Polar F4 is discouraging!!!!!!

therinna
therinna Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
can someone please point me in the right direction to let me know my correct training zone should be. For example: I recently purchased a F4 Polar HRM. Imputed my setting...height 5'6 weight 224 age 36 and it gave me zones from 120 to 156. HOWEVER every time I run at 4.0 on the treadmill i immediately go over my zone. (it starts beeping like crazy) So a trainer told me I shouldn't let my watch stop me from running and to adjust it in the setting. So i did some research and I think my max is 180 but I also heard if you go outside of your cardio zone it could cause strain on the heart? So if anyone is familiar with this any suggestions would be great! thanks!!!
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Replies

  • Sutnak
    Sutnak Posts: 227 Member
    Just exercise, forget the zone.
  • SuperSaiyanEva
    SuperSaiyanEva Posts: 39 Member
    I have the same heart rate monitor and I've adjusted mine. I'm 5'1 and about 152lbs and it set my max heart rate around 170 something i think. I changed it to high 180s. I can't remember what exactly but my heart rate never goes over 181 and it only reaches that once or twice during my work out. Average is about 165-175.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    therinna wrote: »
    can someone please point me in the right direction to let me know my correct training zone should be.

    Zone training is a waste of tme unless you're competitive in distance running or cycling.

    Work as hard as you're comfortable with for the duration of your session. Shorter session, higher effort, longer session, lower effort. They each have a fitness outcome.

  • Marianne802
    Marianne802 Posts: 91 Member
    I had the Polar F11 and there was a setting where you could turn the alarm off. I kept the zone thing to keep track of how much time I spent at each intensity.
  • TBargar101
    TBargar101 Posts: 30 Member
    I have the FT4. You can adjust the training zone settings to whatever you would like them to be. See the following link http://www.polar.com/us-en/support/User_manual_for_Polar_FT4_in_English

    You should determine your best training zones. I use the Karvonen formula (http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/heart-rate-reserve.html). You need to determine your resting HR to determine your HR training percentages. For appropriate training zones, I use the following, http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/lactatethreshold.html.

    Hope this helps
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    therinna wrote: »
    can someone please point me in the right direction to let me know my correct training zone should be.

    Zone training is a waste of tme unless you're competitive in distance running or cycling.

    Work as hard as you're comfortable with for the duration of your session. Shorter session, higher effort, longer session, lower effort. They each have a fitness outcome.
    This. And if you're concerned, get checked by a doctor before you do any more exercise.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    I set my training zone for a higher heart rate, that whole 220-age thing is ridiculous, if I used that I'd never break a sweat. (I doubt that's how polar does it, but whatever formula they use has the same low result). I have an FT4 and just set it to range from 130-180.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    auddii wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    therinna wrote: »
    can someone please point me in the right direction to let me know my correct training zone should be.

    Zone training is a waste of tme unless you're competitive in distance running or cycling.

    Work as hard as you're comfortable with for the duration of your session. Shorter session, higher effort, longer session, lower effort. They each have a fitness outcome.
    This. And if you're concerned, get checked by a doctor before you do any more exercise.

    This.

    Heart rate zones are based on a formula and not everyone falls into the average. For example, my sister and I are about the same height and weight and we both run. She and I can be running together and her heart rate will be in the 130s while mine is in the 170s. Her heart rate is just naturally slower than mine.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Turn off the zone alarms.

    Problem solved.
  • Esterhase
    Esterhase Posts: 11 Member
    All good advice. Don't sweat the zones, turn off the tedious little alarm, done.
  • mhankosk
    mhankosk Posts: 535 Member
    I had the same problem. I just turned off the beeping and continued to work my a$s off. :)
  • Brittany91389
    Brittany91389 Posts: 32 Member
    edited February 2015
    I turned the alarm off on mine. I also reset my settings because the high it gave me was WAY too low for my workouts. I routinely go above 170 and it was set at 155. Work out by doing what's comfortable for you. I know when I'm pushing my limit (above 180 I can feel my heart, my breathing, everything gets a little off and I know I'm pushing right at my limit).
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
    I have the FT4 too, and I was always over the zone. I was a little concerned until I realized that I always worked out at that intensity, I just hadn't had the numbers in front of me before. I adjusted the settings so the max number is higher, and I did shut off the sound because the beeping was driving me crazy but I just continued my workouts as per ususal.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,771 Member
    I have a FT4 and have been using it for about a year now. I originally set the "zone" to 65%-75% max HR (you can either set the range using % of max or actually PBM - see the "Settings" menu). After a while, I upped to zone to 75%-95% as I increased the intensity of my workouts.

  • smashley_mashley
    smashley_mashley Posts: 589 Member
    I have the ft4. Like the others I just turned off the alarms I also don't follow the zone thing. I just go and work out. I am usually in the 150-170 range
  • SR_86
    SR_86 Posts: 58 Member
    I have the Polar FT4 and I couldn't care less about the zone, I just use it to see my calories burned
  • janinab75
    janinab75 Posts: 147 Member
    Yup, what everyone else said. I have the FT4, I turned off the alarms, didn't pay attention to the zones, and just kept working out. My numbers were always way over the zones. It is what it is, I didn't pay any attention.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    therinna wrote: »
    can someone please point me in the right direction to let me know my correct training zone should be.

    Zone training is a waste of tme unless you're competitive in distance running or cycling.

    Work as hard as you're comfortable with for the duration of your session. Shorter session, higher effort, longer session, lower effort. They each have a fitness outcome.

    I'll second that.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited February 2015
    Try this:
    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/vo2max-calculator.aspx

    And then read the directions that came with the watch to set your target zone.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited February 2015
    TheReloader wrote: »
    Just exercise, forget the zone.

    Bad advice. She is looking to stay in a certain zone. By staying in a certain zone that is most efficient, one can go farther in their exercises, and it builds endurance.

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