There’s activity monitors, and then there’s apps that track your activity. But then what happens with all that data? Polar created Polar Beat, a next generation exercise training app. While other devices will sync up to the app, Polar recommends the new Polar H7 heart rate sensor, which is the first device from the company to use low energy Bluetooth Smart technology. Read the rest of this entry »
Heart rate monitors are great for keeping track of heart rate (obviously), time and calories burned. Some have added GPS as an add-on function, but now Polar takes it a step further by offering fully integrated GPS within the device. The Polar RC3 GPS is aimed at runners and cyclists who want a light weight heart rate monitor.
The water resister (IPX7) device offer GPS functionality for distance and speed recording without the need for an extra sensor. It features route mapping and a “back to start” option so you don’t need about worrying about how to get back home! Read the rest of this entry »
We really love the Polar RCX5 Tour de France training computer that is ideal for cycling, running, swimming and other sports. But for those who simply want to stick to the wheel the RCX5, which costs more buck, probably offers more bang than is needed. So rather than buying a monitor and not use all the functionality, those riders should look to the RCX3 BIKE, which can measure speed, distance, cadence and heart rate.
It is available now in a GPS version, and includes a zone optimizer so users can adjust heart rate zones for a ride, to track current condition, as well as fatigue, recovery and hydration.
Data can be shared with friends for some friendly competition in training, and the RCX3 can track routes, speed and distance – combining the benefits of having a cycling computer and heart rate monitor.
It offers a training benefit program, with instant performance feedback on each session – and that data can be analyzed in greater detail on Polar’s personal training website.
This week we received the Polar RCX5 Tour de France GPS heart rate monitor, the “Official Tour de France Training Computer.” The box pretty much sums up our immediate first impressions, “Yellow is Everything.” Unlike other heart rate watches this one doesn’t try to go low key – it goes straight for yellow.
While it will likely take a lot more than the RCX5 on your wrist to get in yellow, it certainly could help you train better. Over the years we’ve tested a fair share of heart rate monitors and this one is also more than just clock, calorie counter and pulse meter in a flashy package. Read the rest of this entry »
Those looking to get certification for triathlon coaching need look no farther than the web. The International Triathlon Coaching Association (ITCA) just announced its online triathlon coaching program in conjunction with Polar and USA Triathlon (USAT).
The program offers aspiring coaches education, certification and business training for the three-event sport that includes swimming, biking and running. The ITCA-run program is an online, self-paced certification program that provides a blueprint for triathlon coaching. Coaches can go on to offer one-on-one coaching, group coaching, online coaching and triathlon camps and clinics. For many coaches there is also potential to create training videos and book publishing to support a coaching business. The program gives coaches the tools to get set up and off to the races. Read the rest of this entry »
Last week Polar announced that it will be the “Official Heat Rate Technology Supplier” for U.S. Soccer through 2013, and this will include this year’s London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Polar will supply devices for nine national teams including the Men’s and Women’s National Teams, the Under-23, Under-20 and Under-17 Men’s and Women’s respective teams as well as the U.S. National Paralympics Soccer Team.
Each team will use the Polar Team2 Pro Set to help coaches and trainers gain insight into each individual athlete’s fitness level, where the monitors can be used to help athletes optimize fitness levels and prevent over training that could result in injury. Read the rest of this entry »
Just in time for last month’s New York Fashion Week Polar has introduced new and vibrant color palette for its RCX5, FT4, FT2 and FT1 training computers. While all of these Polar products provide trusted and accurate heart rate based training data, offering clear guidance, feedback and easy-to-use features, the RCX5 includes a slew of new features to meet the demand of today’s triathletes who require the best in training intelligence and tracking capabilities.
Polar also recently announced that the Heart Rate Watch Company, a leading national online fitness electronics retailer, has crowned the Polar FT4 as its top heart rate monitor under $100 for 2011. Citing unique features and fit as the primary reasons for the award the company cited Polar’s four decade commitment to working with personal trainers, gyms and athletes as primary factors for the award.
(Video after the jump) Read the rest of this entry »
Being able to measure the power output of a cyclist at the pedals is certainly not new. The Vector system, now owned by Garmin, has had this solution available for the past couple of years. The Garmin system is often used with the LOOK Kéo pedals, but now LOOK is selling an off the shelf option with a slight twist – the new LOOK Kéo Power.
