IN FOCUS HRV TESTING
physical performance coach to Francesco Molinari (360
Golf Academy), plus those in teams such as Manchester City
and Saracens, all look to Firstbeat’s HRV analysis for insights
to help optimise their training and health. Ryding concurs
that the data garnered from analysing his HRV has been “eye
opening” and he considers it “one of the best ways to help
monitor my recovery.”
Th e technology that interprets HRV is similar to that of
a heart-rate monitor, except “the accuracy required means
it detects every beat of the heart and measures the time
between [each beat]. Th is requires a more sophisticated kind
of device and algorithms,” explains Hoff man. Elite athletes
and teams have had access to state-of-the-art HRV analysis
for a while but, in the last few years, it has become more
accessible to ‘corporate athletes’ (those who take their fi tness
very seriously and regularly compete in marathons and
triathlons) and regular gym-goers.
If you’re after a more detailed HRV insight, then
a professional-led analysis is an option. A number of
healthcare providers, personal trainers, nutritionists and
psychologists off er this service to their clients through
programmes such as Firstbeat’s Lifestyle Assessment. Over
several days, the user wears a small monitor which very
accurately detects heartbeat, and is required to log notablebehaviour such as training sessions or drinking alcohol.
Afterwards, a report is generated which provides a broader
insight into their lifestyle and health, “so they can make
training more eff ective,” explains Hoff man.
However, for a quicker or briefer overview, leading
brands such as Garmin, Suunto, Polar and Fitbit have
integrated forms of HRV analysis into their wearableTina
Hoffman