Polar invented the first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. They used in conjunction with their intensity training by heart rate and this concept took the athletic world by storm back in the 80’s.

Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world class athletes and everyday people trying to get and stay fit. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches and trainers worldwide and it is definitely my favorite.

Now, I have the Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor Watch, which is exerciser’s dream come true. Not only does it monitor your heart rate and keep track of your calories and fat burned, but it also creates a workout program to tell you how much, how hard and how long to exercise to reach your fitness goals.

There is a coded transmitter made of a soft fabric material that wraps around your chest containing the electrodes that pick up the heart signals. It took about two days to get used to, but now I don’t feel it anymore.

There are some pretty cool features on this monitor as well. There is a program called “Own Index” that determines your fitness level and tracks your improvements.

The OwnZone feature automatically determines each day’s target zones and the OwnCal feature shows your calorie expenditure per session and accumulated calories during several sessions. To me, it’s like having your own fitness trainer who tells you to slow down or speed up.

The display is easy to read and has blue backlight. The watch also displays the time of day and is an alarm and stopwatch. It’s also water resistant up to 100 feet.

It makes a great gift for any fitness fan on your shopping list.