Polar FT1, FT2 User Manual

1. BENEFITS OF YOUR POLAR FT1/ POLAR FT2 TRAINING COMPUTER

Heart Rate -Based Training

Your heart rate is a convenient, reliable, and personal indicator of the intensity of your training. Knowing your heart rate helps you decide whether to increase or decrease the intensity of your training, based on your goals and fitness level. Although there are many subjective clues indicating how your body is reacting to exercise (perceived exertion, breathing rate, physical sensations), none is as reliable as measuring heart rate. It is objective and affected by both internal and external factors, and is therefore a dependable measure of physical condition.

Using your FT1/FT2 training computer during training:

  • Teaches you about your body's reaction to training

  • Keeps you from starting out too hard (as beginners are often tempted to do)

  • Helps you control the intensity of your training routine

  • Provides feedback on how you are improving

Training intensity

Maximum heart rate (HRmax) is a value used to define your target heart rate limits. HRmax is the highest number of heartbeats per minute (bpm) during maximum physical exertion. HRmax can be calculated (estimated) based on your age: 220 - age = HRmax.

Training intensities can be expressed as percentages of HRmax.

There are three different training intensities: Light, Moderate and Hard.

Intensity

Intensity % of HRmax

Training benefit

Hard

80-90%
  • Benefits: Increases maximum performance capacity

  • Feels like: Tiredness in muscles and heavy breathing

  • Recommended for: Fit users for short training sessions

Moderate

70-80%
  • Benefits: Improves aerobic fitness

  • Feels like: Good, easy breathing, moderate sweating

  • Recommended for: Everybody for typical training sessions with moderate length

Light

60-70%
  • Benefits: Improves basic endurance and helps recovery

  • Feels like: Comfortable, easy breathing, low loading for muscles, light sweating

  • Recommended for: Everybody

Table 1. Training intensities and benefits

Table 2. Training intensities with age-based heart rate limits

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