Heart Rate Recovery Calculator

Work out heart rate recovery instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Heart Rate Recovery Calculator

Heart rate recovery is the fall in heart rate in the first minute after stopping exercise, and it reflects how quickly the parasympathetic nervous system reasserts control. A drop of 30 bpm or more is excellent; under 13 bpm has been linked in large cohort studies to raised mortality risk and warrants clinical attention.

Formulas

One-minute recovery

HRR1 = peak HR - HR after 1 minute

Clinical threshold

under 13 bpm is considered abnormal after a treadmill test

Worked example

With the default values below, Heart Rate Recovery Calculator returns One-Minute Heart Rate Recovery of 30. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Peak heart rate at the end of exerciseaccepts 60–230 bpm: 178 bpm
Heart rate one minute lateraccepts 40–230 bpm: 148 bpm
Heart rate two minutes lateraccepts 40–230 bpm: 128 bpm

Results

One-Minute Heart Rate Recovery: 30 bpm
Two-Minute Recovery: 50 bpm
Interpretation: Excellent autonomic recovery
Drop During The Second Minute: 20 bpm

Step by step

1Values used
2One-minute recovery
3Clinical threshold
4One-Minute Heart Rate Recovery= 30 bpm
5Two-Minute Recovery= 50 bpm
6Interpretation= Excellent autonomic recovery
7Drop During The Second Minute= 20 bpm

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to whole numbers, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does recovery reflect fitness?

Because vagal reactivation is faster in trained people. It is one of the quickest markers to improve with aerobic training and to deteriorate with overtraining.

Should I keep walking during the measurement?

Protocols differ. Standing still gives larger drops than active cool-down, so use the same method each time for comparability.