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.

WHY ARE THESE POLAR MODELS SUITABLE FOR CARDIAC REHABILATATION?
If you entered this section you may be recovering from a cardiac incident, an operation or know someone who has. It's important that you have your doctor's clearance before starting any exercise program. After getting the go ahead, many people still feel apprehensive about leading an active life. That’s where a Polar heart rate monitor comes in. It will help you safely get back into the swing of things.

To understand how a Heart Rate Monitor can help you, we established the Polar 3 Point Message:

In order to reach your fitness goals, you need to walk at the right intensity.
Heart rate is the only accurate measurement of your intensity or your exertion level.
A Polar HRM is the easiest and most accurate way to continuously measure your heart rate.
We understand the issues you face when coming back from a medical situation. We work very closely with thousands of rehab clinicians across the country who use Polar HRMs to help get their patients moving again. It's important that you have the confidence to start again, and a Polar HRM can help you. By monitoring your heart rate while you exercise, you can ensure that you are not overdoing it. It's not about how you feel. We've received numerous letters from recovering patients who told us they felt great during a workout, but experienced an elevated heart rate. They alerted the nurse and in fact, they were actually at the beginning of an attack. If they had relied on how they felt rather than on their HRM, they may not have been around to write us the letter.

When you wear an HRM, your heart rate is continuously displayed on your wrist so you or your cardiac nurse can monitor it closely without being restricted at all. Outside the clinic, you can still take part in your rehab program doing the activities that you enjoy. Or you can wear it throughout the day just to feel safe accomplishing your daily routine. It can help you build the confidence to lead a normal life again.

If you're very new to the concept of an HRM, you might be wondering WHAT'S AN HRM. It consists of a watch worn on your wrist, and a transmitter that you comfortably wear against your skin and around your chest. The transmitter picks up the signals of your heart, and sends them wirelessly to the watch you wear on your wrist. It's that simple. No wires, no taking your pulse and doing a multiplication equation. Just look at your wrist and it's there. AND THE KEY, IT'S DISPLAYED CONTINUOUSLY. The continuous display is what makes it effective. It's there to guide you during your entire exercise.

Here's how it works.

There are specific Target Zones (TZ) that help to guide you to the right intensity. A TZ is a high and low heart rate range that is based on a % of your maximum heart rate. Using a formula based on your age, you can figure out your maximum heart rate. You then take %'s of that to get your Target Zones. Your doctor may actually give you a heart rate number to stay under or a range to stay within.

Key Target Zone

60-70% of max heart rate builds endurance

Example:

Lee is 55 years old and he is coming back from a heart attack. He walks for exercise three days a week, sometimes for 10 minutes, sometimes for 20 minutes and he's not sure how fast to walk.

*His estimated max heart rate is 220-(age) 55=165
The recommended target zone is 60-70 %
60% of 165=99
70% of 165=115

Lee should walk three days a week for at least 30 minutes and keep his heart rate between 99 and 115 for a safe and effective workout. IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

If your doctor gives you exact numbers to follow, you should follow his guidance.

WHAT COULD CAUSE AN ABNORMAL HEART RATE READING 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.

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.
2. Wear and tear of the transmitter
Proper care of the transmitter after use ensures longer service life for the transmitter.
2.1. 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 connector and strap should be rinsed with water after every use. Dry the connector carefully with a soft towel. Store the WearLink strap and connector separately.

Never store the transmitter when it is wet. Sweat and moisture can keep the electrodes wet and the transmitter activated, which shortens the battery life.

2.2. 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.

2.3. Do not bend or stretch the transmitter. This may damage the electrodes.

2.4. Only dry the transmitter with a towel. Hard-handed handling may damage the electrodes.

2.5. 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 product to direct sunlight for extended periods, such as leaving it in a car.

2.6. 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.

2.7. WearLink strap should be washed regularly in a washing machine at 40ºC/104ºF or at lest 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!

3. Electromagnetic disturbances
Electromagnetic disturbances may occur near high voltage power lines, traffic lights, the overhead lines of electric railways, electric bus lines or tram lines, televisions, car motors, bike computers, some motor driven exercise equipment, cellular phones or when you walk through electric security gates. Check your surroundings and move away from the source of interference, or remove the source of the disturbance.

4. The distance between the transmitter and the unit is too great
The maximum transmission range between the transmitter and the unit is 1 meter (3 ft). If the distance is greater, the unit may not get all the signals sent from the transmitter. In cases where the transmission range is at it is extremes, for example rowing or biking where the unit is not attached to the wrist, the unit may display the same heart rate for a long time. To avoid this, keep the distance within 1 meter.

5. Signals from more than one Polar Transmitter within 1 meter transmission range
Note only with non-coded transmitter!
In cases where are more than one transmitter nearer than 1 meter, and you are using the non-coded transmitter, your unit can pick up the signal from all transmitters within the range, this can result abnormal high readings. Even if the other transmitter is coded, and yours is non-coded, your unit may still give an inaccurate reading. To avoid signal crosstalk, keep the distance to the other transmitters.

