Heart Rate Recovery Calculator

Calculate how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exercise—a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness and autonomic nervous system health. This tool is for adults monitoring general wellness, supports beats per minute (bpm), and runs entirely offline.

Educational only, not medical advice.

Calculate Your Recovery

Peak Exercise Heart Rate (bpm)

Your heart rate at the end of exercise.

Recovery Heart Rate (bpm)

Your heart rate after 1 minute of rest.

Recovery Time Interval

Your Heart Rate Recovery

Absolute Recovery (bpm)

Percentage Recovery

24.2%

Fitness Indicator

Good recovery

Typical for active individuals. Consistent improvement suggests positive cardiovascular adaptation.

Interpretation Guide (1‑minute recovery):

>18 bpm: Good recovery
12–18 bpm: Moderate recovery
<12 bpm: May warrant discussion with a clinician

Cutoffs adjust for 2‑minute recovery. See article for details.

Understanding Heart Rate Recovery

Heart rate recovery (HRR) measures how many beats per minute your heart rate drops after stopping exercise. A faster drop indicates efficient parasympathetic nervous system reactivation and better cardiovascular fitness. It’s a simple, non‑invasive metric you can track over time.

How to Use This Tool

Stop your exercise and immediately note your peak heart rate (from a chest strap or reliable optical sensor).
Rest standing or sitting quietly for exactly 1 or 2 minutes.
Note your heart rate at the chosen recovery time.
Enter both values above. The calculator shows absolute drop (bpm) and percentage drop relative to peak.

Realistic Examples

Scenario	Peak HR	1‑min HR	Recovery (bpm)	Interpretation
Well‑conditioned runner	170	140	30 bpm	Excellent recovery
Sedentary office worker	160	148	12 bpm	Moderate, room for improvement
After illness (fatigued)	150	144	6 bpm	Slow recovery; consider rest and professional advice if persistent

Reference: Typical HRR Ranges

Recovery Time	Excellent	Good	Moderate	Slow (Discuss with Clinician)
1 minute	>22 bpm	18‑22 bpm	12‑17 bpm	<12 bpm
2 minutes	>50 bpm	42‑50 bpm	34‑41 bpm	<34 bpm

Note: Ranges are general guidelines from population studies. Individual variability exists.

Explore How Recovery Changes

Adjust your recovery heart rate to see how it affects your HRR category.

Recovery Heart Rate (bpm): 125

60 130 200

Projected 1‑minute HRR:

40 bpm

Good recovery

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this calculator?

It provides precise arithmetic from your inputs. Accuracy depends on correct measurement of your heart rate. Chest‑strap monitors are more accurate than wrist‑based optical sensors during rapid changes.

Why does recovery time matter?

1‑minute HRR reflects early parasympathetic reactivation. 2‑minute HRR includes further slowing and is often used in clinical stress tests. Use the same interval consistently for tracking.

When should I seek professional advice?

If your HRR is consistently below 12 bpm at 1 minute (or below 34 bpm at 2 minutes) despite regular exercise, or if you experience dizziness, chest discomfort, or extreme fatigue with exercise, consult a healthcare provider.

Can medications affect HRR?

Yes. Beta‑blockers, certain blood pressure medications, and other drugs can blunt heart rate response. Always discuss your medications and heart rate metrics with your clinician.

Formulas & Assumptions

Absolute HRR = Peak HR − Recovery HR (in bpm).
Percentage HRR = (Absolute HRR ÷ Peak HR) × 100, rounded to one decimal.
Classification bands for 1‑minute HRR: Excellent (>22 bpm), Good (18‑22), Moderate (12‑17), Slow (<12).
Classification bands for 2‑minute HRR: Excellent (>50 bpm), Good (42‑50), Moderate (34‑41), Slow (<34).
All calculations use the exact inputs; no population adjustments are applied.

For informational and educational purposes only. Estimates depend on your inputs and simplifying assumptions. This tool is not medical advice and does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you have symptoms, abnormal readings, or urgent concerns, contact a qualified healthcare professional.

Sources & References (conceptual):

Common unit conversions and measurement best practices; Typical wellness metric ranges and public health guidance concepts; Basic exercise physiology concepts for heart rate and training load; General fitness assessment principles.

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