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Concept behind Polar Heart Rate Monitors

Exercise dose can be expressed in calories. Calories are energy units, and the energy you burn is a measurement of the work your body does. Daily and weekly exercise targets can conveniently and easily be set in terms of calories (kilocalories).

Knowing how many calories you burnt during your morning run, for instance, gives you information on how much (or little) you worked. Also, keeping tabs on calories is a great motivational tool. Aiming to burn e.g. 2000 kilocalories per week through exercise, for example, is a goal you can easily verify. Learning about how and how much your body burns calories during exercise is also useful for weight management.

For this, use the calorie calculation feature in your Polar Heart Rate Monitor. The feature counts the calories you burnt during your exercise session, and will save the information as a running sum over as many exercise sessions as you choose. This way, you can crosscheck that information against your target, or for weight management, against the calories in your food.

Here are a few examples of burnt kilocalories per hour for a person weighing 155 pounds / 70 kg:

Choosing the type of exercise that suits you will depend mainly on personal goals and preferences. To find out what these are, start off by asking yourself a few questions.

Knowing what fitness benefi ts come with different types of exercise will help make your choice a little easier. Ideally, you should be combining different types of exercise to increase benefits.

Generally speaking, exercise can be divided into the following types:

Cardio This is aerobic exercise that strengthens the heart. It makes you breathe hard and sweat. Typical examples are Fitness walking, Nordic walking, jogging, indoor cycling, swimming, group exercise etc.

Strength training and body toning This is exercise that increases muscle strength, e.g. training with free weights or multi gyms, alone or in groups.

Flexibility These are types of exercise that improve range of motion by stretching muscles, tendons and ligaments; they improve joint function and muscular performance and may prevent injury.

Body&Mind Exercise that engages the mind as well as the body is usually referred to as Body&Mind. It is practiced in deep concentration and often targets core body muscles. It improves body alignment, posture and balance. It also promotes relaxation and all-round well-being. Typical examples are Yoga, Pilates and Taiji.

Next, you can give a thought to where you prefer exercising. This increases your choices even further.

Health or fitness clubs It’s social and offers a wide range of workout options: treadmills, exercise bikes, group fitness classes like dancing, martial arts, resistance machines, Yoga etc.

Home It’s safe and convenient. Popular home exercise equipment include stairclimbers, treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical motion trainers.

Outdoors The sky’s the limit. Fitness walking, Nordic walking, jogging, cycling or inline skating, the choice is virtually endless.

Aerobic Group Fitness classes improve cardiovascular fitness, coordination, muscle strength, and mobility.

Group fitness exercise refers to a series of rhythmic, large muscle exercise, usually performed to music and led by an instructor. It's a modern form of total body exercise that is motivating, social, and fun.

This kind of exercise is a cardiovascular workout that improves coordination, muscle strength and mobility. It also improves your physiological and functional capacities, promoting general well-being. Aerobic group fitness provides a whole host of health benefits: it burns calories; reduces the risk of cardiac diseases by lowering blood pressure and slowing down atherosclerotic processes; improves aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, flexibility and mobility; improves muscular strength, posture and body performance in all age groups; reduces stress and increases self-esteem by helping with weight management.

Aqua, or hydro, exercise is a wonderful form of cross-training that's efficient for all levels of fitness.

Because it's done in the water, it places less stress on your joints than any other type of exercise. The movements are very slow and utilize the effects of water resistance.

Once fitness was all about the body, and yes it still is, but today with more and more of us living fast-paced, stressful lives, the winning approach to fitness invites the mind along for the ride. The reason the body&mind trend is catching on so well with fitness enthusiasts is because it offers peace of mind as well as a fitter body.

What is body&mind exercise?

Body&mind exercise is a common term for exercise performed with a deep mental focus directed inwards. It can increase flexibility and balance, good posture, muscular strength and will always engage the mind in deep contemplation. Your mind will be present and aware throughout the movements and concentrated on your breathing and what you are feeling in your muscles.

Body&mind exercise is about the present not the future. The outcome of this form of exercise may be enhanced fitness, but the important thing is what happens along the way. It's about the process and enjoying the moment. This in itself will lead to physical and mental well-being, and relaxation.

Physically, body&mind practices focus often on core strength and control. Core muscles include the abdominals and back, as well as pelvic floor and hips. Together these muscles act as stabilizers and give the great, straight posture of dancers and yoga practitioners. A strong core improves overall body balance and gives added strength to leg and arm movements.