The new LOOK Kéo Power pedal combines the expertise of LOOK with POLAR, one of the heart rate monitor market innovators. This new pedal allows very accurate cadence and power measurements by placing the electronics inside each pedal axle. Each axle is equipped with 8 strain gauges which measure the axle deflection, which along with the reed relay measured cadence information, is transmitted to the Polar head unit. The Polar combines this information to accurately determine the power output of each pedal – independently. Read the rest of this entry »
This week Polar USA announced the release of the new WearLink+ transmitter with Bluetooth, which seems to be the hot new thing in heart rate monitors this week. And the Polar version will work with Anrdoid and Symbian smartphones, allowing users to have the ability to use their handset to track their heart rate and fitness progress.
The Polar WearLink+ will work with mobile training applications including RunKeeper, Sports Tracker and Endomond, and get precise data while working out. After each training session, users can share workout data and examine their heart rate and training intensity in greater detail through the web services of their application provider.
We’ve covered a few Polar products recently, and we have long known and respected the company’s dedicated to quality. So it comes as no surprise to KineticShift that Polar was named as a “Best Company to Work for in New York for 2011” by the New York State Society for Human Resource Management, Inc., the Business Council of New York and Best Companies Group.
Polar ranked 22 in the under 250 employees group, and the award honors companies who excel in workplace policies, practices, philosophies, systems and demographics and perform well in an employee survey that measures their experiences. Read the rest of this entry »
Heart monitors are ideal for training, and more and more runners and cyclists swear by them, but swimmers have sort of been left high and dry when it comes to a training aid. Not any longer, Polar has announced a new heart rate monitor that promises to get all wet. The Polar FT7 is ideal for the gym or out in the wild, and it can work well in the water as Polar is the only company that produces transmitters that broadcast a signal at a 5 kHz frequency, which means heart rate data is received while swimming.
The FT7 features a soft, flexible fabric strap that made with a patented heart-sensing fabric developed by Numetrex, while the monitor offers zone alarms, daily alarms, time and date. The FT7 will download all exercise information to the free Polar personal trainer software with an optional Polar Flowlink device.
In addition to telling you the number of calories burned, the EnergyPointer will tell if the main effect of your training is fitness improvement or fat burning. It offers button-free operation of the wrist unit and provides graphical target zone indicator. The Polar FT7 is available now (MSRP $119.95), and as we noted, this one works in the water!
There is no denying that training computers have typically had very specific uses. What is good in the water isn’t so good on the bike, but Polar USA looks to change the way the game is tracked with its new RCX5 training computer. It builds on the company’s decades of experience, and this new device combines Polar heart rate tracking accuracy with features that make it ideal in the water, on the bike and even on the pavement as you pound out each and every step.
The device, which is now available in “smart black” and will available in “striking red” later this year, is includes sport profiles that are essential for multisport and triathletes. It allows users to quickly switch between sports during training, so no time or training data is lost between swims, rides or runs.
“Triathlons are one of the fastest-growing sport segments in the United States, and we understand better than anyone in the market that multisport athletes demand data, whether they are training for their first regional event or chasing a lifelong professional pursuit,” said Jeff Padovan, President, Polar USA. “The Polar brand has been an established name among elite athletes for more than 30 years, and we are proud of the loyalty and knowledge we’ve built within the ‘tri’ market specifically. The RCX5 is the realization of everything we’ve been hearing that ‘tri’ users require to get to that next level, packaged in a new, sleek design.”
The RCX5 features a ZoneOptimizer that adjusts to personal heart rate zones based on the user’s current physiological condition to optimize just the right level of training intensity; plus Race Pace that lets the wearer set a target time for certain distances to see how far ahead or behind on a course the user is at a given time; and even a Training Load feature to let a wearer known when he or she has recovered enough for the next session.
The RCX5 is available in multiple product sets for running, cycling and multi-sport use. There is even a WearLink+ Hybrid transmitter that can ensure transmission in the water via a comfortable, fabric chest transmitter that transfers data both in 5 kHz and 2.4 GHz.
Training may never be the same again.
This week Polar USA announced that it is taking a “Yellow is Everything” attitude, and has announced the release of the CS500 Tour de France, the official Tour de France training computer. The granddaddy of cycling events kicks off in just a month and a half, and now you can give it your best and try to ride like the very best in cycling.
The device features an aerodynamic diamond shape and yellow accents, as the the CS500 Tour de France is designed for event riders who want to improve their fitness at the competitive level through highly effective training guidance. The CS500 Tour de France features twice as much memory than the original, and offers compatibility with the forthcoming Polar LOOK Keo Power pedals, the world’s first pedal-based system for measuring power output and cadence. Read the rest of this entry »
