Polar RCX3 User manual

9. POLAR FITNESS TEST

The Polar Fitness Test is an easy, safe, and quick way to measure your aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness at rest. The result, Polar OwnIndex, is comparable to maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), which is commonly used to evaluate aerobic fitness. Your long-term level of physical activity, heart rate, heart rate variability at rest, gender, age, height, and body weight all influence OwnIndex. The Polar Fitness Test is developed for use by healthy adults.

Aerobic fitness relates to how well your cardiovascular system works to transport oxygen to your body. The better your aerobic fitness, the stronger and more efficient your heart is. Good aerobic fitness has many health benefits. For example, it helps in decreasing high blood pressure and your risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. If you want to improve your aerobic fitness it takes, on average, six weeks of regular training to see a noticeable change in your OwnIndex. Less fit individuals see progress even more rapidly. The better your aerobic fitness, the smaller the improvements in your OwnIndex.

Aerobic fitness is best improved by training types that use large muscle groups. Such activities include running, cycling, walking, rowing, swimming, skating, and cross-country skiing.

To monitor your progress, start by measuring your OwnIndex a couple of times during the first two weeks in order to get a baseline value, and then repeat the test approximately once a month.

To make sure the test results are reliable, the following basic requirements apply:

  • You can perform the test anywhere - at home, at the office, at a health club - provided the testing environment is peaceful. There should be no disturbing noises (e.g. television, radio, or telephone) and no other people talking to you.

  • Always take the test in the same environment and at the same hour.

  • Avoid eating a heavy meal or smoking 2-3 hours prior to testing.

  • Avoid heavy physical exertion, alcohol, and pharmacological stimulants on the test day and the previous day.

  • You should be relaxed and calm. Lie down and relax for 1-3 minutes before starting the test.

Before the Test

Wear the heart rate sensor

For further information, see Wear the Heart Rate Sensor

Enter User Information

Select MENU > Settings > User information

To carry out the Polar Fitness Test, enter your personal user information and long-term physical activity level in User settings.

Performing the Test

Select MENU > Fitness test > Start test

The progress bar indicates that the test is ongoing. Stay relaxed and limit body movements and communication with other people.

If you have not set your long-term physical activity level in User information settings, Set activity level of past 3 months is displayed. Select Top, High, Moderate, or Low. For further information on activity levels, see User Information Settings.

If your training computer does not receive your heart rate at the beginning or during the test, the test fails and Test failed, Check heart rate sensor is displayed. Check that the heart rate sensor electrodes are wet and that the strap is snug enough, and start the test again.

When the test is over, you will hear two beeps. OwnIndex is displayed with a numerical value and level evaluation. For further information on evaluations, see Fitness Level Classes.

Update to VO2max?

  • Select Yes to save the OwnIndex value to your user settings and OwnIndex results menu.

  • Select No only if you know your laboratory-measured VO2max value, and if it differs more than one fitness level class from the OwnIndex result. Your OwnIndex value is saved only to the OwnIndex results menu. For further information on fitness trend see OwnIndex results.

You can stop the test at any time by pressing BACK. Test canceled is displayed for a few seconds.

After saving the OwnIndex value, it will be used for calculating calorie consumption.

After the Test

Fitness Level Classes

Men

Age / Years

Very low

Low

Fair

Moderate

Good

Very good

Elite

20-24

< 32

32-37

38-43

44-50

51-56

57-62

> 62

25-29

< 31

31-35

36-42

43-48

49-53

54-59

> 59

30-34

< 29

29-34

35-40

41-45

46-51

52-56

> 56

35-39

< 28

28-32

33-38

39-43

44-48

49-54

> 54

40-44

< 26

26-31

32-35

36-41

42-46

47-51

> 51

45-49

< 25

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-43

44-48

> 48

50-54

< 24

24-27

28-32

33-36

37-41

42-46

> 46

55-59

< 22

22-26

27-30

31-34

35-39

40-43

> 43

60-65

< 21

21-24

25-28

29-32

33-36

37-40

> 40

Women

Age / Years

Very low

Low

Fair

Moderate

Good

Very good

Elite

20-24

< 27

27-31

32-36

37-41

42-46

47-51

> 51

25-29

< 26

26-30

31-35

36-40

41-44

45-49

> 49

30-34

< 25

25-29

30-33

34-37

38-42

43-46

> 46

35-39

< 24

24-27

28-31

32-35

36-40

41-44

> 44

40-44

< 22

22-25

26-29

30-33

34-37

38-41

> 41

45-49

< 21

21-23

24-27

28-31

32-35

36-38

> 38

50-54

< 19

19-22

23-25

26-29

30-32

33-36

> 36

55-59

< 18

18-20

21-23

24-27

28-30

31-33

> 33

60-65

< 16

16-18

19-21

22-24

25-27

28-30

> 30

The classification is based on a literature review of 62 studies where VO2max was measured directly in healthy adult subjects in the USA, Canada and 7 European countries. Reference: Shvartz E, Reibold RC. Aerobic fitness norms for males and females aged 6 to 75 years: a review. Aviat Space Environ Med; 61:3-11, 1990.

Ownindex results

Select MENU > Fitness test> OwnIndex results

In the OwnIndex results menu you can see how your OwnIndex value has been developing. Up to 60 latest OwnIndex values and respective dates are included in the display. When the latest results file becomes full, the oldest result is automatically deleted.

Delete OwnIndex Value

Select MENU > Fitness test> OwnIndex results

Select the value you wish to delete and press and hold LIGHT > Delete OwnIndex (xx) value? No/Yes is displayed. Confirm with OK.

Analyzing OwnIndex Results with Software

Downloading test results to polarpersonaltrainer.com offers you the possibility of analyzing results in various ways, as well as accessing more detailed information about your progress.

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