Types of body&mind Exercise

There are several forms of body-mind practices. Typical forms include Pilates, Yoga and Thai Chi. Examples of trademarked classes are Body Balance and Chi ball.

Pilates is a series of movements that focus on improving core muscles and overall flexibility and strength. The movements promote proper breathing, body alignment and concentration.

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that is characterized by slow precise movements that demand lots of concentration but little strength. This practice has been proven to improve balance and reduce the risk of falling among the elderly.

The powerful and athletic moves of boxing offer an attractive form of exercise for many different fitness levels.

Boxing group fitness classes generally emphasize cardiovascular fitness, increase upper-body endurance, agility and hand-eye coordination, and lower-body strength and endurance. Such moves have the added advantage of letting you pound out that extra energy or stress!

Riding a bicycle is one of the most popular and effective ways to get in shape and stay healthy. Millions of people already enjoy the benefits of cycling, and many people start their own cycling programs every day. In many countries, cycling is even the preferred method of transportation. In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, when the weather's good, many people take to their bikes every day. In Southeast Asia and India, cycling is the most popular way to get around and beat the rush-hour traffic.

There are almost as many reasons to choose cycling as there are people on bikes. People bike for exercise and to stay in shape, for a break from a hectic day, to explore and travel, to rediscover their surroundings, or to compete in organized events. You can bike almost anywhere: around the neighborhood, at the park or even on a stationary bike in the comfort of your home.

You can use different types of bikes for different types of terrain. Road racing is fast-paced and the rides are usually long. With a mountain bike you can be out in the nature, or bike to work or school in a more urban setting. On a touring bike you can both travel and get a good workout at the same time. When the weather is lousy, you can cycle indoors, and even then you have several alternatives to choose from: go spinning, use a stationary bike at home or at the gym, or use your own bike on a stationary trainer.

One of the advantages of cycling is that it offers a balanced approach to fitness. It's a low-impact exercise that can help you strengthen your heart, lower your blood pressure, boost your energy, burn calories, tone your body (especially thighs, buttocks and stomach), reduce stress and tension and help you reach peak performance. Cycling is an excellent exercise because it exercises large muscle groups in a sustained fashion, which maintains your heart rate at a level high enough to achieve training effects. If your aim is to increase your weekly exercise dose only modestly, then biking to work or the like is a great way to start getting into shape.

Cycling might be easy, but it is an equipment-intense sport. If you just want to try it out, any bike will do, even a rental, as long as it functions well and is safe, especially the brakes.

For longer rides or when you want a bike to better cater to your needs, choose equipment carefully according to the type of cycling you are interested in.

Road bikes work well for long distances, and by riding one you will be able to exercise for long periods. A drawback is the hunched-over position which could feel uncomfortable in the beginning.

Mountain bikes are more comfortable to use than road bikes. If you want to avoid traffic, mountainbiking on trails will get you closer to nature. The wheel of a mountain bike is heavier and doesn't glide as smoothly as a road bike. Riding a mountain bike requires, therefore, much more effort than riding a road bike. Exertion levels may rise very high, especially when riding on terrain. Then, you are no longer exercising aerobically, and long rides will require a lot of effort.

New, so-called fitness bikes are a compromise model between a mountain bike and a road bike. With a fitness bike you can ride on much bumpier roads than with a road bike, but it is lighter to pedal than a mountain bike. A fitness bike is great for biking on different types of terrain.

Polar Cycling Computers are easily attached to the handlebar with the Polar bike mount. Some also accomodate wrist units. With a Polar cycling heart rate monitor or a Polar Cycling Computer, you can use the speed sensor to measure speed and distance, or use the cadence sensor to measure pedalling rhythm (i.e. cadence).

The Polar Power Output Sensor contains different measuring tools that detail how the cyclist is performing, and enables the cyclist to control the intensity of exercise. The Polar Power Output Sensor provides the following information: cycling speed, distance and cadence, the L/R Balance (balance between left and right foot), and Pedaling Index (how evenly the power is distributed during one crank rotation).

Other Cycling Equipment

Once you have a suitable bike, you should choose appropriate clothing. Pants or shorts should be tight so as not to get tangled in the bike chain. They should also give support to your lower back without being too tight around the waist. In fact, using suspenders is recommended. Cycling pants containing chamois cushioning are great over long distances because they prevent chafing.

The cycling jacket or shirt should be a tight-fit to avoid flapping. When cycling in cold weather, it's important to protect the front of your upper body well, since it is the part of your body that does the least amount of dynamic work. Speed also increases the effect of cold weather.

