Polar Watch: Adding and Customizing Sport Profiles for Optimal Training

How do I add sports to my Polar watch?

To add or customize sport profiles on your Polar watch, you must use the Polar Flow web service or the Polar Flow mobile app, as these settings cannot be directly modified on the watch itself. Once updated in Polar Flow, the changes are then synced to your device.

Understanding Polar Sport Profiles

Polar sport profiles are pre-defined activity settings on your watch designed to accurately track specific metrics relevant to a particular sport. Each profile can be customized to display unique training views, set heart rate or power zones, enable GPS, and manage other sport-specific features. This allows for precise data collection and a tailored training experience, whether you're running, cycling, swimming, or engaging in a strength training session.

The Role of Polar Flow

The Polar Flow ecosystem – comprising the Polar Flow web service (flow.polar.com) and the Polar Flow mobile app – serves as the central hub for managing your Polar device settings, including sport profiles. It's where you can add new sports from a comprehensive library, customize existing ones, analyze your training data, and plan future workouts. Your Polar watch acts as the data collection device, while Polar Flow provides the interface for configuration and analysis.

Step-by-Step Guide: Adding Sport Profiles via Polar Flow

Follow these instructions to expand the range of activities tracked by your Polar watch:

1. Access Polar Flow:
   • Web Service: Open your web browser and navigate to flow.polar.com. Log in with your Polar account credentials.
   • Mobile App: Open the Polar Flow app on your smartphone or tablet. Ensure you are logged in.
2. Navigate to Sport Profiles:
   • Web Service: Once logged in, click on your profile picture/name in the top right corner. From the dropdown menu, select "Sport Profiles."
   • Mobile App: Tap on the main menu icon (usually three horizontal lines or a hamburger icon). Then, select "Sport Profiles."
3. Add a New Sport Profile:
   • On the Sport Profiles page/screen, you will see a list of the sports already on your watch.
   • Look for a button or link that says "+ Add Sport Profile" or similar. Click/tap on it.
4. Select Your Sport:
   • A comprehensive list of available sports will appear, categorized for easy navigation (e.g., Running, Cycling, Strength Training, Other Indoor/Outdoor Sports).
   • Browse or search for the specific sport you wish to add.
   • Select the desired sport by clicking/tapping on it.
5. Customize Your Sport Profile (Optional, but Recommended):
   • After selecting a sport, you'll be taken to its customization page. This is where you can fine-tune settings to match your training needs.
   • Training Views: This is crucial. Customize what data fields appear on your watch screen during your workout (e.g., heart rate, pace, distance, duration, power, cadence). You can often create multiple views to swipe through.
   • Heart Rate Settings: Adjust heart rate zone limits if needed, or set up a visible heart rate zone pointer.
   • GPS Recording Rate: For outdoor sports, choose between higher accuracy (more battery drain) or power save modes.
   • Speed/Pace Settings: Choose whether to display current speed/pace, average, or max.
   • Sounds and Vibration: Enable or disable audible alerts and vibrations for certain events (e.g., zone changes, lap notifications).
   • Gestures and Backlight: Configure how the backlight behaves or if certain gestures trigger actions.
   • Other Sport-Specific Settings: Depending on the sport, you might find options for power sensors, stride sensors, or pool length for swimming.
6. Save Changes:
   • After making all your customizations, ensure you click/tap on "Done," "Save," or "Add to Polar Watch" (wording may vary) to confirm your selections.

Customizing Your Sport Profiles (Beyond Adding)

Even for sports already on your watch, you can revisit the Sport Profiles section in Polar Flow to modify their settings. This is essential for adapting your watch to evolving training goals or new equipment.

• Training Views: Optimize your data display. For a runner, this might mean having one view for pace and distance, another for heart rate and time in zone, and a third for lap details.
• Heart Rate Zones: For accurate intensity tracking, ensure your maximum heart rate (MHR) and individual heart rate zones are correctly set within your personal physical settings in Polar Flow.
• Power Zones: If you use a power meter for cycling or running, customize your power zones for targeted training.
• GPS Accuracy: For activities like trail running or open-water swimming where exact routes are less critical than overall duration, a lower GPS sampling rate can conserve battery.
• Autolap Settings: Define whether laps are recorded automatically based on distance or time, or if you prefer manual laps.

Syncing Your Watch

After making any changes to your sport profiles in Polar Flow, the final and critical step is to sync your Polar watch. The changes will not appear on your watch until it has successfully synchronized with Polar Flow.

• Via Polar FlowSync (Computer): Connect your Polar watch to your computer using the supplied USB cable. Open the Polar FlowSync application (downloadable from Polar's website if you don't have it). FlowSync will automatically detect your watch and initiate the sync process.
• Via Polar Flow App (Mobile): Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your smartphone and your Polar watch. Open the Polar Flow app. The watch will typically sync automatically when in proximity to the app, or you can manually initiate a sync from the watch's settings menu (often by holding a button or navigating to "Sync" or "Connect" options).

Why Customize Sport Profiles?

Customizing your sport profiles goes beyond mere convenience; it's a fundamental aspect of intelligent training:

• Enhanced Data Relevance: Ensure you see the most critical metrics for your specific activity at a glance, improving real-time decision-making during training.
• Optimized Training Focus: Tailor your watch's feedback (e.g., heart rate zone alerts, pace guidance) to help you stay within target intensities or achieve specific training goals.
• Improved Performance Analysis: Accurate and relevant data collected from customized profiles leads to more insightful post-workout analysis in Polar Flow, helping you track progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Seamless User Experience: Reduce the need to manually switch displays or search for information during intense exercise, allowing you to focus on your performance.
• Battery Management: Adjusting GPS accuracy or display settings for certain sports can help optimize battery life for longer activities.

Best Practices and Troubleshooting Tips

• Regular Review: Periodically review your sport profiles in Polar Flow. As your training evolves, your data needs may change.
• Keep Software Updated: Ensure your Polar watch firmware and Polar Flow app/FlowSync are always up-to-date. Updates often include new features, bug fixes, and improved compatibility.
• Stable Connection: For syncing, ensure your computer has a stable internet connection for FlowSync, or your mobile device has a strong Bluetooth connection to your watch.
• Troubleshooting Sync Issues: If changes don't appear on your watch after syncing, try restarting both your watch and your phone/computer. Ensure the watch has sufficient battery.

Conclusion

Adding and customizing sport profiles on your Polar watch via the Polar Flow ecosystem is a straightforward yet powerful way to personalize your training experience. By taking the time to set up your profiles precisely, you transform your watch from a mere data collector into a highly intelligent training partner, providing you with the exact information you need, when you need it, to optimize your performance and achieve your fitness goals.