Polar Introduces New Physical Education Technology, Motivating Students to Lead Healthier, More Active Lifestyles

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Polar (www.polarusa.com), the leader in heart rate monitoring and fitness assessment technologies, today introduced the Polar Active activity monitor –  an easy-to-use training computer that allows students to measure and record their physical activity level – along with PolarGoFit.com, an online service for teachers and students to monitor and track student activity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) children should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Polar Active provides a continuous 24/7 measurement of daily activities, including calories burned, active steps and time spent in each activity zone – ranging from easy to vigorous. With the built-in activity bar feature, students have an easy-to-read visual that shows their exercise target and time achieved in the moderate to vigorous zones, giving them the information needed to meet PE objectives. And with a fun, animated figure, students can accurately track the quantity and quality of daily activity – helping to motivate them towards a healthier, more active lifestyle.

"Childhood obesity has tripled in the United States over the past thirty years, and today one in three children are considered overweight or obese," said Jeff Padovan, President of Polar USA. "Polar is committed to reversing this epidemic and helping our nation's students become more active and maintain a healthy weight."

For nearly 20 years, Polar has been the leader in providing K-12 physical education programs with the tools and technology needed to objectively quantify, evaluate and monitor students' health and fitness. Specifically, this includes heart rate monitors and fitness assessment technologies such as the TriFIT systems, which are being used in more than 10,000 K-12 physical education programs across the United States.

How Polar Active Works

Students wear a wrist unit that has a built-in accelerometer to measure their daily activity. Once students start moving, the wrist unit automatically tracks their activity level. The easy start function means that the Polar Active is always "on."  This makes activity measurement easy for younger students and gives PE teachers an objective way to assess students' activity.  Polar Active tracks movement in many kinds of activities – including running, swimming, jump rope, basketball, and softball – to name a few.

"Polar Active will forever change the ways teachers educate and students learn PE" said Padovan. "With the activity monitor, students exercise based on their individual fitness level, so it shifts the focus from athletic ability to personal improvement, which is key to developing positive lifelong habits around exercise."

PolarGoFit.com

PolarGoFit.com is an online web service for teachers and students to monitor and track student activity. This time-saving and flexible portal allows for easy documentation of all activity data, tracking daily and long-term progress and sharing reports with students, parents and school administrators. The ability to evaluate tangible activity data helps to assess students objectively for their effort and results. This also helps encourage and motivate students to stay active for longer periods of time and maintain a healthy weight.

The new Polar Active activity monitor will be available for purchase by schools in August 2010.

About Polar

Headquartered in Lake Success, NY, Polar USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Finland-based Polar Electro OY, which invented the first wireless heart rate monitor (HRM) in 1977.  Polar now operates internationally in more than 80 countries. Polar heart rate and fitness assessment technology delivers unparalleled insight into the human body from valuable training guidance and feedback, to enabling individuals to improve their fitness level and sports performance. Polar technology is key to the success of leading fitness facilities, athletic teams, corporate wellness facilities, health insurance providers and thousands of physical education programs around the world. Today, Polar training computers are the number one choice among consumers worldwide. For more information, visit www.polarusa.com.

SOURCE Polar USA