Help - Polar HRM - Own Index

Cal28

I have been using the FT60 for about 8 weeks. I've just done the fitness text and my Own Index value has gone from 36 to 30. Am I doing something wrong? I thought the number should be increasing when I am becoming more fit?

I've not been to the gym this working week (as I just started a new job) but I've been going 4-6 hours a week prior? Any help would be great x

Cal28

Anyone? x

NaomiWhite77

You are correct it should be going up. Did you make sure to take the first reading under the same conditions as the second?

http://www.polar.fi/about_polar/who_we_are/research/fitness_test_with_OwnIndex

I just got mine today, so I only know from what I am reading.

Good luck!

Cal28

Thanks for the reply, yep the conditions were the same.
I re did it this afternoon and got yet another reading (which was the same as my first one 2 months ago!) all very confusing...

olong

I bought my FT40 just two weeks ago and had the same results - wildly inconsistent. Reading up on VO2Max (here: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/vo2max-calculator.aspx ) and (here: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/vo2-and-vo2max.aspx#formofexercise) and other places with computations explained, I took my own resting heart rate for 60 seconds and divided by 3 to get a 20 second resting heart rate and plugged my Index result into my Polar OwnIndex. Until I figure out where to do the mile-walk test or the 1.5 mile run test, I am sticking with the resting heart rate computation.

Hope this helps.

olong

Thanks for the reply, yep the conditions were the same.
I re did it this afternoon and got yet another reading (which was the same as my first one 2 months ago!) all very confusing...

I've read recently (sorry that I don'thave the site) that your VO2Max can change in as little as 6 weeks, esp if you workout very frequently.

olong

Thanks for the reply, yep the conditions were the same.
I re did it this afternoon and got yet another reading (which was the same as my first one 2 months ago!) all very confusing...

I've read recently (sorry that I don'thave the site) that your VO2Max can change in as little as 6 weeks, esp if you workout very frequently.

Here: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/cardiorespiratory-fitness.aspx#howtoimprovecardiorespiratoryfitness
infor on improving your VO2Max...

Cal28

I've read recently (sorry that I don'thave the site) that your VO2Max can change in as little as 6 weeks, esp if you workout very frequently.

Thats what I was hoping/expecting.
I was on 34 when I got it, it went to 36 after 4 weeks activity (6 sessions a week). My first reading the other day was 30!!! and now its back at 34? x

diverdiza

Hi. I posted a question regarding my results a few days ago in another thread but no-one has responded; now reading this and looking at the shapesense article I can rethink the results I have gotten from my fitness test. Thanks for the links, olong...! :-)