Work out heart rate recovery instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
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.
One-minute recovery
HRR1 = peak HR - HR after 1 minute
Clinical threshold
under 13 bpm is considered abnormal after a treadmill test
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.
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.
Protocols differ. Standing still gives larger drops than active cool-down, so use the same method each time for comparability.