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.
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