POLAR FT4 - NEED ADVICE ON MY DATA

JRena225
JRena225 Posts: 373
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,
Finally got my hrm and I love it however, I did 3 of my at home dvd's and was highly surprised at how few calories I burned. So I wanted to see for those that have one, do I need to set my zones to a different range? I believe my RHR is 76 or 80 something. My zone is set at 121 to 158. So here is my data from my 3 workouts today...tell me what you think:

Zumba cardio party
30 mins
155 calories
AVG HR 145
MAX HR 168
ZONE for 22 mins

Walk Away the Pounds
20 mins
96 calories
AVG 141
MAX 160
ZONE for 18 mins

Hip Hop ABs
31 mins
173 calories
AVG 151
MAX 167
ZONE for 21 mins..

also another question as far as care for the material goes. Do i need to rinse the electrode area each time I work out? do i hand wash the strap?

Replies

  • kmart20
    kmart20 Posts: 72
    I have only done the zumba cardio party and that sounds about the same for the calories burned when I do a half hour. When I do an hour its a little over 300
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
    Don't get any water on the round metal contacts if you rinse the Wearlink Strap. Doing that will lead to corrosion of the contacts after a few months...

    As for zones, who did you find your max heart rate? Did the watch do it for you?
  • Soooze
    Soooze Posts: 122 Member
    This is how I set my heart rate ranges:
    from Wikipedia:
    HRmax = 220 − age

    So your range should look something like this:
    65% intensity: (220 − (age = 36)) × 0.65 → 119 bpm
    85% intensity: (220 − (age = 36)) × 0.85 → 156 bpm

    Calories burned can depend on how fit you are and/or how much you weight.
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
    i have a polar ft4 too. i think that sounds about right - i don't break 300 unless i go for an hour. i wouldn't change your settings, but you could always try to push a bit more to get more a burn in if you want - it's amazing how much small changes will affect that - like really pumping your arms while walking or marching, adding a little bit of a hop between moves - it really adds up! best of luck - your workouts sound really fun!
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    Don't get any water on the round metal contacts if you rinse the Wearlink Strap. Doing that will lead to corrosion of the contacts after a few months...

    As for zones, who did you find your max heart rate? Did the watch do it for you?

    Thanks for that tid bit cause the book says to rinse the strap off on the mesh part but i didn't even think about not getting the contacts wet...guess i need to maybe hold my hand over them or something..

    the avg and max hr was given to me when i complete my workout...
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    This is how I set my heart rate ranges:
    from Wikipedia:
    HRmax = 220 − age

    So your range should look something like this:
    65% intensity: (220 − (age = 36)) × 0.65 → 119 bpm
    85% intensity: (220 − (age = 36)) × 0.85 → 156 bpm

    Calories burned can depend on how fit you are and/or how much you weight.

    well with using the formula, the watch has it right on...
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    i have a polar ft4 too. i think that sounds about right - i don't break 300 unless i go for an hour. i wouldn't change your settings, but you could always try to push a bit more to get more a burn in if you want - it's amazing how much small changes will affect that - like really pumping your arms while walking or marching, adding a little bit of a hop between moves - it really adds up! best of luck - your workouts sound really fun!

    thank you for your advice...on the hip hop abs i was doing some of the moves at low intensity but i was so proud of myself for being able to complete the whole workout...so i definitely will be doing that one again and like you say, pumping it up a little more...
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member

    i was so proud of myself for being able to complete the whole workout

    as you should be! :flowerforyou:
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Don't get any water on the round metal contacts if you rinse the Wearlink Strap. Doing that will lead to corrosion of the contacts after a few months...

    As for zones, who did you find your max heart rate? Did the watch do it for you?

    No water? My instruction manual tells me to put the entire strap (small clip device not clipped on) into my washing machine with a load of laundry.
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    Don't get any water on the round metal contacts if you rinse the Wearlink Strap. Doing that will lead to corrosion of the contacts after a few months...

    As for zones, who did you find your max heart rate? Did the watch do it for you?

    No water? My instruction manual tells me to put the entire strap (small clip device not clipped on) into my washing machine with a load of laundry.


