Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Grey Pepper, New Design)

Description  Features  Review  Compare Polar F Series  Heart Rate Monitor Buyer Guide  Compare Price

Description  Features  Review  Compare Polar F Series  Heart Rate Monitor Buyer Guide  Compare Price

The Polar F11 heart rate monitor is an advanced heart rate monitor. The Polar F11 is the next model up from the F7 in the Polar fitness series. Its features are built on top of those of the Polar F7. One significant enhancement on the F11 is the introduction of a training program known as Keeps U Fit. This function lets you plan your future sessions, taking into account your goals, workloads and available time.

Note: BPM = Beats per Minute. % of Max HR = Percentage of Maximum Heart Rate.

The main features of the Polar F11 heart rate monitor are:

• Continuous heart rate monitoring
• Polar Fitness Test: It is a simple test and it gives you a score called OwnIndex (comparable to VO2 Max) measuring your cardiovascular fitness.
• Polar Keeps U Fit personalised training program to help plan your workouts. More details below.
• Manual setting of heart rate training zones
• Two automatic methods of setting heart rate training zone: one age-based and the other fitness-based on the DAY of your exercise (OwnZone)
• Both automatic methods allow you to choose four exercise intensities to determine you heart rate training limits: Basic, Light, Moderate and Hard
• Heart rate can be set and displayed as BPM or % of Max HR
• Heart rate zone audio alarm beeps when you train above or below your target zone
• Visual zone pointer on the wrist watch keeps you training within your target zone
• Instant (and post-exercise) display of calories burnt (OwnCal)
• Instant (and post-exercise) display of time in target zone
• Stop watch to start and stop exercise session
• Short post-exercise summary: Duration, calories burnt, average heart rate, maximum heart rate
• Full post-exercise summary (Daily File): Time started, duration, calories burnt, fat percentage of burnt calories, maximum heart rate, average heart rate, time in training zone, training zone limits, and more info if you use the Keeps U Fit program
• It stores the last 12 Daily Files (exercise sessions).
• Current week summary (Diary). It gives the sum total of stats for this week: total number of sessions, total duration, total calories burnt, and total time spent in your light, moderate and hard exercise zones. It is saved every Sunday as a weekly file.
• It stores the last 12 Weekly Files.
• Cumulative stats of sessions since the last reset date: Total number of sessions, total duration, total calories burnt
• Seven different reminders can be set to remind you of important events.
• Display language can be chosen from: English, German, French, Spanish
• Basic time keeping: Time, day of the week, date, alarm
• Backlight
• Polar UpLink to transfer data from a PC to the heart rate monitor. (Requires a Windows PC with a sound card and loudspeakers or headphones.)
• Polar WebLink/SonicLink to transfer data from the heart rate monitor to Polar's fitness trainer website. (Requires a Windows PC with a sound card and a microphone. )
• Wireless heart rate monitor with a coded analogue chest strap transmitter (WearLink) and a wrist watch receiver. The WearLink chest strap's battery can be self-replaced.
• Water resistant up to 50m

The Polar F11 heart rate monitor incorporates all the main features of the Polar F7, with some very useful additions. The differences between Polar F11 heart rate monitor and the Polar F7 are highlighted in bold in the list above. Two of the most important ones are the Polar Fitness Test and Polar Keeps U Fit.

Polar Fitness Test
There is a feature known as the Polar Fitness Test on the Polar F11 heart rate monitor. This test is done while resting. You don't have to do any exercise while being tested. The test monitors your heart rate and heart rate variability at rest, taking into account your sex, height, weight and you own self-assessed volume of physical activity. It takes a few minutes to do that while you are resting. When it is done, you get a score called the OwnIndex, a number which is comparable to VO2 Max. This number is an indication of your aerobic fitness. You will also be given your fitness classification: Very Low, Low, Fair, Moderate, Good, Very Good and Elite. So now you know how fit you are.

It gets better. Each time you do the test, the OwnIndex test result is saved in a tool called the Fitness Test Trend. The Fitness Test Trend stores up to 47 OwnIndex results and presents the results as a graph. You can review your fitness progress through the months by looking at the graph. It can be quite satifying to see you OwnIndex increase as a result of your training.

Polar Keeps U Fit
The Polar Keeps U Fit feature is the most important enhancement that the Polar F11 heart rate monitor has over the Polar F7. This one single feature probably justifies the price difference between the two models.

