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Pru Health: Cheap Polar HRMs and use them to earn Vitality points

This is my 2nd type up of this due to stupid login cookies deleting 20 minutes of work. So forgive me if this is 90% more verbose and less informative. :mad:

Pru-Health now do subsidised Polar Heart Rate Monitors. The average discount from RRP is 50%. The range is here: http://polaronlineshop.pruhealth.co.uk/ and you need to visit the Get Active icon (red heart) on the Viatility site to get a discount code. All the details off this offer are there too. The discount is the same for bronze through to platinum level members.

You can earn points by uploading your logs from the watch to the polarpersonaltrainer website. You can do this with any existing Polar HRM you may have to so you don't have to buy a new one using the link above. The points are from the Excercise category like gym visits and the fitbug although it's not clear if gym visits still take priority. This is important because the max is 15 event s per month and 1500 points per year and you don't always earn 10 points.

Using a Heart Rate Max calculated by subtracting your age from 220 spending 30 minutes in the following zones earn the following points:
  • 60% for 30 mins earns 5 points per day
  • 70% for 30 mins earns 10 points per day
Now this ain't much. I racked up 15 minutes of 60% to 70% last night just walking home using the F11 model I ordered last week.

This looks really good because 15 events per month at even 60% earning 5 points is 900 points for the year. Just 100 short of silver for not much at all. Combined with gym or fitbug (on different days of course) 1500 max for that category is achievable for anyone.

I have two concerns:

Firstly despite being told otherwise by Pru customer service the points collection is not yet active. Originally the Pru site said simply sign up to polarpersonaltrainer.com and select Pru-Health as a partner. That option isn't there and now (as of roughly last night) the Pru site simply says points collection is coming in Autumn without further detail.
Not a major issue at this time as I'm still enjoying my new F11 and finding it motivating.

Secondly there's no detail on the priority. I read that fitbug usages is always overidden by gym visits. Hopefull the same is the case here. As you won't earn polar points on the same day as a gym visit I'd rather get the 10 for the gym and not potentially as low as 5 for the polar device.
And what happens on days using the polar device outside of the gym? Are the first 15 events in the category counted or is it all gym visits for the month first, then polar at 10 points followed by polar at 5 points if any of the 15 max events remain?

Anyone else already sign up to this? What are your thoughts?

EDIT: These Polar devices can measure your HR zones using your 'OwnIndex' which is more personalised than the 220 minus age HRMax. Remember to set your watch to use the common average if you are working only to get the points.

Comments

  • UPDATE: Pru Customer Service have told me that the 15 event cap will be scrapped and this will be reflected on the website soon. The cap is 150 points per month so you could go for walks 30 days in the month earning 5 points per day if you wished. Gym visits and 10 point activies overule others on the same day too so no risk of losing points for doing more.

    They also confirmed that the points collection will be starting from October.
  • QQuaver
    QQuaver Posts: 8,444 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    What's the advantage compared to a fitbug? It's more expensive.
  • Advantages:

    If you already have a Polar HRM then you can use it to get points without having to spend any extra money.
    If you don't but wanted one than the savings here are certainly decent compared to most online vendors such as Amazon. That's the case for me personally and I have to say that I am glad I got it regardless of Vitality points. The cardio equipment at my gym now picks up my HR form the transmitter when the handheld sensors never worked so I can now do some of the fancy programs on the running machine or bike that target different heart zones. (I can also sit reading a paper next to someone else so that their HR shows around 75 beats on the machines they are working furiously on >:-P )

    Depending on the kind of exercise you do you can get points quicker than a fitbug. 5 points for 10,000 steps or just 30 minutes at a light workout (60% to 70% of your heart rate max). It will depend on how you walk and what you carry. The fitbugs do track aerobic steps but as far as I see they don't give you any vitality rewards for 'collecting' them.

    Also the Polar HRMs can help you to get fit better than a fitbug in my opinion. Walking is certainly a healthy thing to do but a good HRM will help you get decent cardio workouts and motivate you to work harder or even ease off from working too hard. If you push yourself too hard then your recovery time will increase and you could be demotivated by feeling sore all week.

    I will say that I have recorded that certain exercises such as yoga don't tax your heart compared to other exercises. I did 90 minutes of hatha yoga and felt more worked out and tired than the 15 minute walk I described in my first port but only clocked about 2 minutes above 60% Max HR. At least I learnt that I need to do more pure cardio for my body's sake.

    The other big bonus is that this gives people who want Pru-Health but cannot attend one of the partner gyms a way of getting points for their workouts. Obviously the discounts on the gym rates are the big draw for many but the no-claims bonuses up to 100% and other rewards are good for other people too. Before this walking 12000 steps on a fitbug was the only other way of getting 10 points. Now there is an additional method.
    Even though I'm a Virgin Active member I can now (or soon will) get points for playing badminton at a non-partner sports centre. Last Saturday I got easily over 30+ minutes on over 70% HRMax from helping unload beer at the Good Times bus at Carnival for just under an hour.

    There's also no reason you have to have this instead of fitbug. As long as you are aware of the 1 event per day limit it may suit people to have both. Depends on your preference. Health-wise I'd get both if you can afford it and want to get fit.
  • red
    red Posts: 666 Forumite
    thanks for this, it is great, however, there is a small issue with the polar site - it does not allow for mac users to download information unless they are willing to change OS to MS...I could be wrong on this (I hope I am) but I do not think I am...so this basically means that all Mac users will be denied access to Pru's vitality points unless they can get to a PC!
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • Does anyone know, if you get one of these, can you build up the points, and join Pruhealth later and then go in on a higher level than bronze - depending on points gained?

    Scott
  • QQuaver
    QQuaver Posts: 8,444 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    slewis1972 wrote: »
    Does anyone know, if you get one of these, can you build up the points, and join Pruhealth later and then go in on a higher level than bronze - depending on points gained?

    Scott
    Highly unlikely...
  • red
    red Posts: 666 Forumite
    slewis1972 wrote: »
    Does anyone know, if you get one of these, can you build up the points, and join Pruhealth later and then go in on a higher level than bronze - depending on points gained?

    Scott

    you get to vitality points through pru - you could join before and get the benefits of polar but you will always start on bronze.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • This was supposed to start collecting Vitality points form October but neither Polar nor Pru have updated anything. There's still no way to link the two accounts.

    Shabby.
  • jamfool
    jamfool Posts: 64 Forumite
    Does anyone know:

    If you manually add a training session to www.polarpersonaltrainer.com do you get the points?
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