Training & Nutrition - Polar HRM Target Zones

I currently have a Polar A3, and like it for what it is; however, now I want more from my HRM. The 2 features I want that the A3 lacks are:

1. Maximum HR for session
2. Multiple target zones

My question for those of you with a Polar HRM that does multiple zones is this:

I'd like to see my times in all 5 heart rate zones in a given session, but it looks like 3 is the limit with Polar. Do you get the times in the 3 different zones that the user sets, or do you simply get "above zone", "in zone", and "above zone" times? After a ride, I want to be able to record my time in zones that I set - not simple "under", "in" and "above". It looks like the S120 does what I need if I can set the specific zones.

Thoughts????? ThanX!!!! :)

The simplest answer is, "It depends".

It depends on how much you want to spend. I went complelety overboard and got the s720i. The main reason I got it was the ability to download my workouts to the computer and graph them there. The software that comes with it isn't the greatest, but it does let you see time in various user defined zones in a variety of formats, from percentages to actual times. It also tracks this info daily, weekly, and I believe monthly, if thats you kind of thing. I believe that model supports 5 user defined zones, but since you have the data on the computer, you could get really creative if you wanted to.

I'll admit I haven't played with every feature of the thing, but if there is a specific question you have, I'll try and answer it for you via actual experience or the user manual.

For what its worth, I'm glad I bought it.

I bought the Polar S150 and am still learning how to use it. You can go to Polar's web site and download the manual to check it out before purchasing it. The manual for the 120 & 150 are the same book. As with any HRM, they take time to figure out.

http://www.polarusa.com/consumer/cycling/model/S150.asp

The simplest answer is, "It depends".

It depends on how much you want to spend. I went complelety overboard and got the s720i. The main reason I got it was the ability to download my workouts to the computer and graph them there. The software that comes with it isn't the greatest, but it does let you see time in various user defined zones in a variety of formats, from percentages to actual times. It also tracks this info daily, weekly, and I believe monthly, if thats you kind of thing. I believe that model supports 5 user defined zones, but since you have the data on the computer, you could get really creative if you wanted to.

I'll admit I haven't played with every feature of the thing, but if there is a specific question you have, I'll try and answer it for you via actual experience or the user manual.

For what its worth, I'm glad I bought it.

ThanX for the response! I'm not sure that I want the complexity of the HRM to computer download. Can you get the HR zone information (time in zone) from the HRM without doing a download to the PC?

ThanX!

I bought the Polar S150 and am still learning how to use it. You can go to Polar's web site and download the manual to check it out before purchasing it. The manual for the 120 & 150 are the same book. As with any HRM, they take time to figure out.

http://www.polarusa.com/consumer/cycling/model/S150.asp

Wow - after looking through the manual (without the actual HRM in front of me), I'm really confused! ThanX for the link, though. Perhaps I just need to read it again. :)

It's done! I ordered a Polar S210 today after speaking with the Polar folks on the phone today. If what the Polar dude stated is correct, this model will allow me to track 3 heart rate zones with the addition of "above zone" and "below zone" tracking. Thus, in effect, I can now track all 5 HRZs on my rides.

I'll shoot out a review after I get the unit and test it out!

I looked at my 720 last night, and it will track above, in, and below for the user set zones.

Glad you found a model that will do what you are looking for a lower price. Does the S210 have any of the cycling features?

I'm not sure if you're interested, bac, but if you like having the software program, you could quickly upgrade that order to the polar s410. I like the downloadable features of my s720...

Koffee

It's done! I ordered a Polar S210 today after speaking with the Polar folks on the phone today. If what the Polar dude stated is correct, this model will allow me to track 3 heart rate zones with the addition of "above zone" and "below zone" tracking. Thus, in effect, I can now track all 5 HRZs on my rides.

I'll shoot out a review after I get the unit and test it out!

I've had my S210 for about 7 months now and I'm very pleased with it. So much so that I bought my girlfriend one.
It does everything I need and what the other models do except computer downloading and I'm just not that into...yet...?

