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Start a training session

  1. Wear your M430, and tighten the wristband.
  2. In time view, press START to enter pre-training mode.

    To change the sport profile settings before starting your session (in pre-training mode), press and hold LIGHT to enter the Quick Menu. To return to the pre-training mode, press BACK.

  3. Browse through the sport profiles with UP/DOWN. You can add more sport profiles to your M430 in the Polar Flow mobile app or in the Flow web service. You can also define specific settings for each sport profile, such as create tailored training views.
  4. To make sure your training data is accurate, stay in the pre-training mode until M430 has found your heart rate and GPS satellite signals.

    Heart rate: M430 has found your heart rate sensor signal, when your heart rate is shown.

    When you're wearing a Polar heart rate sensor that's paired with your M430, the M430 automatically uses the connected sensor to measure your heart rate during training sessions. The Bluetooth icon on the heart rate symbol indicates that your M430 uses the connected sensor to measure your heart rate.

    GPS: The percentage value shown next to the GPS icon indicates when the GPS is ready. When it reaches 100 %, OK is displayed, and you are ready to go.

    To catch the GPS satellite signals, go outdoors and away from tall buildings and trees. For best GPS performance, wear M430 on your wrist with the display facing up. Keep it in a horizontal position in front of you and away from your chest. Keep your arm stationary and raised above the level of your chest during the search. Stand still and hold the position until M430 has found the satellite signals.

    GPS acquisition is fast with the help of assisted GPS (A-GPS). The A-GPS data file is automatically updated to your M430 when you sync your M430 with the Flow web service via FlowSync software or with the Flow app. If the A-GPS data file has expired or you haven't synced your M430 yet, more time may be required for acquiring the current position. For more information, see Assisted GPS (A-GPS).

    Due to the location of the GPS antenna on the M430, it is not recommended to wear it with the display on the underside of your wrist. When wearing it on the handlebars of a bike, make sure the display is facing up.

  5. When M430 has found all the signals, press START. Recording started is displayed and you can start training.

See During Training for more information on what you can do with your M430 during training.

Start a planned training session

You can plan your training and create detailed training targets in the Polar Flow app or the Polar Flow web service and sync them to your M430.

To start a planned training session scheduled for the current day:

  1. In time view, press START to enter pre-training mode. Your planned training sessions appear at the top of the list
  2. Choose the target and press START. Any notes you have added to the target are displayed.
  3. Press START to return to pre-training mode, and choose the sport profile you want to use.
  4. When M430 has found all the signals, press START. Recording started is displayed and you can start training.

Your M430 will guide you towards completing your target during training. See During Training for more information.

You can also start a planned training session scheduled for the current day from My day and Diary. If you want to do a target scheduled for another day, you can – just choose a day from your Diary, and start the session scheduled for that day. If you have added the training target to your Favorites, you can also start the session from Favorites.

Start a session with Interval Timer

You can set one repeating or two alternating time and/or distance based timers to guide your work and recovery phases in interval training.

  1. Begin by going to Timers > Interval timer. Choose Set timer(s) to create new timers.
  2. Choose Time-based or Distance-based. Time-based: Define minutes and seconds for the timer and press START. Distance-based: Set the distance for the timer and press START.
  3. Set another timer? is shown. To set another timer, choose Yes and repeat step 2.
  4. When completed, choose Start X.XX km / XX:XX and press START to enter the pre-training mode, and then choose the sport profile you want to use.
  5. When M430 has found all the signals, press START. Recording started is displayed and you can start training.

You can also start the Interval timer during the session, for example after warm-up. Press and hold LIGHT to enter Quick menu, and then choose Interval timer.

Start a session with Finish Time Estimator

Set the distance for your session and M430 will estimate the finish time of the session according to your speed.

  1. Begin by going to Timers > Finish time estimator.
  2. To set a target distance, go to Set distance and choose 5.00 km, 10.00 km, 1/2 marathon, Marathon or Set other distance. Press START. If you choose Set other distance, set the distance and press START. Finish time will be estimated for XX.XX is shown.
  3. Choose Start XX.XX km / X.XX mi and press START to enter the pre-training mode, then choose the sport profile you want to use.
  4. When M430 has found all the signals, press START. Recording started is displayed and you can start training.

You can also start the Finish time estimator during the session, for example after warm-up. Press and hold LIGHT to enter Quick menu, and then choose Finish time estimator.