Free Tool

Heart Rate Recovery Test

How fast does your heart rate drop after exercise? Enter your peak and 1-minute recovery heart rates (or your known BPM drop) to find out how fit your heart really is.

Your heart rate at peak effort, right when you stop exercising.

Your heart rate exactly 1 minute after stopping exercise completely.

What is heart rate recovery?

Heart rate recovery (HRR) measures how quickly your heart rate decreases after you stop exercising. It is calculated as the difference between your peak exercise heart rate and your heart rate one minute after stopping. For example, if your heart rate is 170 BPM at the end of a hard run and drops to 140 BPM one minute later, your HRR is 30 BPM. A faster drop indicates a healthier, more responsive autonomic nervous system and better overall cardiovascular fitness.

Why does heart rate recovery matter?

Heart rate recovery is one of the strongest predictors of cardiovascular health and all-cause mortality. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people whose heart rate dropped fewer than 12 BPM in the first minute after exercise had a significantly higher risk of death over a six-year follow-up period compared to those with a normal recovery. Unlike many health markers, HRR reflects the real-time balance between your sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous systems. A strong parasympathetic response, indicated by a rapid heart rate drop, is associated with lower inflammation, better stress management, and reduced risk of cardiac events.

How to measure your heart rate recovery

To measure HRR accurately, exercise at a moderate to hard intensity for at least 10 minutes. Running, cycling, or using an elliptical machine all work well. At the end of your workout, note your heart rate at peak effort. Then stop exercising completely (standing still rather than walking produces the standard clinical measurement) and check your heart rate exactly one minute later. The difference between those two numbers is your 1-minute heart rate recovery. If you wear a fitness tracker or smartwatch, many devices record this automatically after each workout.

Two ways to enter HRR in this tool

This calculator supports the same two data-entry paths used in Cora. Option one: enter your peak heart rate and your exact 1-minute heart rate, and the tool computes the drop for you. Option two: if your watch already shows "heart rate recovery," enter that BPM drop directly.

This page evaluates 1-minute HRR. Some sources also discuss 2-minute HRR, but those are different standards and are not mixed into this score.

What is a good heart rate recovery?

As a general guideline, a 1-minute HRR of at least 12 BPM is considered the minimum healthy threshold. A drop of 20 to 30 BPM is typical for moderately fit adults, while well-trained athletes may see drops of 40 BPM or more. However, what counts as "good" depends significantly on your age and gender. Younger adults tend to recover faster, and there are slight differences between men and women. The evaluator above uses age- and gender-specific reference tables with breakpoints for Poor, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Good, Excellent, and Athlete categories so you get an accurate, personalized result.

How to improve your heart rate recovery

Improving HRR comes down to strengthening your parasympathetic nervous system and overall cardiovascular fitness. Consistent aerobic training (3 to 5 sessions per week) is the most effective approach. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to improve HRR more rapidly than steady-state cardio in some studies. Beyond exercise, practices that boost vagal tone, such as deep breathing exercises, cold water exposure, and quality sleep, can help your nervous system shift more efficiently from stress to recovery. Reducing chronic stress, limiting alcohol, and maintaining a healthy body weight also contribute to better heart rate recovery over time.

Track your heart rate recovery automatically

Cora tracks your heart rate recovery automatically from your Apple Watch, Garmin, or Whoop after every workout. It monitors your HRR trends over time and uses the data as part of your overall fitness assessment, so you can see whether your cardiovascular fitness is improving week over week.

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