Polar M400 Heart Rate Monitor User Manual


 
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benefits. For example, it helps in decreasing the risk of high blood pressure and your risk of cardiovascular dis-
eases and stroke. If you want to improve your aerobic fitness it takes, on average, six weeks of regular train-
ing to see a noticeable change in your OwnIndex. Less fit individuals see progress even more rapidly. The
better your aerobic fitness, the smaller the improvements in your OwnIndex.
Aerobic fitness is best improved by training types that use large muscle groups. Such activities include run-
ning, cycling, walking, rowing, swimming, skating, and cross-country skiing. To monitor your progress, start
by measuring your OwnIndex a couple of times during the first two weeks in order to get a baseline value, and
then repeat the test approximately once a month.
To make sure the test results are reliable, the following basic requirements apply:
l You can perform the test anywhere - at home, at the office, at a health club - provided the testing envir-
onment is peaceful. There should be no disturbing noises (e.g. television, radio, or telephone) and no
other people talking to you.
l Always take the test in the same environment and at the same hour.
l Avoid eating a heavy meal or smoking 2-3 hours prior to testing.
l Avoid heavy physical exertion, alcohol, and pharmaceutical stimulants on the test day and the pre-
vious day.
l You should be relaxed and calm. Lie down and relax for 1-3 minutes before starting the test.
BEFORE THE TEST
Wear your heart rate sensor. For more information, see Wear Heart Rate Sensor.
Before starting the test, make sure your physical settings including training background are accurate in Set-
tings > Physical settings
PERFORMING THE TEST
To perform the fitness test, go toTests > Fitness Test > Relax and start the test.
l Searching for heart rate is displayed. When heart rate is found, a heart rate graph, your current heart
rate and Lie down & relax is shown on the display. Stay relaxed and limit body movements and com-
munication with other people.
l You can interrupt the test in any phase by pressing BACK. Test canceled is displayed.
If M400 cannot receive your heart rate signal, the message Test failed is displayed. In which case, you
should check that the heart rate sensor electrodes are wet and that the textile strap fits snugly.
TEST RESULTS
When the test is over, you hear two beeps along with a description of your fitness test result and your estim-
ated VO
2max
is displayed.
Update to VO2max to physical settings? is displayed.