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amount of heart rate variability measured when compared to earlier measurements.
Benefits of the ZoneOptimizer feature
Each Sport Zone has a different physiological response which is described briefly in the Polar Sport Zones
(page 43). The measurement takes your current physiological state into account and changes Sport Zones
values so that it is more certain for you to get the same physiological response when training in specific
Sport Zones on different days. This means that when training in optimized Sport Zones the training
intensity is adjusted to match the daily physiological status of your body.
ZoneOptimizer measurement
Polar ZoneOptimizer recommends lower intensity training when little heart rate variability is detected and
higher intensity training, when plenty of heart rate variability is detected at a given heart rate. It also gives
you feedback if your current limits are higher, normal or lower than your normal level, when compared to
your earlier measurements. You may get feedback on your daily physiological status by paying attention to
how fast and how easily you can do training at the recommended heart rates.
Action Heart rate in beats per
minute
Duration How to achieve
Keep your heart rate
between 70 and 100
beats per minute.
70 - 100 bpm 2 minutes Standing or training
with very light training
intensity, for example,
walking slowly.
Increase heart rate
gradually from 100 to
130 beats per minute
within two minutes.
100 - 130 bpm 2 minutes Walking briskly or
cycling/ jogging at low
intensity during warm
up.
Gradually increase your
heart rate above 130
beats per minute.
130 bpm < At least 30 seconds Gradually increase your
heart rate and continue
as planned. The
ZoneOptimizer
determination will
finalize in one minutes
time.
Measurement phases
Target zone limit determination is done in three phases.
1. Preparing for training session and plenty of heart rate variability exists. As there is a lot of heart rate
variability, this is a very good and sensitive phase to detect daily changes. In absolute figures this means
heart rates from 70 to 100 beats per minute.
2. Warming up, heart rate rises slowly and heart rate variability drops. During this phase heart rate
variability starts dropping, and the body prepares for higher intensities. In absolute figures this means
heart rates from 100 to 130 beats per minute.
3. Heart rate variability levels off. After this phase heart rate variability stays at a very low level or almost
disappears. This usually takes place at around 130 beats per minute and higher. All Zone limits are
updated after heart rate has been continuously, for at least 30 seconds, above the upper limit of Phase2
(130 beats pre minute / 75% of HR
max
).
ZoneOptimizer guidance normally uses absolute figures (70-100-130 beats per minute), but the two
uppermost figures change if personal HR
max
is very low. The second phase upper limit, which is normally
130 beats per minute, is limited not to exceed 75% of HR
max
. This is done automatically without actions
from you.
ZoneOptimizer allows different durations of Phase1 (preparing for training session, heart rate in between
70-100 beats per minute) and Phase2 (warming up, heart rate in between 100-130 beats per minute).
The recommended minimum durations to get the limits successfully determined are 2 minutes at Phase1,
2 minutes at Phase2 and half a minute or more in Phase3.
ENGLISH
Background Information 45