WHY HEART RATE MONITORS

If you entered this section you may be recovering from a cardiac incident, an operation or know someone who has. It's important that you have your doctor's clearance before starting any exercise program. After getting the go ahead, many people still feel apprehensive about leading an active life. That’s where a Polar heart rate monitor comes in. It will help you safely get back into the swing of things.

To understand how a Heart Rate Monitor can help you, we established the
Polar 3 Point Message:

1. In order to reach your fitness goals, you need to walk at the right intensity.
2. Heart rate is the only accurate measurement of your intensity or your exertion level.
3. A Polar HRM is the easiest and most accurate way to continuously measure your heart rate.

We understand the issues you face when coming back from a medical situation. We work very closely with thousands of rehab clinicians across the country who use Polar HRMs to help get their patients moving again. It's important that you have the confidence to start again, and a Polar HRM can help you. By monitoring your heart rate while you exercise, you can ensure that you are not overdoing it. It's not about how you feel. We've received numerous letters from recovering patients who told us they felt great during a workout, but experienced an elevated heart rate. They alerted the nurse and in fact, they were actually at the beginning of an attack. If they had relied on how they felt rather than on their HRM, they may not have been around to write us the letter.

When you wear an HRM, your heart rate is continuously displayed on your wrist so you or your cardiac nurse can monitor it closely without being restricted at all. Outside the clinic, you can still take part in your rehab program doing the activities that you enjoy. Or you can wear it throughout the day just to feel safe accomplishing your daily routine. It can help you build the confidence to lead a normal life again.

If you're very new to the concept of an HRM, you might be wondering WHAT'S AN HRM. It consists of a watch worn on your wrist, and a transmitter that you comfortably wear against your skin and around your chest. The transmitter picks up the signals of your heart, and sends them wirelessly to the watch you wear on your wrist. It's that simple. No wires, no taking your pulse and doing a multiplication equation. Just look at your wrist and it's there. AND THE KEY, IT'S DISPLAYED CONTINUOUSLY. The continuous display is what makes it effective. It's there to guide you during your entire exercise.

Here's how it works.

There are specific Target Zones (TZ) that help to guide you to the right intensity. A TZ is a high and low heart rate range that is based on a % of your maximum heart rate. Using a formula based on your age, you can figure out your maximum heart rate. You then take %'s of that to get your Target Zones. Your doctor may actually give you a heart rate number to stay under or a range to stay within.

Key Target Zone

60-70% of max heart rate builds endurance


Example:

Lee is 55 years old and he is coming back from a heart attack. He walks for exercise three days a week, sometimes for 10 minutes, sometimes for 20 minutes and he's not sure how fast to walk.

*His estimated max heart rate is 220-(age) 55=165
The recommended target zone is 60-70 %
60% of 165=99
70% of 165=115

Lee should walk three days a week for at least 30 minutes and keep his heart rate between 99 and 115 for a safe and effective workout. IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

If your doctor gives you exact numbers to follow, you should follow his guidance.

Why HRM
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