Cycling jerseys have pockets on the back for storing items. Cycling gloves are recommended because they reduce the pressure on your palms that could lead to shoulder and neck problems. Gloves will also reduce skin injuries if you fall. The best thing to have on your head is a helmet. It provides cheap life-insurance. Nowadays, helmets are comfortable and you get used to using them quickly. They are not that pricey, either.

If you really want to develop your cycling hobby and want to maximize the pleasure and benefit you get out of it, investing in cycling shoes and clipless pedals is probably a good idea. Your feet tire less in cycling shoes and all energy is used for pedalling. Cycling efficiency increases 30% when using clipless pedals, which secure your foot by fastening on a cleat on the sole of the cycling shoe. Also a larger muscle area will be used and muscles are used more comprehensively. To stop, you only need to pivot your heel outward to snap right out of the pedal. This is very easy to learn, and you will soon do it automatically.

Some tips for better cycling:

Indoor cycling is conducted in group on a stationary bike and set to music. It is a non-impact workout, and because each participant ultimately determines individual workout intensity, it is suitable for people of all fitness levels and ages. The whole experience is much like a cross between road riding and an group fitness class.

The Spinning philosophy encourages the use of a Polar Product during every class. With a Polar Product, you can find and maintain suitable workout intensity. This way you can strike the necessary balance between health and performance.

The main fitness goal for spinning is to build a solid aerobic base. It is important not to include anaerobic training too much too soon. A rough rule is that, training is aerobic below 85% HR_max and anaerobic above that. Beginners often reach the anaerobic zone at 75 - 80% HR_max whereas highly trained individuals are able to train even at 90% HR_max and still remain within the aerobic zone.

To develop and stabilize a good fitness base, here are a few simple tips for you to follow.

Tip 1 - Aerobic comes first!

Anaerobic exercise should only be included once you have a solid aerobic base. This can take two to three months of regular aerobic training.

Tip 2 - Train anaerobically only if rested

Anaerobic exercise puts a lot of strain on your body. Never force your body into an anaerobic state unless your mind is also willing to make the effort. An unfortunate myth is thinking fitness only improves when working out long and hard.

Tip 3 - Max 6 weeks anaerobic training

Training anaerobically once a week means you are in an anaerobic training phase. After 6 weeks of such a program, train aerobically (meaning no anaerobic sessions at all) for three weeks in a row. This will stabilize your aerobic base and freshen your reserves for the anaerobic phase to follow.

Tip 4 - Only 10% anaerobic

Your overall anaerobic training should not exceed 10%. Count the total number of training minutes you perform per week (e.g. 180 minutes) and calculate 10% of that to come to the maximum number of minutes you are allowed to train anaerobically per week (e.g. 18 minutes).

Tip 5 - Use your Polar Product

These names all indicate that the emphasis of the class is on building muscular endurance to tone the body.

A careful, thorough warm-up is of the utmost importance to prevent injuries These classes often use a variety of exercise props to increase resistance and build muscle faster. The chief advantage of these classes is that they help you lose body fat and increase your percentage of lean muscle tissue by combining aerobic exercise and resistance training. In addition, these kinds of weight-bearing exercises also improve bone density, which is an important factor in preventing osteoporosis.

Running or jogging is an easy and effective sport for beginners and active exercisers.

Running has been around as long as man has stood on two feet - some 1.5 million years! You could say it's as natural to run as it is to, well, walk. It's so natural that many fitness seekers first turn to it to lose those extra pounds or to reduce stress. Hundreds of thousands of runners around the world even try a marathon at least once in their lifetimes.

So why are running and jogging so popular? For starters, they're great for tackling many exercise goals:

If your goal is to look and feel fit or to lose some extra weight, an easy 20-30 minute jog at the lower end of your target heart rate zone three times a week should do the trick.

If your goal is to increase your aerobic capacity and develop a healthy heart and cardiovascular system, jogging or running for 20-40 minutes at the light-moderate and moderate heart rate zones four to five times a week will go a long way.

If your goal is to run your first marathon, there are countless running workouts to prepare you, such as interval training, fartleking runs (repeatedly speeding up and slowing down to quickly alternate between a high and low target heart rate), hill training and more. Generally though, you'll have to run five or more times a week, with one day devoted to a long, hard run of 45-60 minutes at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.

In short, running or jogging is a effective sport for beginners and active exercisers alike to reach their optimal target heart rate and maintain it long enough to really get the benefits. It's also fun because you can enjoy being outdoors and even improve your social by running with friends.

Here are tips for better running or jogging: