Press Room

›Nike and Polar introduce heart rate training to millions of Nike+ runners

07/06/2010

Beaverton, Ore.(June 2010), Nike, Inc (NYSE:NKE) and Polar, the market leader and pioneer in heart rate training technology, have introduced the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+. This new product works with the Nike+ SportBand and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, enabling users to run and train with heart rate monitoring for the first time.

This exciting new piece of equipment is worn comfortably round the chest and transmits the user’s heart rate wirelessly to their Nike+ iPod Sport Kit or Sportband. It will improve the training experience of Nike+ users helping them to understand how hard they are working in any given run. Users can see their beats per minute while they run with their Nike+ SportBand, or hear spoken feedback of their BPM during their Nike+ iPod workout. And after training, heart rate data can be transferred to the nikeplus.com web service. Users can track how long they ran in their target heart rate zone and see their heart rate progress over time.

The new Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, is also compatible with most Polar training computers (all those using 5 kHz transmission technology). This allows use of both the Nike+ system and a Polar training computer at the same time. The Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, is also compatible with the fifth generation iPod nano and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit..

The soft textile chest strap seamlessly adapts to the user’s body shape, bringing full freedom of movement to the training session. The comfortable textile strap is also machine-washable and with its hook mechanism, the transmitter is just as quick to put on as it is to take off. A user replaceable battery also increases the ease-of-use.

In addition, the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, works with Polar-compatible fitness equipment, including models from all major fitness equipment manufacturers. This enables users wearing the WearLink+ transmitter to see their heart rate on the compatible fitness club equipment as well. The coded transmission ensures that Nike+ devices and Polar training computers pick up the right heart rate signal and not someone else’s.

“We are delighted to enter into this partnership with Nike”, says Marco Suvilaakso, Group Product Director at Polar. “Polar and Nike are both market leading global sports brands. Nike users around the globe can now benefit for the first time from pioneering Polar heart rate monitoring technology. The new WearLink®+ that works with Nike+ will make accurate heart rate training available to millions of Nike+ users. It will add a new dimension to their training enabling them to train at the right intensity to achieve their goals. We anticipate this will be a very popular product.”

The Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, will be available from June, 2010 in the United States, followed by Canada and major EU countries from the beginning of July. On sale through authorized Polar retailers, Nike-owned retail stores and through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, is sold as a Polar accessory set with a user manual. Compatible Polar training computers can be purchased separately.

About Polar
Founded in 1977, Polar Electro invented the first wireless heart rate monitor. Since then the Company has pioneered a revolution in training and has been dedicated to improving fitness and sporting performance through the understanding of human physiology, performance and the environment. Polar Electro has become widely recognized as the world’s leading manufacturer of innovative sports instruments and heart rate monitoring, registering and evaluation equipment.
Headquartered near Oulu in Finland, the company operates internationally in more than 80 countries.
Today, Polar training computers are the number one choice among consumers worldwide. To learn more about how the wide range of Polar products and services can help you achieve your training goals and make your fitness story a success, please visit www.polar.fi


About Nike
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand. For more information, visit www.nikebiz.com.

For further information contact:
Polar
Marko Möttönen, Accessories Segment Manager, Polar Electro Oy
Tel: +358 (0) 8 5202 100
Email: marko.mottonen@polar.fi

Nike
Nike(US and Global) 1-212-367-4447 or 1-503-671-4235 in Oregon (UK and Europe) +44 (0)207 578 0560 or media.europe@nike.com

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.