{"id":191129,"date":"2022-11-22T09:30:39","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T09:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=191129"},"modified":"2022-11-22T09:30:39","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T09:30:39","slug":"heart-rate-variability-how-to-use-it-in-your-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2022\/11\/22\/heart-rate-variability-how-to-use-it-in-your-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Heart Rate Variability \u2013 How to Use It in Your Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

Changes in heart rate variability say a lot about how well you\u2019re handling stress, and that includes your training. HRV can help you see whether you\u2019re well recovered and ready to take on high intensity or if your body needs more rest to catch up. But can you actually use HRV to guide your training decisions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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How HRV responds to training?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Studies show<\/a> that strenuous exercise leads to a lowering of HRV. They also show that with sufficient rest and recovery, heart rate variability rises again. This relationship between training and HRV is very important for any cyclist considering using HRV for training. So, how can you use this information in training?<\/p>\n

You can train smarter with HRV<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In theory, HRV should allow you to modify your training plan based on what your body can handle. Having a predetermined training plan<\/a> is important, it gives your whole season a structure and ensures you will cover all your bases. HRV is layered on top of it. If your HRV is low and your next session should be high-intensity intervals, you should include a recovery ride<\/a> and move the intensity to the next day. And, similarly, if your HRV is high, you know you can push extra hard in training and you\u2019ll bounce back quickly. It should help you train smarter, at least in theory.<\/p>\n

\"Training<\/a>
Measuring HRV can reveal a lot about your health, lifestyle, and training. You can use HRV to track improvements in all of these areas. \u00a9 Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using HRV helps improve performance<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Researchers from Miguel Hern\u00e1ndez University and Stellenbosch University<\/a> decided to test whether HRV can actually be used to guide training sessions and lead to better outcomes. They recruited 17 cyclists for their study and after 4 weeks of standardized training, they split them into two groups.<\/p>\n