Polar RCX3 User manual

5. TRAINING

Wear the Heart Rate Sensor

Wear the heart rate sensor to measure heart rate.

  1. Wet the electrode areas of the strap under running water.

  2. Attach the connector to the strap. Adjust the strap length to fit tightly but comfortably.

  3. Tie the strap around your chest, just below the chest muscles, and attach the hook to the other end of the strap.

  4. Check that the wet electrode areas are firmly against your skin and that the Polar logo of the connector is in a central and upright position.

Detach the connector from the strap after every use, to maximize the battery lifetime. Sweat and moisture may keep the electrodes wet and the heart rate sensor activated. This will reduce the battery life. For more detailed washing instructions, see 13. Important Information.

 

See detailed washing instructions in Important Information.

For video tutorials, go to http://www.polar.fi/en/polar_community/videos.

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Start Training

Wear the heart rate sensor and make sure you have set up an optional sensor* as instructed in the sensor's user manual. If you are using a speed, cadence, GPS or stride sensor for the first time, see 11. Using a New Accessory. For sport profile settings see Sport Profile Settings. To use Polar ZoneOptimizer feature for your training session, see Train with Polar ZoneOptimizer.

  1. Start your training session by pressing OK. The training computer goes into pre-training mode.

    The sport profile shown first on the list is the sport previously used in a training session.

    To change the sport profile for the training session, browse with UP/DOWN.

  1. To change the sport profile settings or heart rate settings before the training recording is started (in pre-training mode), press and hold LIGHT to enter QUICK MENU. For more information, see Quick menu. To return to pretraining mode, press BACK.

  1. If you have activated an optional sensor for the sport profile, the training computer will automatically search for the signal.

  1. The check mark indicates that the signal is found. If the training computer does not find the signal, the display shows a triangle with an exclamation mark.

    Do not use the backlight during sensor search. The sensor search does not operate when the backlight is on.

  1. Once the training computer has found all the signals, press OK. Recording started is displayed and you can start training.

    During training recording you can change the training view by browsing with UP/DOWN. To change settings without stopping the training recording, press and hold LIGHT to enter QUICK MENU. For more information, see Quick menu.

*Optional sensors include Polar s3+ stride sensor, Polar G5 GPS sensor / Polar G3 GPS sensor W.I.N.D., Polar CS speed sensor W.I.N.D. or Polar CS cadence sensor W.I.N.D.

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Train with Polar ZoneOptimizer

Polar ZoneOptimizer is a smart training feature that provides personal, optimized sport zones for your every aerobic training session. It reads your heart rate variability at the start of each training session to determine how much your body is ready to train. It then adjusts heart rate limits accordingly so that you get the maximum benefit from your training, whatever the day.

ZoneOptimizer function is developed for the use of healthy people. Some health conditions may cause ZoneOptimizer to give lower intensity targets, or revert to default heart rate zones. These conditions include high blood pressure, and cardiac arrhythmia. Certain medications may also influence the determination.

How does Polar ZoneOptimizer work?

You know how sometimes you can train hard and you feel you can keep on at it for a long time. Then there are days when the same intensity absolutely exhausts you. This is because your body’s physiological state can vary from day to day. When your body is not recovered, you cannot train as intensively as on another day when your body is more rested.

Your body’s physiological state is reflected in your heart rate variability. And since ZoneOptimizer is based on heart rate variability, it can tell what your body is ready for just by listening to your heart. At the start of an exercise, once the ZoneOptimizer determination is done, you get a recommendation of heart rate limits for each sport zone. For more information on sport zones, see Polar Sport Zones.

ZoneOptimizer adjusts the limits for your heart rate zones to reflect your body’s state. When your heart rate variation is high it means your body’s physiological state is good and you can work at higher intensity. ZoneOptimizer knows this and suggests that you exercise with higher heart rate limits. When your body is not recovered, your heart rate variation is low and the heart rate zone limits are lowered. So, one day ZoneOptimizer would say that light training for you is done between 114-133 beats per minute (bpm). On another day, when you are not that recovered, light training limits might be lowered to 111-129bpm. ZoneOptimer helps you to always train at the appropriate intensity for the maximal benefit.

ZoneOptimizer also gives you feedback on your daily physiological status (good/normal/low). It knows it by comparing the amount of heart rate variability you have now with earlier measurements. Without ZoneOptimizer you can estimate your daily physiological status by paying attention to how fast and how easily you can do training at the recommended heart rates.

Start Training Session with Polar ZoneOptimizer

To use the ZoneOptimizer function in your training, set in on by selecting MENU > Settings > Heart rate settings > ZoneOptimizer > On .

