# Heart Rate Recovery Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/sports/heart-rate-recovery/
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> The heart rate recovery calculator measures how quickly your heart rate drops after exercise – the difference between your peak heart rate and your heart rate one (and two) minutes later – and rates it.

## Inputs

- Peak heart rate at the end of exercise (bpm)
- Heart rate 1 minute later (bpm)
- Heart rate 2 minutes later (0 = skip)

## Results

- Heart rate recovery (1 min)
- Heart rate recovery (2 min)
- Rating

## Formula

```
HRR₁ = peak HR − HR after 1 minute · HRR₂ = peak HR − HR after 2 minutes
```

## Explanation

A fit heart slows down quickly once you stop exercising. A drop of 12 bpm or less in the first minute is linked with higher cardiovascular risk; above 20 bpm is very good.

### How to use the Heart Rate Recovery Calculator

- **Peak heart rate at the end of exercise (bpm)**
- **Heart rate 1 minute later (bpm)**
- **Heart rate 2 minutes later (0 = skip)**

Results update as you type, every field has its own unit menu, and everything is calculated in your browser.

### How it works

Enter your heart rate at the end of exercise and one minute later (and optionally two minutes later).

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterPeak heart rate at the end of exercise (bpm)A numberHeart rate 1 minute later (bpm)A numberHeart rate 2 minutes later (0 = skip)A number

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Peak heart rate at the end of exercise** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Peak heart rate at the end of exercise (bpm)Heart rate recovery (1 min) (bpm)82.5-58123.75-1616525206.2566

## Worked example

Inputs — Peak heart rate at the end of exercise (bpm): 165; Heart rate 1 minute later (bpm): 140; Heart rate 2 minutes later (0 = skip): 0.

Results — **Heart rate recovery (1 min) = 25 bpm**; Heart rate recovery (2 min) = 0 bpm; Rating = Good.

## Key terms

- **Heart rate recovery**: Drop in heart rate after exercise.

## FAQ

**What is a normal heart rate recovery?**
12–23 bpm in the first minute for most adults.

**Is heart rate recovery a fitness marker?**
Yes – it improves with aerobic training.

**Should I keep moving during recovery?**
Results differ with active and passive recovery; be consistent.

**When should I worry?**
A first-minute drop of 12 bpm or less after a proper effort.


## Sources

- [Cole et al. (1999), Heart-rate recovery immediately after exercise as a predictor of mortality, NEJM](https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199910283411804)
- [American Heart Association – Target heart rates](https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates)