Polar S725X user manual Predicted maximum heart rate HRmax-p

If you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness, it takes a minimum of 6 weeks on an average to see a noticeable change in OwnIndex. Less fit individuals see progress even more rapidly and for more fit individuals more time is needed.

Cardiovascular fitness is best improved by exercise types which employ large muscle groups. Such activities include running, swimming, rowing, skating, cross-country skiing, cycling and walking.

To monitor your fitness progress start with measuring your OwnIndex a couple of times during the first two weeks, to get a baseline value. Thereafter, repeat the test approximately once a month.

OwnIndex is based on resting heart rate, heart rate variability at rest, age, gender, height, body weight and self-assessed physical activity.

Predicted maximum heart rate (HRmax-p)

The HRmax-p definition is carried out simultaneously with the Polar Fitness Test.

The HRmax-p score predicts your individual maximum heart rate value more accurately than the age-based formula (220 - age). The age-based method provides a rough estimation and is thus not very accurate, especially for people who have been fit for many years or for older people. The most accurate way of determining your individual maximum heart rate is to have it clinically measured (in maximal treadmill or bicycle stress test) by a cardiologist or an exercise physiologist.

Your maximum heart rate changes to some extent in relation to your fitness. Regular exercise tends to decrease HRmax whereas reduced training tends to increase it. There may also be some variation according to the sport you participate in. For example, running HRmax > cycling HRmax > swimming HRmax.

HRmax-p gives the possibility of defining training intensities as percentages of maximum heart rate and of following maximum heart rate changes due to training, without an exhaustive maximal stress test. HRmax-p is based on resting heart rate, heart rate variability at rest, age, gender, height, body weight and maximal oxygen uptake, VO2max (measured or predicted). The most accurate HRmax-p is obtained by entering your clinically measured VO2max into the wrist unit.

86 87