FYI, any unusual readings, i.e. 235 bpm are most likely caused by static electricity from your jersey or synthetic shirt. Otherwise I have not had any unusual reading caused by power lines.

I bought both of mine from a place in Pa. $131.00 delivered UPS. The guys name is Craig and there is an Amy who answers the phone. Good company to deal with.

I looked at my 720 last night, and it will track above, in, and below for the user set zones.

Glad you found a model that will do what you are looking for a lower price. Does the S210 have any of the cycling features?

No, the S210 is a HRM only. The S520 has the cyclo-computer stuff also. I use the Shimano Flightdeck on my road machine, so the cycling stuff is already covered on the road. I've decided that I don't really need or want a computer on any of my mountain bikes. I'm trying to keep that part of my riding a bit more pure. Ah, I will be using the HRM though. ;)

I'm not sure if you're interested, bac, but if you like having the software program, you could quickly upgrade that order to the polar s410. I like the downloadable features of my s720...

Koffee

ThanX for the heads-up, Koffee!

Actually, I looked @ the S410, but decided that I didn't want the software. To be more accurate, I did want the software, but I knew I would spend more time analyzing the data, and less time on my bike! I do love that sort of data, but in the interest of keeping it simple, I went with the less complicated machine.

Having said that, I did upgrade from an A3 to a S210 this year. Maybe next year, I won't be able to stand it, and I'll get the S720! :)

So - if I want to track time spent in all my heart zones, what's the simplest/cheapest Polar that can do that? (I don't need/want any cyclocomputer functions, since I already have a FlightDeck.)

How easy/hard is the analysis software to use, and downloading to a computer?

So - if I want to track time spent in all my heart zones, what's the simplest/cheapest Polar that can do that? (I don't need/want any cyclocomputer functions, since I already have a FlightDeck.)

Yes, because after talking with the Polar techs, I found out that even though lesser models (than the S210) have the ability to track 3 HR Zones, none of those models (such as the S120) track the "above" and "below" zones of all HR Zones continually.

These lesser models track the "above" and "below" zones only when that HR Zone is the target zone. The target zone is the zone that you can set an audible tone or a visual cue if you go outside its boundries.

The S210 tracks all zones all the time - regardless as to what zone you have set as the target zone. Therefore, @ the end of the ride, you can determine how much time you spent in all 5 zones. (assuming that you shut your HR monitor off when you go below 50% of max)

Was that as complex as I made it sound????? :rolleyes:

Sorry, bac, that WAS confusing - let's see if I can translate.

As long as I shut off my HRM before I'm below 50% of max, the S210 will track all zones all the time. So all 5 zones can be retrieved manually with an S210.

Is there anything you wish your HRM did do that the S210 does NOT do?

Sorry, bac, that WAS confusing - let's see if I can translate.

As long as I shut off my HRM before I'm below 50% of max, the S210 will track all zones all the time. So all 5 zones can be retrieved manually with an S210.

Is there anything you wish your HRM did do that the S210 does NOT do?

Good translation - that's it in a nutshell! After I read my post, I had a tough time figuring it out. :)

Anywho - just stop your HRM every time you stop riding, and you should be good to go. I doubt that you'll ride much in the below 50% zone, but if you do, you'll have to stop the HRM @ that time to be perfect.

This HRM seems to do everything I desire. I just don't want the hassle of a computer download/upload, so this was the call for me.

Good luck with your choice, and let me know if you have anymore questions.

Good translation - that's it in a nutshell! After I read my post, I had a tough time figuring it out. :)

Anywho - just stop your HRM every time you stop riding, and you should be good to go. I doubt that you'll ride much in the below 50% zone, but if you do, you'll have to stop the HRM @ that time to be perfect.

This HRM seems to do everything I desire. I just don't want the hassle of a computer download/upload, so this was the call for me.

