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So what do the numbers mean? There aren't specific numbers that work for everyone, just generalities. In one study, 800 physically active men were evaluated. The average HRR Fast Phase was 15 beats per minute.
Researchers believe a good heart rate recovery after one minute of rest is 18 beats or higher. Athletes tend to have higher numbers. In one study on 274 elite male athletes, the average HRR Fast Phase was 29 beats per minute.
A number of 12 or lower is generally considered a sign there may be a problem. The lower the number, the longer it takes your heart to recover. But you will need to talk to a doctor about the implications of your specific number.
There are many different ways to find your recovery heart rate. If you use this method to calculate your own, share the results with your doctor. They will let you know if a different approach is preferable.
To improve heart rate recovery, regular exercise is vital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercises per week.
Moderate-intensity cardio includes brisk walking, playing tennis with a partner and activities like raking the yard or mopping floors. The American Heart Association says that the way to judge moderate intensity is that you should be breathing harder than you would be at rest, but you can still speak.
Vigorous activities include running, cycling or swimming. All these activities can improve heart health and help increase heart rate recovery.
Reference Links:
Heart-rate recovery immediately after exercise as a predictor of mortality
C R Cole, E H Blackstone, F J Pashkow, C E Snader, M S Lauer
The New England Journal of Medicine, Published 1999 Oct 28;341(18):1351-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199910283411804.
Heart rate recovery in elite athletes: the impact of age and exercise capacity
Jelena Suzic Lazic, Milica Dekleva, Ivan Soldatovic, Roman Leischik, Slavica Suzic, Dragan Radovanovic, Biljana Djuric, Dejan Nesic, Milivoje Lazic, Sanja Mazic
Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging, Published 2017 Mar;37(2):117-123. doi: 10.1111/cpf.12271. Epub 2015 Jul 4.
Heart rate recovery normality data recorded in response to a maximal exercise test in physically active men
Davinia Vicente-Campos, Aurora Martín López, María Jesús Nuñez & Jose López Chicharro
European Journal of Applied Physiology, Published: 20 February 2014
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3/8/2023
