Polar S625X Advice Needed

After reviewing various Hear Rate monitors and getting some good advice
from this group, I recently purchased a Polar S625X. The monitor itself
works great. However the documentation that comes with it and the
accompanying software not user-friendly. In particular, the software
documentation is nonexistent.

I've gone to the Polar website only to find commercials for their products.
I've been able to download an exercise set, but manipulating it with the
software is difficult. I'm working my way through by trial and error, but
can anyone direct me to a web site or hard copy documentation I can
download? I'd like to use much of the capabilities of the monitor as I
can, but it's a struggle at the moment.

Thanks in advance

McGinty


--
Too many spams have forced me to alter my email. If you wish to email me
directly please send messages to pjbphd @ cox dot net

pjbphd wrote:

> I've gone to the Polar website only to find commercials for their
products.
> I've been able to download an exercise set, but manipulating it with the
> software is difficult.

What are you trying to do? I remember having some issues getting some
things setup, but the biggest issue for me was the usb port, which
obviously isn't your issue.

Their software doesn't replace a good ol' fashioned database (searchable
- or at least I haven't figured it out), but if you're looking to
generate more reports, you can right click a report and change the
"report properties". I think they have some issues with changing between
metric and english units depending on which view you use and relabelling
some hr zones that I changed my mind about. It's a little awkward
getting set up, but not too bad after that. admittedly, I still have
some stuff I'm trying to straighten out, but more "annoying" than "must
have" type of things. But I'm not doing interval calculations or any of
that type of stuff.

Dot

--
"You try to slow down and enjoy it. You try to look at the scenery. But
your brain can kind of go blank. All you want to do is tell your feet to
keep working."
-Cedar Petrosius, women's winner 2004 Matanuska Peak Challenge (14mi,
9000ft up and down)

I bludgeoning my way through things but there are some questions that
neither the software nor the HR manual answer. For instance I often
exercise at lunch, then do something aerobic after work. I'm not sure if I
can record both exercise events and download them or if only the most recent
will be recalled.

I'm also trying to figure out how to download my Optifit or whatever they
call the tests. I can do them and get the numbers off of the watch, but
when I go to the software it tells me I need an R-R exercise. I thought
that's what I'd been doing. Again, very little explanation. Maybe the
explanation was in Finnish and didn't translate ;=0.

Anyway, I wish there was a S625X for Dummies guide.

McGinty


"Dot" <dot.h@#duh?att.net> wrote in message
news:gNCQd.221476$w62.206680@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> pjbphd wrote:
>
> > I've gone to the Polar website only to find commercials for their
> products.
> > I've been able to download an exercise set, but manipulating it with the
> > software is difficult.
>
> What are you trying to do? I remember having some issues getting some
> things setup, but the biggest issue for me was the usb port, which
> obviously isn't your issue.
>
> Their software doesn't replace a good ol' fashioned database (searchable
> - or at least I haven't figured it out), but if you're looking to
> generate more reports, you can right click a report and change the
> "report properties". I think they have some issues with changing between
> metric and english units depending on which view you use and relabelling
> some hr zones that I changed my mind about. It's a little awkward
> getting set up, but not too bad after that. admittedly, I still have
> some stuff I'm trying to straighten out, but more "annoying" than "must
> have" type of things. But I'm not doing interval calculations or any of
> that type of stuff.
>
> Dot
>
> --
> "You try to slow down and enjoy it. You try to look at the scenery. But
> your brain can kind of go blank. All you want to do is tell your feet to
> keep working."
> -Cedar Petrosius, women's winner 2004 Matanuska Peak Challenge (14mi,
> 9000ft up and down)
>

pjbphd wrote:
> I bludgeoning my way through things but there are some questions that
> neither the software nor the HR manual answer. For instance I often
> exercise at lunch, then do something aerobic after work. I'm not sure if I
> can record both exercise events and download them or if only the most recent
> will be recalled.

Both will be downloaded and appear as Exercise 1 and 2 on the same day.
It will also give you the option of deleting any remaining exercises in
memory. Our cross-training class usually has a "warmup" (exercise 1),
then stretching (turn the hrm off for this), then a circuit of some sort
where I turn it on again for the 2nd exercise. One day I went
snowshoeing afterward and recorded a 3rd session. This can be done
across multiple days, and they appear on appropriate day. The ability to
have multiple workouts is a primary reason I got the 625 (vs my old 420).

>
> I'm also trying to figure out how to download my Optifit or whatever they
> call the tests. I can do them and get the numbers off of the watch, but
> when I go to the software it tells me I need an R-R exercise. I thought
> that's what I'd been doing. Again, very little explanation. Maybe the
> explanation was in Finnish and didn't translate ;=0.

