Polar Ownindex

Does anyone use this function on their Polar HRM's.

Ran mine for the first time for a couple of months yesterday and leapt from 44 to 50.

Mind you I'm a bit dubious about the process and doubt person to person comparsions are very accurate, your own trends maybe not too bad.

Comments

  • LarsLars ✭✭✭
    I tried it once a week ago. It says 41, fair.
    But honest, this watch was just reading the resting puls. It was about 60. Than it knows my age and weight. With only these information it can not really check my fitnes.
    In my opinion this is just a unnessissary information. I know my fitnes, not my watch!
  • Lars, my understanding is that the figure is based on all the factors you mentioned, plus how steady/constant the pulse rate is. However, I too have had 'unusual' results.

    I've only had my Polar a couple of weeks.
    1st Own Index was 49 - which for a 42yr old female classes me as an athlete although in reality I'm only moderately fit.

    I didn't believe this, so tried again immediately and got 47.

    Then 42, and finally 39 (still v. good)!

    All except the last one were done sitting at a desk in the evening. The final one was lying in bed first thing in the morning.

    Not sure what to conclude from all that!
  • My most recent was 40 (not bad for a 43yo), but my best - probably near the end of marathon training -was 54. I know I'm fairly fit as I've been through a range of fitness tests recently as a guinea pig for a friend on her Fitness Assessment assessment (if you see what I mean). And she passed.
  • I use mine on my S210. However the readings obtained can change dramaticaly depending on what activity level has been set in the user data (this may not be available on all polar HRM's). I have my activity level set to high and when I first got it (15 months ago) I managed 51, now it is 53 and I have seen it peek at 54.
    The result is based upon the variation in heart beats over the elapsed time of the test so is best done when fully realaxed and at the same time each day to be able to get consistent readings. The figures should also be used as a guide to how your fitness is changing as oposed to an absolute value. I say this as by changing my activity level I can change my readings by 8-10 so how can that be compared to someone elses reading unless you are sure that the correct activity level is selected. If your HRM's do not have the ability to set your activity level then the chances are that it will be impossible to compare two persons figures based upon what I have found with changing the activity level on mine. This then meens that it can only be used as a guide to see how your fitness is changing.
    My figures that I get do however appear to tie up quite close to the results that I get on a 'bleep' test so I tend to treat them a close to my VO2Max figure.

    Keith
  • drewdrew ✭✭✭
    I tried it just after I got my Polar s210 and scored about 60, which was far too high so I've not paid any attention to it since then!
  • I have a polar M52 and use the fitness test on a regular basis and I think they are fairly accurate. I increased my milage from about 40M per week 6 months ago to about 70M and have had my fitness level jump from 68 to 75
  • Actually I lied yesterday, my most recent own index was 47 but then I re-did it last night and it 45 :-( But it's still quite good for an oldy.
  • I must be trusting - my fitness rating was 48 - 50 every time I have done it depending upon how relaxed I am - perhaps its not reliable and I have been duped.
  • My result is only 35, which is bordering fair/average for a 46 year old male. However my resting heart rate is about 49 and I've been running twice a week for about a year. My 1/2M best time is 1:43 so I feel a bit let down by the Polar assessment - perhaps its telling me to train harder!
  • So variable its unreliable, also one cup of coffee and I register as dead.
  • i consistently get 55 or 54...seems like an overestimate, but i do have quite a low rest pulse (40 ish) ...and it hasn't much else to go on , really ...not sure....i think it uses it as vo2max for calorie calculation and i get a pretty fair reading of calories per mile (about 80 cal/mile at 8 min/mile pace and i weigh 8stone or so) so i haven't changed it....just take the complement ;)
    my intake of caffeine is so massive that there would probably be no point trying it caffeine free....
    a
  • Caffeine is the key to going out running
  • Mine has been the same for last few months at 51 (s210). Have upped the training in last 10 weeks in prep for Dub Marathon next week so will be interesting to see if it has changed. I think 51 is pretty good for a previously sedentary 35 year old accountant.
  • Mine varies on a daily basis from v.good to fair which does more or less describe how I feel from day to day, perhaps it's like a 60's mood ring.
  • Looks like I'm gonna be the record holder then at a staggering, and unbelivable (yet consistant) 68! Big whoop! ;)
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