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Exercising with Your
Polar Heart Rate
Monitor
Regular exercise helps you to sustain and improve your health
and fitness, as well as feel better. Exercising also has other
great benefits, you can reduce stress, learn to know your body's
reactions and optimise your training time. Whether you are about
to start a regular exercise program or you already do sports
training, a Polar Heart Rate Monitor will help you to achieve your
personal fitness goals in less time, with greater safety.
The effect of your exercise program depends on four factors:
• Intensity of exercise
• Duration of exercise
• Frequency of exercise
• Type of activity
Exercise may include some risk, especially for those who have
been sedentary. To minimise possible risks consider the
following advice.
Before beginning a regular exercise program consult your
doctor
• if you are over 35 years of age
• if you have not been following a regular
exercise program during the past 5 years
• if you smoke
• if you have high blood pressure
• if you have high blood cholesterol
• if you have any signs or symptoms of any disease
• if you are recovering from a serious illness
or medical treatment e.g. surgery
• if you use a pacemaker or another implanted
electronic device.
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Note also that the heart rate can be affected by, amongst
others, heart, circulation (particularly high blood pressure) and
asthma medications, as well as some medicines used as
sprays for the breathing system and also some medical
plasters and chewing gum containing nicotine.
INTENSITY OF EXERCISE
Heart rate has been proved to be an excellent indicator of
exercise intensity. Heart rate tells you the exertion level of your
body during physical or mental loading. With the Polar Heart
Rate Monitor you are able to follow the intensity of your exercise
easily, keep yourself in the right heart rate Target Zone and stay
motivated as you see the improvement. Changes in the heart's
beating rate can be followed with a Polar Heart Rate Monitor
wirelessly, continuously and ECG accurately.
Define your exercise intensity according to your target
(eg. weight loss = lower intensity and higher duration).
When you exercise within the defined Target Zone, you
ensure the right intensity of your workout.
Any physical activity that increases heart rate above the
resting heart rate may provide health benefits, but only
greater increments above resting heart rate are associated
with both health and fitness benefits.
OwnZone helps you to find your safe and effective exercise
Target Zone. It is recommended to use the OwnZone function
especially if you have not had your maximum heart rate
measured.
If you are a beginner, sedentary or overweight, a recommended
target is to exercise at light or light to moderate intensity. This
corresponds to the lower limit of OwnZone. At this target, the
exercise is easy-paced and causes only slight breathlessness
and sweating.
If you aim for improved fitness or exercise for competitive
reasons your exercise intensity is moderate or heavy paced,
and it causes clear breathlessness and sweating. Stay at the
upper limit of your OwnZone.
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