Can't help you here. I haven't tried any of the tests. I only run 3 days
a week, and I have a hard time wanting to spend one of them on a test,
not to mention my running conditions usually aren't reproducible because
of trail conditions.

>
> Anyway, I wish there was a S625X for Dummies guide.
>
Actually, the software is the same as most of their other hrm's.

Good luck.

Dot

--
"You try to slow down and enjoy it. You try to look at the scenery. But
your brain can kind of go blank. All you want to do is tell your feet to
keep working."
-Cedar Petrosius, women's winner 2004 Matanuska Peak Challenge (14mi,
9000ft up and down)

The OwnOptimizer is a nonrunning assessment of your training condition. If
your fully recovered, overtraining, etc... It only takes about six minutes.
Three lying down and three standing up.

Thanks for the advice on multiple workouts. I've finally got that working.
I'm still plowing my way through other functions by trial and error.

McGinty

"Dot" <dot.h@#duh?att.net> wrote in message
news:uEYQd.228045$w62.223849@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> pjbphd wrote:
> > I bludgeoning my way through things but there are some questions that
> > neither the software nor the HR manual answer. For instance I often
> > exercise at lunch, then do something aerobic after work. I'm not sure
if I
> > can record both exercise events and download them or if only the most
recent
> > will be recalled.
>
> Both will be downloaded and appear as Exercise 1 and 2 on the same day.
> It will also give you the option of deleting any remaining exercises in
> memory. Our cross-training class usually has a "warmup" (exercise 1),
> then stretching (turn the hrm off for this), then a circuit of some sort
> where I turn it on again for the 2nd exercise. One day I went
> snowshoeing afterward and recorded a 3rd session. This can be done
> across multiple days, and they appear on appropriate day. The ability to
> have multiple workouts is a primary reason I got the 625 (vs my old 420).
>
> >
> > I'm also trying to figure out how to download my Optifit or whatever
they
> > call the tests. I can do them and get the numbers off of the watch, but
> > when I go to the software it tells me I need an R-R exercise. I thought
> > that's what I'd been doing. Again, very little explanation. Maybe the
> > explanation was in Finnish and didn't translate ;=0.
>
> Can't help you here. I haven't tried any of the tests. I only run 3 days
> a week, and I have a hard time wanting to spend one of them on a test,
> not to mention my running conditions usually aren't reproducible because
> of trail conditions.
>
> >
> > Anyway, I wish there was a S625X for Dummies guide.
> >
> Actually, the software is the same as most of their other hrm's.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Dot
>
> --
> "You try to slow down and enjoy it. You try to look at the scenery. But
> your brain can kind of go blank. All you want to do is tell your feet to
> keep working."
> -Cedar Petrosius, women's winner 2004 Matanuska Peak Challenge (14mi,
> 9000ft up and down)
>

I've just bought the S625X too. Damn me--I ordered it from
roadrunnersports.com and a week later, went down w/Achilles tendonitis
from over-training and over-stretching. Anyway, it arrived two days
ago and I'm reading through the docs trying to understand its
functionality.

Regarding OwnOptimizer, the docs say: Baseline tests: When you start
using OwnOptimizer for the first time, six baseline tests should be
conducted over a period of two weeks to determine your personal
baseline value. These baseline measurements should be taken during two
typical basic training weeks, not during heavy training weeks. "The
baseline measurements should include tests taken after training and
after recovery days."

So what exactly are you supposed to do here? Why only "six" tests in
two weeks, versus every day, with some being "normal" training days and
some being rest days? If you shouldn't run the test every day, then
how's this for a schedule?

Mon: Train (OwnOptimizer Test)
Tues: Recovery day (no Test)
Wed: Train (no Test)
Thurs: Recovery day (OwnOptimizer Test)
Fri: Train (OwnOptimizer Test)
Sat: Recovery day (no Test)
Sun: Train (OwnOptimizer Test)
Mon: Recovery day (no Test)
Tues: Train (OwnOptimizer Test)
Wed: Recovery day (no Test)
Thurs: Train (OwnOptimizer Test)
Fri: Recovery day (no Test)
Sat: Train (OwnOptimizer Test)
Sun: Recovery day (no Test)

Thanks,
Rich

Having or writing a dummies guide occured to me also. I have had my
s625X for about a week and have stumbled quite a bit with it. I have
acquired run data 2 times but by trial and error. I wonder if Polar
has a users group.