You won’t find many people willing to argue that physical activity is bad for you. That said, a healthy, sustainable approach means getting the dosage right.In terms of understanding whether your activity and lifestyle profile translate into real health benefits, VO2maxis the perfectmeasure.

VO2max (maximal oxygen consumption)isa widely recognized measure of aerobic endurance capacity.The value of VO2maxisa reflection of total body health extends from the integrated functioning of multiple physiological systems. It reveals the heart, lungs, blood vessels, muscles, and nervous system all working together.To put it simply, VO2max shows how well your body can use oxygen. The higher your VO2max,thebetter you can use oxygen.

Suunto3 FitnessusesyourestimatedVO2max as your fitness level andoffers personalized training guidance in the form of adaptive training plansto maintain or improve it – depending on what you select as your fitness goal.

The planned exercises are easy to activate and follow, and once started, the watch guides you to stay at the right intensity and notifies when you have reached the target.Please note that the Adaptive training plan does nottake into accountillness or injury.The plan is powered by theFirstbeatanalytics engine.

YOUR CURRENT FITNESS LEVEL IS THE STARTING POINT

To get started with theadaptivetraining guidance youwill need an estimation of your currentfitness level.To get yourfitness level estimated, record a run orawalkthat lastsat least 15 minutes while wearing yourSuunto3 Fitness with connected GPS or calibrated speedand distance.

Readmore aboutconnected GPSand aboutcalibrating speed and distance

Historical data, from recorded running and walkingexercises, plays a role in ensuring the accuracy of your VO2max estimate. The more activities you record with yourSuunto3 Fitness, the more accurate your VO2max estimate becomes.

There are six fitness levels, from low to high: very poor, poor, fair, good, excellent and superior. The valueisdependent of your age and gender.

SELECT YOUR FITNESS GOAL

Select an adaptive training programbased on your fitness goal.

You can select from three different adaptive training programs based on your fitness goal: your Suunto 3 Fitness can help you maintain, improve or boost your aerobic fitness. The weekly training loads and workout intensities are different in the three training programs.

Select the “maintain” option if you are already fairly fit and want to maintain your current fitness level. This option can also be useful for people just getting started with regular exercise. Once you get going, you can always change the program you follow to a more demanding one.

The “improve” option is targeted at improving your aerobic fitness with a moderate progress curve. If you want to improve your fitness more quickly, choose the “boost” program. This will bring you harder workouts and faster results.

(Please note, if you don’t see these options on your Suunto 3 Fitness, you’ll need to update your watch to the latest software. Click here to learn how to update your watch.)

TRULY PERSONAL–AND ADAPTIVE–7-DAYTRAINING PLAN

It's a training day today!

The exercise recommendations are based on your current fitness level,recordedexercisehistoryandyour profile (your age, gender, weight,etc.) and the program you have chosen to follow (maintain, improve or boost your fitness).Suunto3 Fitness automatically adapts the training plan to your actual activities, so if you miss an exercise, or get excited and do a little more than planned, you don’t need to stress aboutthe plan.The ability to integrate this information into your training program is a significant advantage over generic prescriptions and one-size-fits-all recommendations.

YourSuunto3 Fitness automatically generates a 7-day training plan to help guide you to maintain or improve your aerobic fitness.

The training plan consists of planned exercises with a target duration and intensity. Each exercise is planned with the goal of helping you maintain or improve your fitness without over-stressing your body.

You can follow progress during your planned exercise.

When you start a planned exercise, your watch will guide you with visual and audio indicators to help you stay at the right intensity and keep track of your progress.The goal is estimated based on planned intensity and duration.

Theheart rate zonesettingsaffect the adaptive training plan. The upcoming activities in the training plan include intensity.If your HR zones are not set correctly, the intensity guidance during a planned exercise may not correlate to the real intensity of your exercise.

From the watch face scroll down to Training insight view. With the middle button you can see your plan for the current week. Press the lower right button to see additional.

A weekly plan will typically include 3–4 workouts of varying intensity and duration. Skip or add a session? Go harder one day and easier on another? The plan will automatically adjust so you always know that the nextexerciseon your horizon is the right one for your personal needs.

While the adaptive nature of the plans ensures your next effort will be the right one, there are also benefits to sticking with the program. Follow the program closely enough, and you will likely notice subtle tweaks from one week to the next that are designed to help take you to the next level.

Practically anyone can improve their fitness level through the recommendedexercises. With that in mind, however, the fitter you are the harder you need to work to improve.If you are already very fit and exercise frequently, the 7-day plan may not suit your existing routine.The lower your fitness level at the start of your training program, the more likely you are to see rapid improvements, making it an excellent source of motivation for those looking to get into shape.

Ultimately,adaptivetrainingguidanceonboard theSuunto3 Fitness guidesyouto improve your fitnesssafely and effectively.