Understanding Your Recovery Heart Rate
To calculate your recovery heart rate, you need to measure your heart rate at its highest point during exercise (peak heart rate), and then take it again after one minute and two minutes of passive recovery (i.e., stopping the intense exercise and resting quietly).
The most common ways to assess recovery heart rate are:
- 1-Minute Recovery Heart Rate: This is the difference between your peak heart rate and your heart rate measured one minute after stopping exercise.
- 2-Minute Recovery Heart Rate: This is the difference between your peak heart rate and your heart rate measured two minutes after stopping exercise.
- The Drop: Some also look at the difference between the 1-minute and 2-minute recovery heart rates to see how quickly it's continuing to drop.
Interpreting the Results:
- A good recovery is generally indicated by a significant drop in heart rate. For instance, a drop of 20-30 bpm after 1 minute is considered good. A drop of over 30 bpm after 2 minutes is excellent.
- A slower recovery (smaller drop) might suggest you are overtrained, fatigued, or have a lower level of cardiovascular fitness.
- It's important to track this metric over time to see your personal trends and improvements.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
.calculator-container {
font-family: sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 8px;
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
gap: 30px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
.calculator-form {
flex: 1;
min-width: 300px;
background-color: #fff;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 5px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
}
.calculator-form h2 {
margin-top: 0;
color: #333;
text-align: center;
}
.calculator-form p {
color: #555;
line-height: 1.6;
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.form-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.form-group label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #444;
}
.form-group input[type="number"] {
width: calc(100% – 20px);
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 1em;
}
.calculator-form button {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
background-color: #007bff;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 1.1em;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
}
.calculator-form button:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
}
.calculator-result {
margin-top: 20px;
padding: 15px;
background-color: #e9ecef;
border-radius: 4px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 1.2em;
font-weight: bold;
color: #0056b3;
}
.calculator-interpretation {
margin-top: 15px;
padding: 15px;
background-color: #d4edda;
border: 1px solid #c3e6cb;
color: #155724;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 0.95em;
line-height: 1.5;
}
.calculator-info {
flex: 1;
min-width: 300px;
background-color: #e9ecef;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 5px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.calculator-info h3 {
color: #333;
border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc;
padding-bottom: 10px;
margin-top: 0;
}
.calculator-info ul {
list-style: disc;
padding-left: 20px;
}
.calculator-info li {
margin-bottom: 10px;
color: #555;
}
.calculator-info p {
color: #555;
line-height: 1.6;
}
.calculator-info strong {
color: #333;
}
function calculateRecoveryHeartRate() {
var peakHeartRateInput = document.getElementById("peakHeartRate");
var recoveryHeartRate1MinInput = document.getElementById("recoveryHeartRate1Min");
var recoveryHeartRate2MinInput = document.getElementById("recoveryHeartRate2Min");
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
var interpretationDiv = document.getElementById("interpretation");
var peakHR = parseFloat(peakHeartRateInput.value);
var recovery1Min = parseFloat(recoveryHeartRate1MinInput.value);
var recovery2Min = parseFloat(recoveryHeartRate2MinInput.value);
if (isNaN(peakHR) || isNaN(recovery1Min) || isNaN(recovery2Min)) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for all fields.";
interpretationDiv.innerHTML = "";
return;
}
if (peakHR <= 0 || recovery1Min < 0 || recovery2Min peakHR || recovery2Min > peakHR) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Recovery heart rates cannot be higher than peak heart rate.";
interpretationDiv.innerHTML = "";
return;
}
var drop1Min = peakHR – recovery1Min;
var drop2Min = peakHR – recovery2Min;
var dropBetween1And2 = recovery1Min – recovery2Min;
var resultHTML = "
Recovery Metrics:
";
resultHTML += "
1-Minute Recovery Drop: " + drop1Min + " bpm";
resultHTML += "
2-Minute Recovery Drop: " + drop2Min + " bpm";
resultHTML += "
Drop Between 1 & 2 Min: " + dropBetween1And2 + " bpm";
resultDiv.innerHTML = resultHTML;
var interpretationHTML = "
General Interpretation:
";
if (drop1Min >= 20) {
interpretationHTML += "
Excellent Recovery (1-min): A drop of 20 bpm or more after 1 minute suggests good cardiovascular fitness.";
} else if (drop1Min >= 15) {
interpretationHTML += "
Good Recovery (1-min): A drop between 15-19 bpm is still positive.";
} else {
interpretationHTML += "
Fair/Needs Improvement (1-min): A drop less than 15 bpm might indicate lower fitness, fatigue, or overtraining. Monitor this.";
}
if (drop2Min >= 30) {
interpretationHTML += "
Excellent Recovery (2-min): A drop of 30 bpm or more after 2 minutes is a strong sign of fitness.";
} else if (drop2Min >= 20) {
interpretationHTML += "
Good Recovery (2-min): A drop between 20-29 bpm indicates a healthy recovery.";
} else {
interpretationHTML += "
Fair/Needs Improvement (2-min): A drop less than 20 bpm after 2 minutes suggests your body is taking longer to recover.";
}
if (dropBetween1And2 > 10) {
interpretationHTML += "The continued significant drop between minute 1 and minute 2 (over 10 bpm) is a positive sign that your heart rate is normalizing effectively.";
} else {
interpretationHTML += "A smaller drop between minute 1 and minute 2 might indicate that your heart rate is stabilizing, but monitor trends over time.";
}
interpretationDiv.innerHTML = interpretationHTML;
}