Polar f55

The following Polar f55 review provides in detail the features, strengths and weaknesses of this heart rate monitor watch. 

Polar F55 Heart Rate Monitor Features

Most heart rate monitors focus on providing functions that are relevant to cardiovascular training such as running and cycling. However, more research into physical fitness training has revealed evidence that to reach optimum health and fitness you need to do a combination of cardiovascular, muscle strength training and adequate recuperation. The f55 polar HRM computer Body Workout feature has been designed to reflect this approach to training by providing a basic guide to building muscular strength. This involves guidance on strength training exercises, the number of sets and weights. This feature also enables you to personalize it so that it reflects your improvement in body strength. The OwnRelax function takes into consideration the importance of resting between training sessions. With this feature provides you with tailored five minute relaxation session based on your heart rate level.

The importance of setting fitness goals is essential to ensure that you remain committed to your exercise training program. Another aspect to staying motivated is knowing how well you are progressing in terms of your running performance. With the OwnCal feature you can create your very own personal daily and weekly exercise goals. If for example, you have set a goal to lose weight you can use the Polar f55 heart monitor to track how much energy you have used during a workout as well as monitor the accumulated amount of calories burned over a number of workouts.

The Polar watch f55 OwnZone feature ensures that you do not overdo it and that you exercise within your own safe limits. It develops an appropriate warm up session and the best optimized heart rate and intensity that you should workout at. The Polar heart rate monitor f55 has a great trainer feature called the Fitness Bullet. What this does is informs you every ten minutes that you spend working out within your heart rate target zone. Therefore, every ten minutes a bullet will appear across the display of your Polar watch.

As well as these unique features the F55 HRM also provides you with your total and average heart rate, training time and average pace and distance. You can either program the heart rate limits yourself are do them automatically. The watches have a clear display face that uses large easy to read digits and a back light for poor light conditions. This HRM is water resistant to 30 meters making it suitable to wear swimming and other various outdoor sports. This watch comes with standard Polar warranty and battery.

Strengths 

• Enables you to schedule both strength and cardiovascular training.
• Ability to develop your own personalized exercise training program
• Ability to continuously track and record your heart rate data and energy expenditure
• Great features for setting your own fitness goals and
• Displays a total exercise summary after workout

Weaknesses

• Limited to the number of training software that can be downloaded from the Polar Website. 
• Chest band transmitter may be to tight for people with large chest sizes over 41 inches.
• Limited pre-programmed workout exercises.
• limited accessories and equipment.

Verdict

Overall the Polar F55 lava provides plenty of features and functions. The ability to monitor your strength training is an added bonus. However this unit is limited to only 17 pre-set programs. For many this should not be problems but I could the more serious keep fit enthusiast getting bored with this limitation. The functions do take a little getting use if you are new to HRM products and it is recommended that you study the polar f55 manual in detail in order to get the most out of all the features. As a your first HRM wrist watch the F55 is and improvement on the Polar F11 and is definitely worth considering if you want to improve your fitness.