Fitness Test in Polar Flow app

You can perform the Polar Fitness test with Polar Loop and the Polar Flow app. The Polar Fitness Test is an easy, safe and quick way to estimate your aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness at rest. It's a simple 5-minute fitness level assessment that gives you an estimate of your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). The Fitness Test calculation is based on your resting heart rate, heart rate variability and your personal information: gender, age, height, weight, and self-assessment of your physical activity level called the training background. 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 the risk of 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 fitness test result. Less fit individuals see progress even more rapidly. The better your aerobic fitness, the smaller the improvements in your result.

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 performing the test 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 pharmaceutical 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.

To perform the Fitness test:

  1. Wear your Polar Loop snugly on your wrist.
  2. In the Flow app, go to Start > Testing.

  3. Tap the settings cogwheel icon to open the Test settings page. Find your device on the page and tap Pair. Tap Done to return to the Testing page.
  4. When you see your current heart rate, tap Start to begin the test.
  5. Stay relaxed and limit body movements and communication with other people. It is important to stay as still as possible during the test, as even small movements can interfere with the test and cause it to fail. When the test is completed, the Flow app shows a description of your fitness test result and your estimated VO2max.

Learn more about the Polar Fitness test in this in-depth guide.