based target zones with audible alarm |
| Exercise: HR-based target zones with visual alarm |
Exercise: Polar Body Workout
Polar body workout gives basic guidance for muscular strength training. Body workout provides strength training movements, count of sets, repetitions, and weights recommendations. The workout can be easily performed by following the guidance given by the Polar F55 Fitness Heart Rate Monitor. Body workout can be edited according to your development. |
Exercise: Polar Fitness Test™ with OwnIndex®
Measures your fitness level in 5 minutes. A fitness test that measures your aerobic/cardiovascular fitness at rest in just five minutes. The result, Polar OwnIndex, predicts your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).
With the Polar Fitness Test you can measure your aerobic fitness by yourself, automatically and without any exertion. No other equipment other than a heart rate monitor is needed. The Polar Fitness Test is as accurate in predicting the VO2maxas any sub-maximal fitness test.
The test is based on gender, age, height, body weight, level of physical activity, heart rate and heart rate variability at rest. The OwnIndex ranges usually from 20 to 95 and is comparable to VO2max, the golden standard of aerobic fitness.
OwnIndex is most meaningful when following changes in your fitness over a long period of time. Find out how fit you are for your age and gender by comparing your result to the global references listed in the Polar user's manuals.
How to avoid wrong result in Polar Fitness Test
To get a reliable fitness test result you should
avoid eating a heavy meal, smoking and coffee for 2-3 hours before the test.
avoid unusually heavy physical effort during the test day and the day before.
avoid alcoholic beverages or pharmacological stimulants during the test day and the day before.
carry out the test when you are relaxed and calm. The test should be done at rest in a lying or sitting position.
make sure that the testing environment is peaceful without disturbing noises (e.g. tv, radio or telephone). Talking during the test, coughing, body movement or excitement may disturb the test.
What if the Polar Fitness Test does not work out?
If your wrist unit does not succeed to receive your heart rate at the beginning or during the test, the test will fail (Failed Test on the display). Remember to moisten the electrodes of the transmitter and see that the elastic strap is snug enough. Check that your wrist unit is inside the transmission range being no further than 1 meter/3 feet from the transmitter. The unit should not be too near the transmitter either, have your hands beside your body. See that the heart symbol flashes regularly when you start the test.
The test has been developed for healthy adults aged 20-65 years. If your heart beat reading is shown on the display before the test, but the test still fails, it may be caused by cardiac arrythmia. Certain types of cardiac arrythmia (many abnormal heart beat intervals) may cause failure of the test. These include e.g. atrial fibrillation or flutter, atrioventricular conduction block, and sinus arrythmia.
Also healthy people may, however, have occasional cardiac arrythmia that leads to failure of the test. These situations are rare, and usually have to do with stress. It is advised to repeat the test when you are less stressed. Sometimes carrying the test out in a sitting position decreases the arrythmia and the test succeeds.
To get a reliable test result, remember to follow the basic instructions to carry out the Polar Fitness Test.
What does the OwnIndex tell you?
In every fitness test you need to know what the given result means to benefit from it. In Polar Fitness Test the person gets a score, Polar OwnIndex, which is comparable to VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake in ml.min-1.kg-1), a commonly used descriptor of aerobic fitness. VO2max is a good indicator of performance in endurance sports.
The range of the OwnIndex is the same as that for VO2max, from 25 which can be measured for unfit sedentary individual to 95 which is the level reached by Olympic athletes such as top cross-country skiers. VO2max is highest in sports that involve large muscle groups such as cross-country skiing and cycling. Fitness tests are most useful when following individual progress by comparing new results to previous ones. |
Exercise: Polar Keeps U Fit ™ - Own Workout Program
Own workout program - Guides you to reach your personal fitness goals. The Polar Keeps U Fit - Own Workout Program gives you personal guidance - how often, how hard, and how long you need to exercise to reach your personal fitness goals. The feature is included in the Polar F11 and F55 Fitness Heart Rate Monitors. In addition, the program can be used free of charge in Polar Fitness Trainer web service.
To transfer Polar Keeps U Fit™ - Own Workout Program data: Press 'OK' and then down (the lower right button) until 'Program' is displayed. Press 'OK' and select 'SEND' with lower right button. |
Exercise: OwnCal®
Counts and displays calorie expenditure. The Polar OwnCal feature shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions.
You can set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure with the OwnCal feature. Because the OwnCal tracks both the energy expenditure during one exercise session and the accumulated kilocalories during a longer time e.g. one week, it helps in achieving both short term and long term goals.
Fat Burning Percentage
This feature calculates an estimate of calories expended from fat during a workout and it is expressed as a percentage of the total calories burned. This estimation is important in weight management. During exercise, energy comes from two sources, carbohydrates and fat. When you want to lose weight, you want to maximize the amount of energy coming from fat rather than carbohydrates. If, on the other hand, your goal is to improve your aerobic capacity or performance results by more intense exercise, carbohydrates are used as primary energy source.
