POLAR F4 - Manual (Page 13)

Target Heart Rate Zone
Your target heart rate zone is a range between the
lower and upper heart rate limits expressed as
percentages of your maximum heart rate (HRmax)
or as beats per minute (bpm). HRmax is the
highest number of heartbeats per minute during
maximum physical exertion. The wrist unit
calculates your HRmax according to your age:
Maximum heart rate = 220–age. For more
accurate measurement of your HRmax visit your
doctor or exercise physiologist for an exercise
stress test.
In exercise, different heart rate zones produce
different results. The heart rate zones that suit you
depend on your goal and your basic physical
condition.
When your heart beats at 60-70% of your HRmax
(HRmax%), you are in the Light Intensity Zone.
Whether you have just started working out or you
exercise fairly regularly, much of your workout will
be in this zone. Fat is the body’s main source of
energy at this level of intensity; therefore this zone
is also good for weight control. This intensity still
feels fairly easy for most people and provides, for
example, the following benefits:
• Improves endurance
• Improves aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness
• Helps in weight control
Push on to 70-80% of your HRmax, and you are in
the Moderate Intensity Zone. This is especially
good for people who are exercising regularly. For
most people, this is often the fastest pace they
can maintain and still remain comfortable and free
of pain. Exercising in this zone is particularly
effective for improving aerobic fitness. If you are
out of shape, your muscles will use carbohydrates
for fuel when you are exercising in this zone. As
you get fitter, your body starts using a higher and
higher percentage of fat for fuel, thus preserving
its limited stores of muscle carbohydrate.
Exercising in the moderate intensity zone results
in some additional benefits:
E N G L I S H
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