Understanding Heart Rate Recovery
Heart Rate Recovery (HRR) is a measure of how quickly your heart rate decreases after a period of strenuous exercise. It's a valuable indicator of cardiovascular fitness and the efficiency of your autonomic nervous system. A faster heart rate recovery generally suggests a stronger and healthier heart.
To calculate Heart Rate Recovery, you need two key measurements:
- Peak Heart Rate: This is the highest heart rate you achieved during your exercise, typically measured immediately after you stop exercising intensely.
- Heart Rate after a specific recovery period: This is your heart rate measured a specific amount of time (usually 1 or 2 minutes) after you've stopped exercising intensely.
The formula for Heart Rate Recovery is straightforward:
HRR = Peak Heart Rate – Recovery Heart Rate
A higher HRR value (meaning a larger drop in heart rate) is generally considered a positive sign of good cardiovascular health and fitness. For example, a recovery heart rate that drops by 20 beats per minute or more within one minute is often seen as good.