In all the preceding models (i.e. F4, F6 and F7), the assumption is that you plan for your training sessions, and the monitor simply keeps you training within the limits that you have set yourself. The monitor is acting in a passive role.

The situation is different for the Polar F11. By telling the monitor what your goal is and the amount of time you can devote to it, the Polar F11 heart rate monitor comes up with a detailed training plan, taking into account your own current fitness (as measured by OwnIndex), to help you become fitter. The plan suggests how many times you should train per week, how many calories you should burn per week and per session, how long each individual session should last, what intensities each session should consist of. Etc etc. The role of the monitor is now active. It works out the training details for you.

At the end of each week, you can review how well you have fulfilled each one of your individual training targets. Have you burnt enough calories? Have you exercised for long enough at the right intensities? ...

After about 1 month of training, you are asked to do another Polar Fitness Test to reassess your fitness level. The result of this test is used for Polar F11 heart rate monitor to come up with a new training program.

Summary
The Polar F11 heart rate monitor is a monitor for those people who are serious about their fitness training and disciplined enough to want to follow through the training recommendations. At $179.95, it costs $60 more than a Polar F6. If you don't plan to train in a regulated manner or if you have your own training plan, the Polar F6 may be sufficient. Having said that, the Polar Fitness Test is a useful feature and the WearLink chest strap is very comfortable.

Description  Features  Review  Compare Polar F Series  Heart Rate Monitor Buyer Guide  Compare Price

The Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor is a great tool to enhance the workout of any exerciser. Whether you are trying to get back in shape or you want to raise your fitness to the highest possible level, the Polar F11 will be your invaluable personal trainer. In just a few minutes, you can create an individualized workout program that will tell you how much, how hard and how long you will need to exercise to achieve the goals you set.

The F11 utilizes a program called "The Keeps U Fit - Workout Program" to help you create your own personal fitness program. You use the Polar OwnIndex to automatically determine your current fitness level. Then, the program will determine the right amount and intensity of your workouts to maximize the probability of achieving your fitness goals.

As you are working out, the F11 counts the calories and fat that you are burning. One of the most amazing features is the Polar OwnZone which will automatically determine your target heart rate zone for each workout based upon how rested your body is.

To start monitoring your workouts all you do is put on the watch and the chest strap that is equipped with sensors and a transmitter. The sensors automatically pick up your heartbeat and the transmitter sends a coded, wireless signal to your watch. The coded signal eliminates the interference from other heart rate monitors.

As you exercise, the F11 watch keeps a log of each of your workouts - storing your exercise time in each target heart zone and calories burned for each individual workout. If you have a microphone on your computer you can download software and use the SonicLink to upload, store and analyze the data to a special website - polarpersonaltrainer.com

My primary objective is to get in shape and lose some weight. One thing I learned right away is that most of the workouts I have been doing are too strenuous. I play soccer several times a week and have had knee problems for years. The Polar F11 has caused me to realize that I simply push myself too hard and more is not always better.

Since I discovered this, I have scaled back my workout routines and now do shorter, less strenuous workouts about 4-5 times a week. As a result, I am experiencing less knee pain, recovery time is faster and I also found out that I am burning a higher percentage of fat calories. This means that I am now more efficiently reducing my weight.

I have a friend who has an older version Polar Heart Rate Monitor and it is much bigger than the F11. His model also does not have the coded transmitter so when we are playing soccer together, he can actually get "interference" from my monitor. The F11 is sleek and fits nicely to my wrist. It has become my everyday watch. I have performed the OwnIndex test several times already. The OwnIndex is basically a measure of your overall fitness. Even though I have only been using the F11 for three weeks, I have already raised my fitness level from "Fair" to "Moderate".

If you are going to download the Polar WebLink software so you can send the data to their website, here is one tip: When you are ready to send the data, take the watch off and place it directly in front of your microphone. Also, if you have speakers, turn them all the way down or off. Click on the "Listen" button and then push the button on your watch to send the data. I have found that this method works best in sending the data without any problems.

Description  Features  Review  Compare Polar F Series  Heart Rate Monitor Buyer Guide  Compare Price

Description  Features  Review  Compare Polar F Series  Heart Rate Monitor Buyer Guide  Compare Price

If you're trying to lose weight and get in shape, a heart rate monitor (HRM) is a great way to monitor your intensity and make sure you're working in your target heart rate zone. Many monitors not only provide a continuous heart rate reading but also tell you if you're working in your zone and how many calories you're burning.