    Sarah mine says the same thing that's why i'm worried...have you washed yours before in the machine? i think i would probably just hand wash it but not getting the contacts wet is kind of impossible
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    It's in the wash right now :( I'm worried I'm ruining it. I'm reading the website manual and it says
    # Wash the transmitter regularly after use. T31, T31C, T61 transmitters should be washed with a mild soap and water solution. Dry it carefully with a soft towel after washing.
    # WearLink transmitter strap and connector should be rinsed with water.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I've had mine since January and not washed it at all yet. I've used it nearly every day since I got it. Today it wasn't reading my heart rate so I popped it in the watch.
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    Today it wasn't reading my heart rate so I popped it in the watch.

    what do you mean "popped it in the watch"? or you mean wash yeah....
    i don't think i'm putting mine in the washer but I will continue to wet it before each use and wash with a hand towel>>
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    oops yeah, I mean the wash.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Don't get any water on the round metal contacts if you rinse the Wearlink Strap. Doing that will lead to corrosion of the contacts after a few months...

    As for zones, who did you find your max heart rate? Did the watch do it for you?

    Can't you wear these while swimming? I also just read that if you don't wash them regularly they will get kinda gross and won't work properly.
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    Don't get any water on the round metal contacts if you rinse the Wearlink Strap. Doing that will lead to corrosion of the contacts after a few months...

    As for zones, who did you find your max heart rate? Did the watch do it for you?

    Can't you wear these while swimming? I also just read that if you don't wash them regularly they will get kinda gross and won't work properly.

    I would think if they telling you to wash it in the machine and to rinse it before each use that corrosion should not be a worry. Gross from sweating a lot?
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Yup and I would think from whatever minerals and stuff are in the water. I wash mine with a little baby shampoo and warm water...so far so good. I am nervous to throw it in the washing machine though.
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    Yup and I would think from whatever minerals and stuff are in the water. I wash mine with a little baby shampoo and warm water...so far so good. I am nervous to throw it in the washing machine though.

    What about the connector? Do you just wipe that down? So you wash the strap and the metal part also?
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    The little clip part, I don't touch that. I take it off right when I am done and set it aside. The chest strap just came out of the washing machine. It looks to be ok. I don't have any use for it right now =/ I hope I didn't ruin it.

    I suppose even if I did ruin it, I can buy a replacement strap for relatively low cost.

    I do not know if you can use this while swimming. I hope so, but for some reason I doubt it. I seem to remember reading that we should not get the clippy part wet (the 'wearlink').
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
    Yup and I would think from whatever minerals and stuff are in the water. I wash mine with a little baby shampoo and warm water...so far so good. I am nervous to throw it in the washing machine though.

    What about the connector? Do you just wipe that down? So you wash the strap and the metal part also?


    I usually just wipe down the connector and hand wash the rest of it. Previously I had gone through three of them in about nine months because I was tossing it into the washing machine. I have since learned my lesson...
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
    I do not know if you can use this while swimming. I hope so, but for some reason I doubt it. I seem to remember reading that we should not get the clippy part wet (the 'wearlink').

    Very few of the models can be used for swimming. The standard Wearlinks operate at a 5kHz frequency, so it can transmit through the water. The only downside is that only a few models are truly waterproof. My old s610 and s810i Polar models worked in the swimming pool, but you'd have to check on the F series to be sure. If it actually says it's waterproof then you're good to go. If it just says water resistant, then it's not good for swimming.
  • WonderNoodle
    WonderNoodle Posts: 549
    I've had mine since Novmember. I take off the transmitter and rinse the entire strap and hang it to dry with each use as directed.

    I programmed my age, weight, sex and birthdate and let it do the rest. It uses your age to calc your MAX heart rate (maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age.)

    Your target heart rate should be staying within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Again, I let Polar set that for me.

    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4736
  • JRena225
    JRena225 Posts: 373
    HERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE ABOUT HEART RATE....

    SO MY RANGE IS 121 TO 158, OCCASIONALLY OF COURSE I GO OVER THE 158, DOES THAT MEAN THAT I AM NOT BURNING AS MANY CALORIES AS I WOULD IF I "STAYED" IN THE RANGE??? JUST CURIOUS
  • WonderNoodle
    WonderNoodle Posts: 549
    the link i provided to the american heart assoc. may answer some of your questions.

    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4736
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