The coded transmitter and unit system does not pick up the signal from other heart rate monitors. In case of false readings with a coded transmitter and unit, check if the code has been locked. After a successful code search, a frame will appear around the heart symbol on the display. If the frames around the heart cannot be seen start the measurement again and check that you are not near other heart rate monitor users, because they may interfere the code search. Also, high voltage power lines, televisions, mobile phones and other sources of electromagnetic disturbance may interfere with the code search, as well as keeping the unit too close to the transmitter.

6. Static electricity, technical sportswear and special conditions
If the humidity of the air is low, or you are exercising in windy conditions (for example high-speed road racing), a fluttering shirt may rub the transmitter and generate static electricity. This causes additional signals, especially if the contact between skin and transmitter is poor. To avoid this:
6.1. Moisten the electrodes before use, or use the conductive lotion or gel
6.2. Use a cotton shirt instead of a synthetic shirt
6.3. Use a tighter shirt to avoid fluttering of the material
6.4. Use the transmitter on a wet shirt
6.5. Wet the shirt

7. Arrhythmia
Polar products are not designed to detect arrhythmia or irregular rhythms and will interpret them as noise or interference. The computer in the wrist unit will make error corrections, so that arrhythmia beats are not included in the averaged beats per minute. The blinking heart symbol in the face of the unit, however, will continue to show all heart beats received. In most cases the Polar products will work fine for persons with arrhythmia.

8. Battery of the transmitter is getting empty
The estimated average battery life of the Polar WearLink Transmitter is 2 years (other transmitterss 2500 hours of use). If the battery of the transmitter is running low, the transmission range decreases and may cause errors similar to the ones listed above in this document.

BATTERY INFORMATION:
The average battery life of the Polar Transmitter is 2500 hours of use. It is recommended that the transmitter battery is checked in the Polar Service Center when the battery in the receiver is changed. The whole transmitter needs to be replaced in cases where the battery is flat.
You may also be in need of a transmitter replacement if you experience any of the following symptoms:

The transmission range between the transmitter and the receiver needs to be less than 90 cm/3 ft to pick up the heart rate signal
The heart rate reading does not appear on the display of the receiver
The heart rate reading stays at the same value for long time
The heart symbol does not blink.
Please note that there can be other reasons which can disturb the transmission, even if the battery voltage is still high. See the document: Abnormal heart rate readings during the exercise for further information.

To make your transmitter last longer, take good care of it:
Wash the transmitter regularly after the use with a mild soap and water solution. Dry it carefully after washing with a soft towel.
Never store the transmitter when it is wet. Sweat and moisture on the electrodes can keep the transmitter activated, which shortens the battery life unnecessarily.
Store your Polar product in a cool and dry place. Do not store it in any kind of non-breathing material, such as a plastic bag or a sports bag, if it is wet.
Do not bend or stretch the transmitter. This may damage the electrodes.
Do not dry the transmitter in any other way than with a towel. Rough handling may damage the electrodes.

CREATE A PLAN TO START EXERCISING:
First choose the type of exercise you enjoy & where you would like to exercise.

Health and fitness club -
It’s social and offers a wide number of workout options, such as running on a treadmill, indoor cycling, exercising to music, working out on resistance
machines, kickboxing, and yoga.

Home -
It’s safe and convenient. Popular home exercise equipment includes stairclimbers, stationary bikes and elliptical motion trainers.

Open-air environment -
Outdoors, the sky’s the limit. Fitness walking, Nordic walking, jogging, running, fitness biking or inline skating, the choice is virtually endless.

A perfect workout always includes three phases:
• Warm-up - A proper warm-up prepares your heart and muscles for the action that lies ahead. Begin slowly with a 5-10 minute warm-up at a heart rate level below your target zone. Gradually increase intensity until you reach your target heart rate zone.

• Exercise in your target heart rate zone - for at least 20 minutes. Maintain your target intensity for not less than 20 minutes. Make sure you stay inside your zone to maximize the effect.

• Cool-down and stretching - Once your session is over, gradually reduce intensity back to starting level, and remember to stretch the muscles you exercised. Stretch slowly and steadily, then hold the stretch for a slow count of ten. Give your body time to rest and recover!

Exercising pushes the body out of its comfort zone. To better face future challenges, the body will prepare itself and make readjustments at rest. In other words, fi tness improves not during exercise but during rest.

Remember to burn those calories!
Different types of exercise vary in their effectiveness and in the amount of calories they make you burn.
Walking 200-300
Fitness group exercise, light 200-400
Fitness group exercise, intense 450-700
Circuit training 450-500
Cycling 250-700
Indoor cycling 250-700
Swimming 300-700
Tennis 400-500
Running 600-900
Cross-country skiing 550-900
(The examples are for Kcal burnt per hour by a person weighing 155 lbs / 70 kg. A person weighing less than 155 lbs / 70 kg will burn less calories than indicated, while a heavier person will correspondingly burn more.)