We often do not take full advantage of the possibilities offered by our GPS watches. It is true, we more or less control the data they show us, and we pay attention to the figures about the distances we travel or our heart rate, but sometimes we are not aware of the possibility of taking advantage of the personalized training that we can do with them. On this occasion, we are going to focus our attention on what Polar GPS watches allow us to do.
The first thing to know is that no matter which Polar product you use, thanks to the Polar Flow web service you can create detailed training targets for the web service to help you plan your training. The targets are displayed in your Polar Flow calendar and you have the possibility to add the targets to your favorites list and use them as templates to create new ones.
Three types of targets
There are three training targets to choose from with Polar GPS watches.
Quick goal: This consists of entering a valor; choose a goal for duration, distance (not available on the A300) or calories, such as burning 400 kcal, running 5 km or swimming for 45 minutes.
Race pace target: This consists of trying to reach a target time for a set distance. For example, completing 5 km in 25 minutes, or challenging yourself to maintain a steady pace. Just enter two of the values and you can automatically achieve the third one. However, the running pace can only be synchronized with the V800, not with the A300, M200, M400, M600 or M450.
Target with phases: allows you to structure your training in phases and set a different duration and intensity for each of them. This is ideal if you are committed to interval training. Go to the Calendar and click on Add, Training target or move the mouse over a date in the Calendar and click on Add, Training target.
In the Add Training Target view, select Fast, Pace or Phased.
Steps to follow
Fast target
- Select Fast and then Sport, enter the target name (maximum 45 digits), date and time and any notes you want to add.
- Then enter one of the following values: duration, distance (not available on the A300) or calories. You can only enter one of the values.
- Click Save to add the target to your calendar, or click the favorites icon in the lower right corner to add it to your favorites.
Running pace target
- Select Race pace and then Sport, enter the target name (maximum 45 digits), date and time and any notes you want to add.
- Enter two of the following values: duration, distance or race pace, and you will automatically get the third one.
- Click on Save to add the target to your calendar, or on the favorites icon in the lower right corner to add it to your favorites.
Remember that the race pace can only be synchronized with the V800, not with the A300, M200, M400, M600 or M450.
Phased target
- Select With phases, Sport, enter the name of the target (maximum 45 digits), date and time and any notes you want to add.
- Select whether you want to create a new phased target (Create New) or use the template (Use Template), and click Duration to add a duration-based phase or Distance to add a distance-based phase. Remember that distance selection is not available for the A300. If you choose to use the template, you can add a new phase by clicking on Duration or Distance.
- Phase settings: Enter (maximum 45 digits) or select the phase name, and the duration or distance for the phase. Select Manual next phase start (start the next phase manually on your device during training) or Automatic (start the next phase automatically when the previous one ends) and then Intensity.
- Heart rate zones: select the target heart rate zones for the phase using the slider.
- Speed zones/pace zones: selects the target speed and pace zones for the phase using the slider.
- Libre: no intensity defined. Click Done and the phase appears in the training target.
Speed zones/pace zones are available in sports: running, cycling, rowing and canoeing.