Good luck with your choice, and let me know if you have anymore questions.

I decided I did want the downloading capability - just easier to track/graph and keep a record, IMO (if it's not too complicated to operate!).

My new laptop has an infrared port, so I don't have to spend any extra $ for the infrared receiver to download data.

I found the S610i online for less than $200, with free shipping, so that made the decision a bit easier, since that's 20% less than all the other online sites, and almost $100 under "list". (Got an email confirming my order is already shipping, so it looks legit.)

I've also ordered the following books from Amazon:
"The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling: Build the Strength, Skills, and Confidence to Ride As Far As You Want"
Ed Burke;Paperback;

"The Lance Armstrong Performance Program: Seven Weeks to the Perfect Ride"
Lance Armstrong;Paperback;

"The Heart Rate Monitor Book for Outdoor and Indoor Cyclists: A Heart Zone Training Program"
Sally Edwards;Paperback;

(I already have Joe Friel's "Cycling Past 50".)

So I'll be getting a real program going soon in 2004, utilizing heart zones & the HRM to improve my bike cardio and lose some weight. What I've noticed already as I've started to log some serious (for me) miles the past two months: I'm eating much better, totally conscious of what my intake is, because suddenly it's fuel that actually matters.

So I'll be getting a real program going soon in 2004, utilizing heart zones & the HRM to improve my bike cardio and lose some weight.

Yup, that's very similar to my plan for 2004. I want to train less subjectively, and more objectively. I read Sally Edwards, "The Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook" and now feel that I'm one step closer toward that end.

Good luck, Allen!

Allen H,

Could you share where you found the great price on the 610 online? Sounds like a great price.

I couldn't find replacement batteries for 11 year old Polar Pacer (is it collectable? :rolleyes: ), so I just ordered a Polar M61. I didnt' want cycle input functions yet (since we're well covered there already), but I really wanted the "two person" setup so that it can hold setting for two users (my wife and I). It also looks like it has a good spread of functions.

I'm also reading the Sally Edwards book. It's helping understand how come my low-moderate intensity bike commute (45 minutes each way, 90 minutes total a day) is helping with weight loss so effectively. Fun stuff.

In the future, a 610 or 710 might be nice...

Thanks!

HeartRate MonitorMan at:
http://omega3bar.com/

I get the sense that the S610i may be discontinued by Polar shortly, since this was a special clearance price at this site, and I was perusing the Polar website for other HRM FAQs and noticed that their S series listing had an S510, S710, and S810, but no S610, FWIW.

I've been using a Polar S210 for about 1.5 years now. In what they call basicuse mode, you can track three zones as well as above and below... for each zone it tells you how much time in, above, and below. You can change which zone controls the above/below alarm during exercise. The alarm has a different tone depending on whether you're above or below, or you can just turn it off. The HR also blinks if you're outside the controlling zone. You can have it display your current HR, average HR, or HR as % of MHR. You can set up timers which generate alarms. For general riding I set up one to go off every 15 minutes to remind me it's time to drink. The lap timer lets you store HR information at any given time for retrieval later. If you're just using it to track your HR during rides or workouts, they've probably got you covered. ;)

If you're using it for interval training, the three zone limits are used for warm-up, intervals, and cool-down, respectively. So you won't get the 5-zone coverage you'd like for that.

As Trouble mentioned, I also have occasional problems with ridiculously high HR readings. Here in the humid east, it's usually from power lines, and is much worse during cold weather. It's a real p!sser... it blows your actual max HR data. It helps a little to use the HR strap cream.

Oh, it has one little feature that isn't documented in the manual. There's a little PC program that lets you set up the 5 training programs and download them to the monitor using the PC speakers. I can't say it's any easier than just programming it by hand, but what the hey. The program is documented here:
http://support.polar.fi/PKBSupport.nsf/ALLDOCS/42256C2B001E0F6A42256CD2002F74BC?OpenDocument

welcome.....to the machine.....