With the variety of HRMs out there, it's hard to know how to choose the right one for you. Before you spend your money, check out the factors you want to consider when buying a heart rate monitor.

The type of HRM you buy will often depend on your fitness level, needs and goals:

• For Basic Model: Look for a basic model and functionality that offers your heart rate monitoring like the Omron Heart Rate Monitor HR-100C, Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor, Polar FS1

  - Omron Heart Rate Monitor HR-100C is basic heart rate monitor that is inexpensive, easy to use and doesn't require hours of time spent reading a manual to figure it out. You get a continuous reading of your heart rate, an alarm that tells you when you're in your heart rate zone, time of day display and a daily reminder alarm. At around $30-$50, this is a great price for what you get and users will be pleased with how easy this is to use.

  - Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor is basic model that's easy to use, offers basic heart rate and workout information and is a favorite among exercisers. The display is large, so you can easily see the numbers and it includes an activity timer to rack exercise time as well as information about minimum, average and maximum heart rate for each workout. Most exercisers like the fact that you can change the battery yourself (something you can't do with all HRMs) and that you can figure out how to set it up without spending hours reading the manual. At around $30-$60, this HRM is perfect for people who want the basics for a great price.

  - Polar FS1 is the perfect choice for the exerciser who doesn't want to fool with a lot of buttons during their workouts. The extra large display and the one-button functionality make this monitor easy to use and easy to see. The basic features include your heart rate, a visual and audible alarm that lets you know if you're in your target heart rate zone, a stop watch and, of course, a clock. At around $50-$60, this monitor will give you what you need without all the bells and whistles. There are the higher models of Polar FS1 which are Polar FS2 and Polar FS3.

  Features of basic model	Omron HR-100C	Timex T5G941	Polar FS1	Polar FS2	Polar FS3
  Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring (see what your current heart rate is on your wrist watch and how it fluctuates while you are exercising )	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Heart Rate Training Zone with Alarms (manually set your heart rate alarm zone, lower and upper heart rate limits in which you will be doing your exercise)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Duration of Exercise Session (tells you how long you have been exercising)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Average Heart Rate of Exercise Session	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Maximum Heart Rate of Exercise Session	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
  Basic Time Keeping (for example, won't let you set the date and a wake up alarm)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Backlight	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
  The aged-based automatic setting of heart rate training zone (Max Heart Rate = 220 - Your Age)	No	No	No	No	Yes

• For Weight Loss: Try a HRM that tracks time spent in your heart rate zone and calories burned such as the Polar F6. Polar F6 does more than just display your heart rate, but isn't so high-end that you'd have to get an engineering degree to figure it out, the Polar F6 is an excellent choice. The F6 has a variety of functions, from tracking heart rate and workout intensity to calculating calories burned and time spent in each zone. It also provides a weekly summary of your workouts that can help you stay motivated and set new goals. There is the lower model which is Polar F4. The higher models are Polar F7, Polar F11 and Polar F55.

• For General Fitness: Try one that helps you improve fitness with information about intensity and training zones, like the Polar FT60. If you're into fitness and want to improve your workouts and/or lose weight, the FT 60 offers personalized workouts that adapt according to your workout habits and goals. The FT 60 gives you weekly targets (such as to workout a certain number of minutes) based on your goals and tracks how you did. Aside from your heart rate, the FT 60 also offers a fitness test, calories burned and it keeps track of all your workouts. The FT 60 is also compatible with the Polar GPS Unit (which is Polar FT60G1) and FlowLink which allows you to transfer data to your computers. At around $197, this is a pricey heart rate monitor but offers great motivation for people who have specific goals. The lower model is Polar FT40 and the higher model are Polar FT 80 and Polar FT 80 w/ G1 GPS.

• For Athletes: Consider a HRM, like the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM, that offers multi-sport support, workout feedback and advanced features such as GPS and downloadable data. If you're a multi-sport athlete, you may want a more serious heart rate monitor like the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM. You get a heart rate monitor, GPS tracking and the ability to create your own workouts as well as analyze everything from your pace and distance to calories burned. One stand-out feature is the courses, which lets you compete against your previous workout by comparing heart rate and pace - a great way to see if you're improving from workout to workout. This is also a good one for triathletes because you can transition between sports without resetting it. The lower model is Garmin Forerunner 305 HRM and The higher model is Garmin Forerunner 405CX HRM.

Description  Features  Review  Compare Polar F Series  Heart Rate Monitor Buyer Guide  Compare Price