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There are may ways to analyze the load or the effect of a workout. But what Suunto has done by using EPOC based Training Effect is to give a user one number or goal to attain only once during a workout in order to improve their fitness. EPOC accumulation is based on intensity and duration as mentioned in the post but also includes a variable for Heart Rate Variation (time between heart beats) which can impact the accumulated EPOC differently as a result of the body being more or less fatigued -- so one day you might accumulate EPOC and Training Effect faster performing the same workout because of the HRV factor.

The accumulated aerobic load or EPOC Peak is then descried relative to a users personalized measurement scale called Training Effect (if you train a lot and profile yourself accordingly with say 8.0 Activity Class it will require more EPOC accumulation to register a 3.0 or Improving effect on your TE scale than for someone who is not training regularly and enters 4.0 Activity Level). Looking to one number to accurately express and summarize the total impact of the session is in essence easier than training with your attention focused all the time on, "is my heart rate in the right zone". Again with Training Effect you only need to know one scale (1-5 training effect in increments of .1) and you only have to attain your Training Effect once during the workout for you to have the improved effect or benefit from the session.

Tip: try training with Target Training Effect feature (t3 or t4) to see time to TE goal or next level at current heart rate intensity. Teaches a great deal about how TE moves based on EPOC accumulation.

For more information on EPOC based Training Effect and the studies validating Suunto calculations visit Firstbeat Technologies - Home and look at the White Papers.

	Suunto Visit SuuntoWatches.com to see Suunto's full line of wrist top computers and compasses.

	Sunnto t3 - Click for more info At one point a fitness enthusiast who wanted to monitor and track their heart rate, caloric burn, and other exercise data would need a tangle of electrodes, complex equipment, and extensive personal guidance from a certified fitness trainer. Today, all you need is a Suunto t-Series wristop training device, a PC, and one or more accessories to create an optimal training range that outlines your ideal energy expenditure and muscle exertion while preventing you from overworking and damaging your muscles.

	Suunto t4 - Click for more info he Suunto t4 is another excellent addition to Suunto's growing line of fitness training wristop computers. Like all of Suunto's t-Series training watches (the t1, t3, t4, and the original t6) the t4 monitors your heart rate and caloric burn to assist you in developing an optimized fitness regimen. It also provides you with information about the progression and effects of your training through constant feedback on how to maximize the intensity our your exercises without the over exertion of your heart and muscles. This "intelligent sports watch", via a simple cell-phone like interface, offers clear advice on how to get the most out of each and every workout.

	Suunto Training Effect watches - Click for more info More than a heart rate monitor, Suunto's exclusive Training Effect feature tells you whether you're training too little, too hard or staying within the zones for optimal improvement.