Heart Rate Variability (HRV) for Coaches

HRV measures beat-to-beat variation in heart rate; higher and more stable HRV suggests better recovery status.

Key takeaways

  • Measure morning, same conditions, 7-day rolling average
  • Drops >5% may precede overreaching
  • Higher HRV ≠ "better" — track your own baseline
  • Combine with sRPE and ACWR for context

Definition

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is the natural variation in time between successive heartbeats. It reflects autonomic nervous system balance — higher HRV generally indicates parasympathetic dominance and better recovery status.

How to use HRV

Measure first thing in the morning, in the same position, with a chest strap or validated wearable. Track the rolling 7-day average — single-day values are noisy.

Drops in 7-day HRV >5% from baseline often precede performance decrements and may flag overreaching.