Suunto Frequently Asked Questions
Training Heart Rate Monitors
Can I use Suunto Comfort Belt with my Suunto t3 or do I need to have t3c?
The ANT Suunto Comfort Belt is compatible with the t3, t3c, t3d, t4, t4c, t4d, t6, t6c and t6d Training products. Respectively Suunto t3c, t4c and t6c are compatible with the older style heart rate belts. It should be taken into consideration however that the Suunto t1/t1c uses a different kind of heart rate belt than the Suunto t3c, t4c and t6c. The Suunto t1/t1c uses a belt with the ‘inductive’ signal whereas the Suunto t3c, t4c and t6c use a belt with the ‘ANT’ signal.
A logo depicting the type of signal transmitted by the belt can be seen on the rear of the belt.
How can I pair my heart rate belt with my heart rate monitor?
If you replace the HR belt battery or are having trouble with signal reception, you may need to re-pair your belt with your Suunto heart rate monitor.
Option 1
1. Go to “PAIR A POD / PAIR” menu of the heart rate monitor and choose “HR BELT” 2. When text “TURN ON / TURN ON NEW DEVICE” appears on its display, activate the belt by pressing or rubbing both contact pads (electrodes) with moistured palms or fingers
3. In few moments, you should get text “PAIRED / PAIRING COMPLETE” on the display if the pairing has succeeded.
See these pairing instructions also on Suunto TV
Option 2 (involves removing the battery)
Please note that Suunto Dual Belt can only be paired with using this option.
1. Remove the battery from the hear rate belt.
2. Reset the belt by inserting the (new) battery positive side down.
3. In your Suunto heart rate monitor, go to the “PAIR A POD / PAIR” menu and select “HR BELT”.
4. Put the battery in with the positive side up and press it slightly so that it will have a good contact with the receptors
5. In few moments, you should get text “PAIRED / PAIRING COMPLETE” on the display if the pairing has succeeded.
6. After this close the battery cover.
See these pairing instructions also on Suunto TV
This same procedure can be used if you experience problems with a Suunto POD signal reception.
What’s the difference between Activity Class and Training Program Level?
The Activity Class describes your overall physical activity. It varies from 0 to 10. It is needed to calculate the most accurate kcal and Training Effect. The Activity Class is found in Suunto t3c, t4c and t6c.
The Training Program Level is used in Suunto t4c and it tells which program level you are training at. The Training Levels are from 1 to 8 (in 2006-2007 models it is from 1 to 6). Level 1 is an easy program to begin with if you haven’t been working out before. Level 8 (= level 6 in the earlier Suunto t4 model) includes hard training and maintains your fitness after you have brought it to a good level. The levels in between are for increasing training load and fitness level, and based on the exercise guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine.
How much do I need to train so that Suunto t3c or t4c updates my activity class?
Suunto t3c and t4c update your activity class automatically. In order for the heart rate monitor to update the activity class you need to:
_Train at least 7 days at the current activity class.
_Train actively enough (activity class update is based on the last four weeks’ training frequency)
_The Training Effect (TE) of the training sessions needs to be high enough (accumulated EPOC value per week high enough)
After identifying your first activity class manually, Suunto t3c and t4c will suggest automatically you to update your activity class up or down based on your training.
Please note that the 2006-2007 models of Suunto t3 and t4 only update the activity class upwards. If you have trained less than before you can decrease the activity class manually on them.
Why is Training Effect important?
If your workouts are too easy, your aerobic condition won’t improve. Likewise, if your workouts are too difficult, you run the risk of overtraining and hindering improvement. Between those extremes, it’s difficult to gauge the effectiveness of a workout on gut-feeling alone.
Training Effect takes the guesswork out of working out, giving you real-time and post-exercise information about the effectiveness of your workout.
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