The fat burning percentage varies according to the intensity of your exercise. The principle is that at high exercise intensities the percentage of fat consumption of the total energy expenditure is less than at lower intensities. So for example, a low-intensity 40-minute brisk walk will burn more fat calories than a 30-minute jog at a higher exercise intensity. In general, fat burning percentage supports low intensity exercising. |
Exercise: Polar OwnCode® (5kHz)
Prevents cross-talk from other heart rate monitors. As more and more people use heart rate monitors today, preventing cross talk from other devices in group situations at the gym or when jogging with a friend becomes essential. The unique coded technology blocks unwanted signals from other heart rate monitors, ensuring disturbance-free transmission of your heart rate data. |
Exercise: Polar OwnRelax™
OwnRelax is the result of a relaxation session, which is an easy and quick way to test how relaxed your body is. The 5-minute relaxation session is based on heart rate and heart rate variability. OwnRelax helps to track and improve overall well being. Daily relaxation session can be done anywhere, anytime, lying down, or sitting comfortably with no talk or disturbing noises. |
Exercise: Polar OwnZone®
Determines personal heart rate limits for an exercise session. The Polar OwnZone (OZ) feature determines an individual exercise zone. It guides you through an appropriate warm-up routine and automatically determines a safe and effective exercise heart rate zone - your OwnZone - while taking into account your current physical condition. Polar Heart Rate Monitors use multiple methods for determining your OwnZone. The primary method is to measure your heart rate variability during the warm-up period before exercising. If the measurement is not successful, your latest saved OwnZone limits are used. If there are no previous limits in the memory, the Polar Heart Rate Monitor will automatically calculate OwnZone limits based on your age-predicted maximum heart rate (220 minus age). You should determine your OwnZone at the beginning of your workout whenever you change exercise environment and/or exercise mode or if your mental state changes when feeling stressed, for instance. The OwnZone Basic corresponds to 65-85 % of the maximum heart rate. Exercise at the lower end of this intensity level can be conducted for extended periods safely and often yields the best results for weight control, while exercise at the upper end of this intensity produces the best results for improving cardiovascular (aerobic) fitness. The OwnZone Advanced feature consists of two training areas: OwnZone Low and OwnZone High, providing greater variations in exercising than the OwnZone Basic area, which can be rather wide for more focused training.
The OwnZone Light corresponds to 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. This intensity still feels fairly easy for most people. It helps in weight control and improves endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
The OwnZone Moderate corresponds to 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. This intensity is especially good for people who are exercising regularly. Exercising in this zone is particularly effective for improving cardiovascular fitness.
The OwnZone Hard corresponds to 80-90% of maximum heart rate. You will find yourself breathing heavily, having tired muscles and feeling fatigued. This intensity is recommended occasionally for fit people.
The OwnZone Weight corresponds to about 60-75% of your maximum heart rate. The OwnZone Weight is ideal for weight loss exercise for less fit individuals and for those recovering from sickness or intensive training. |
| Exercise: Wireless ECG accurate heart rate |
Exercise: ZonePointer
A visible and moving symbol on the display of your Polar product indicating that you are inside the pre-set target zone. |
| Basic: Automatic age-based target zone (% / bpm) |
| Basic: Backlight |
| Basic: Graphical target zone indicator |
Basic: Heart rate (displayed as % of maximum heart rate)
A measurement of the work your heart does, expressed as % of your maximum heart rate. |
Basic: Heart rate (displayed as bpm)
A measurement of the work your heart does, expressed as the number of beats per minute (bpm). |
Basic: Heart rate sets: pre-program favorite exercise settings
1 set |
Basic: HeartTouch™, button-free operation of wrist unit
This function enables button free operation of certain main functions, e.g. when gloves make pressing buttons difficult. Acitivate the HeartTouch funtion by bringing your wrist unit close to the Polar logo on your tranmitter. The HeartTouch function operates only when wearing the transmitter. |
| Basic: KeyLock |
| Basic: Manual target zone (%/bpm) |
| Basic: Sound volume level setting |
Basic: Visual and audible alarm in target zones
A feature informing you every time your heart rate and/or speed/pace exceeds the upper limit or falls below the lower limit of your target zone during a training session. |
Basic: Water resistant
50m
Polar products may be worn when swimming. They are not, however, diving instruments. To maintain water resistance, do not press the buttons of the product under water. When measuring heart rate in water, you may experience interference for the following reasons:
Pool water with high chlorine content, and seawater are very conductive. The electrodes of the transmitter may short-circuit, preventing ECG signals from being detected by the transmitter.
Jumping into water or strenuous muscle movement during competitive swimming may shift the transmitter to a location on the body where ECG signals cannot be picked up.
The ECG signal strength is individual and may vary depending on the individual’s tissue composition. Problems occur more frequently when measuring heart rate in water.
In the watch industry water resistance is generally indicated as meters of water pressure, which means static pressure of water at the level in question. Polar uses this same indication system. Water resistance of Polar products is tested according to International Standard ISO 2281. Every Polar device that has water resistance indication is tested before the delivery to stand water pressure.
Polar products are divided into three different categories according to their water resistance. Check the back of your Polar product for the water resistance category, and compare it to the chart below. Please note that these definitions do not necessarily apply to products of other manufacturers.
When performing any underwater activity, the dynamic pressure generated by moving in water is greater than the static pressure. This means that moving the product under water subjects it to a greater pressure than if the product were stationary.
When it says "water resistant" it means alright to be exposed to wash splashed, sweat, raindrops.
When it is a Polar Wearlink, and says "water resistant up to 30m" it means alright to be exposed to wash splashed, sweat, raindrops, bathing, swimming.
When it says " water resistant up to 50m" it means alright to be exposed to wash splashed, sweat, raindrops, bathing, swimming.
When it says "water resistant up to 100m" it means alright to be exposed to wash splashed, sweat, raindrops, bathing, swimming and skin diving with snorkel (no air tanks). |
| Cycling: Bike mount - OPTIONAL (see accessories on this page) |
Computer connectivity: Edit wrist unit settings with Polar UpLink Tool and transfer them to your Polar product (UpLink)
Edit your wrist unit settings with a computer. Transfer data form PC to your wrist unit via UpLink. This tool enables audio transmission using loudspeakers and a sound card to transfer for example exercise sets and logos from your PC to your Polar wrist unit. |
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