Before ZoneOptimizer determination, make sure that you have the Polar default Sport Zone limits in use i.e. you have not modified the Sport Zone limits manually. If you want to modify the Sport Zone manually, set the ZoneOptimizer function off.

To start the training session with ZoneOptimizer press OK.

When you see the ECG-curve on the top right hand corner on the display, you will know that the heart rate measurement and ZoneOptimizer are on.

Select the sport profile you want to use for your training session with UP/DOWN and press OK to start training.

Phase 1. Preparing for training session: Lots of heart rate variability.

  1. The ZoneOptimizer determination starts. Start increasing your heart rate slowly to 100 bpm. Spend at least 2 minutes above 70 bpm but below 100 bpm.

    This can be achieved by standing or with very light training intensity, for example, walking slowly.

    Because at this stage there is still a lot of heart rate variability, it’s easy to detect daily changes. The alarm will sound, when the first part of the determination is finished.

Phase 2. Warming up: heart rate rises slowly and heart rate variability decreases.

  1. Continue training at light intensity. Increase heart rate gradually, and keep it between 100 – 130 bpm for two minutes.

    This can be achieved, for example, by walking briskly, or by cycling/jogging at low intensity during warm up.

During this phase heart rate variability starts decreasing, and the body prepares for higher intensities. The alarm will sound when the second part of the ZoneOptimizer determination is finished.

The ZoneOptimizer determination may already finish here, if the heart rate variation limit is reached .

Phase 3. Heart rate variability levels off.

  1. Gradually increase your heart rate above 130 bpm (or 75% of your HRmax) and keep it there.

    This is the training phase where heart rate variability starts being at a very low level, or it can almost disappear. All heart rate zone limits are adjusted when your heart rate variation disappears. The duration of the last phase is 6 minutes at maximum and you need to be above 130 bpm minimum of 30 seconds, or until your heart rate variation can no longer be detected.

    The alarm will sound, when the third and final part of the determination is finished.

  1. After the determination is finished, the training computer displays one of the following:

  • Default sport zones (heart rate zones) in use. The determination was not successful. The Polar sport zone (heart rate) limits will be used.

  • Sport zones optimized. Heart rate zones on higher level. The limits have been raised compared to your average ZoneOptimizer limits. You may consider having a high intensity training session today.

  • Sport zones optimized. Heart rate zones on normal level. The limits have been raised or lowered only slightly compared to your average ZoneOptimizer limits. You can train as normal.

  • Sport zones optimized. Heart rate zones on lower level. The limits have been lowered compared to your average ZoneOptimizer limits.

  1. After you have received and read the feedback, press any button, except LIGHT, to exit the message display and continue your training session.

Remember that you need to spend at least 2 minutes doing both phase 1 and phase 2. The duration of the last phase is 6 minutes at maximum, and you need to be above 130 bpm for a minimum of 30 seconds, or until your heart rate variation can no longer be detected.

If you use ZoneOptimizer within an hour since your last use, please note that the recommended sport zones can be slightly off. This is because your body is likely to still be recovering from previous training, and heart rate variability, which ZoneOptimizer uses, returns to normal state slower than heart rate.

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Training Views

You can view different training views by pressing UP or DOWN. The number of the training view appears for a few seconds.

The information displayed varies depending on the sensors you have installed, which features are set on and what kind of sport you are performing.

The below tables present available training views for some different sensor combinations. In these examples, the training information is shown on three rows. You can set the training information to be shown on two or three rows in MENU > Settings > Sport profiles > Sport > Training view.

Heart rate sensor

Heart rate sensor

s3+ stride sensor

Heart rate sensor

G5/G3 GPS sensor

HEART RATE

Heart rate

Lap time

Duration

HEART RATE

Heart rate

Pace/Speed

Distance

HEART RATE

Heart rate

Pace/Speed

Distance

ZONEPOINTER

ZonePointer

Time at Zone

Duration

PACE/SPEED

Pace/Speed

Distance

Duration

PACE/SPEED

Pace/Speed

Distance

Duration

CALORIES

Calories

Time of day

Duration

ZONEPOINTER

ZonePointer

Time at Zone

Duration

ZONEPOINTER

ZonePointer

Time at Zone

Duration

SPORT ZONES

Time on each zone

LAP 01 TIME

Lap time

Heart rate

Lap distance

LAP 01 TIME

Lap time

Heart rate

Lap distance

  

AVERAGE PACE/SPEED

Average pace/speed

Calories

Time of day

AVERAGE PACE/SPEED

Average pace/speed

Calories

Time of day

  

SPORT ZONES

Time on each zone

SPORT ZONES

Time on each zone

Heart rate sensor

CS speed sensor W.I.N.D.

