[Nibile]

Does anyone use a Heart Rate Variability app to check recovery?
And if so, which ones?
What is the science behind?
Thanks.

[Muenchener]

I don't use an app or a monitor (much, although I do own one).

What I've been doing lately is something Mark Twight recommends: checking my resting pulse in the morning before I get out of bed.

Been doing it for a month now and noticed some interesting patterns:

• Normal resting pulse: about 47
• Goes up to about 51 if I've trained the previous evening: one night's sleep is not enough to recover. Unsurprising.
• More interesting: if I'm climbed hard the previous day, then my pulse the next morning is about 54/55 and by Twight's standards I clearly need a rest day. Sport climbing feels like it's the tiny forearm muscles pumping or powering out over a relatively short duration, and shouldn't be that much whole body systemic load to recover from, but apparently it is.

[webbo]

You should also be aware if it's low, say in your case 40/42 this can also indicate you have not recovered. However  I reckon it's more of an indicator for aerobic training than strength training.

[bigtuboflard]

I wear a HRM every time I run and it's a great way of retrospectively working out max effort at various points on the run as it's got GPS too. It also suggests recovery time and gives PTE too. Bizarrely I've thought a few times about wearing it at the bouldering wall but I've not yet.

Also worth noting that resting and peak HR are very personal. I'd consider myself pretty fit yet resting is around 60, conversation pace run is in the 160's and race pace is over 180. Peak is 191. So the adage of 220 minus age is rubbish.


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[miso soup]

This is interesting.  Would a non-average heart rate be a sign that a rest day is required and climbing is a bad idea, or just that the body is not fully recovered and will not be performing at it's best? 

[Muenchener]

Mr Twight says take it easy - not necessarily do nothing - if the morning pulse is 5 or more beats above normal. Although, as webbo said, this is mainly aimed at aerobic training

[Nibile]

Cheers guys.
It does seem that it's mainly aimed at aerobic training. A thing that I have no plan to train in the near - or far - future.
Saved some money.
Thanks.

[Muenchener]

Although I did find this article on t-nation, a site not known for its interest in aerobic training:

The poor man's version of this type of testing is monitoring morning heart rate, which correlates with peripheral nervous system activity. All you need is a stopwatch. In the morning, before you've gotten out of bed, simply find your pulse and count your heart rate for 60 seconds. Take a couple weeks to establish a baseline, and after that, a high reading means you need a break, and a low reading means you're recovering well.

[Nibile]

Although I did find this article on t-nation, a site not known for its interest in aerobic training:

The poor man's version of this type of testing is monitoring morning heart rate, which correlates with peripheral nervous system activity. All you need is a stopwatch. In the morning, before you've gotten out of bed, simply find your pulse and count your heart rate for 60 seconds. Take a couple weeks to establish a baseline, and after that, a high reading means you need a break, and a low reading means you're recovering well.

That's the article I read that made me post here. 
Great minds, etc.

[John Boy]

Ben Greenfield has done some excellent, in-depth geeksville podcasts around HRV monitors.

[John Boy]

That's monitoring HRV not just your HR; two different things.