Heart rate sensor

CS cadence sensor W.I.N.D.

Heart rate sensor

CS cadence sensor W.I.N.D.

CS speed sensor W.I.N.D. OR G5/G3 GPS sensor

HEART RATE

Heart rate

Speed/Pace

Distance

HEART RATE

Heart rate

Cadence

Duration

HEART RATE

Heart rate

Speed/Pace

Distance

SPEED/PACE

Speed/Pace

Distance

Duration

CADENCE

Cadence

Lap time

Duration

SPEED/PACE

Speed/Pace

Distance

Duration

ZONEPOINTER

ZonePointer

Time at Zone

Duration

ZONEPOINTER

ZonePointer

Cadence

Duration

ZONEPOINTER

ZonePointer

Time at Zone

Duration

LAP 01 TIME

Lap time

Heart rate

Lap distance

CADENCE

Cadence

Time of day

Calories

LAP 01 TIME

Lap time

Heart rate

Lap distance

AVERAGE SPEED/PACE

Average speed/pace

Calories

Time of day

SPORT ZONES

Time on each zone

AVERAGE SPEED/PACE

Average speed/pace

Calories

Time of day

SPORT ZONES

Time on each zone

  

CADENCE

Cadence

Speed/Pace

Heart rate

    

SPORT ZONES

Time on each zone

Symbols on the display

 

Explanation

 

 

 

Cadence

Speed at which you turn the cranks of your bicycle

 

 

 

Calories

The expended calories so far. The cumulation of calories starts when your heart rate is displayed.

 

 

 

Distance

Cumulative distance

 

 

 

Duration

Total duration of the training session so far

 

 

 

Heart rate

Your current heart rate

 

 

 

Lap distance

Manual lap distance

 

 

 

Lap time

Manual lap number and lap time

 

 

 

Pace

Current pace (min/km or min/mi)

 

Speed

Current speed (km/h or mph)

You can select the speed view in sport profile settings. See Sport Profile Settings for instructions.

 

 

 

ZonePointer

Target zone indicator with a heart symbol that moves left or right on the sport zone scale according to your heart rate.

 

 

 

Time at Zone

Time spent in the target zone

 

 

 

Time of day

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Button Functions During Training

Record a Lap

Press OK to record a lap. The display will show:

Lap number

Average heart rate of the lap

Lap time

If a speed sensor is activated, the following will also appear:

Lap number

Average speed/pace of the lap

Lap distance

Lock a Sport Zone

You can lock/unlock your heart rate to the current sport zone.

To lock/unlock the sport zone, press and hold OK.

If, for example, you are running with a heart rate of 130 bpm which is 75% of your maximum heart rate, and matches sport zone 3, you can press and hold OK to lock your heart rate into this zone. Sport zone3 Lockedis displayed.

An alarm sounds if you are below or above the sport zone. Unlock the sport zone by pressing and holding OK again: Sport zone3 Unlocked is displayed.

Night Mode

There is a night mode function in the RCX3 training computer. Press the LIGHT button once during pre-training mode, training recording mode or pause mode. The backlight will be activated every time you press any of the buttons.

The display will also light up if a message, for example, Check heart rate sensor, is displayed.

Night mode will be switched off when you finish the training recording.

View Quick Menu

Press and hold LIGHT. QUICK MENU is displayed. You can change certain settings without pausing the training recording. For further information, see Quick menu.

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Pause / Stop Training Recording

  1. To pause training recording, press BACK once. To continue training recording press OK.

  2. To stop recording completely, press BACK twice. The following summary of your training information is displayed

    • Textual feedback, for example Steady state training+, is displayed if you trained at least a total of 10 minutes in the sport zones. See the feedback in more detail in Training Files. For more information, see 6. After Training

    • Duration and Calories

    • Average heart rate and Maximum heart rate

    • Sport zones (Time in each zone)

    • Average pace and Maximum pace or Average speed and Maximum speed (G5/G3 GPS sensor or s3+ stride sensor or CS speed sensor required)

    • Distance (G5/G3 GPS sensor or s3+ stride sensor or CS speed sensor required) and Running Index (s3+ stride sensor or G5/G3 GPS sensor required)

Care for your heart rate sensor after training. Detach the connector from the strap and rinse the strap under running water after every use.Wash the strap regularly in a washing machine at 40ºC/104ºF at least after every fifth use. For complete care and maintenance instructions, see Caring for Your Product.

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