Az B

I've done some reading about recovery heart rates, but there are lots of generalizations and very few specifics.

Can anyone tell me what the significance of the time period between hard exercise and normal ambient HR? How about an average time to ambient heart rate? Or is the amount of difference in the first 5 minutes the only thing that's important?

I'm new to this HR stuff and I'm curious. TIA for any facts, opinions, ideas, or links.

Az

DannoXYZ 

Recovery-rate is a sign of fitness, like high LT and VO2-max. Usually I measure the time it takes to go from max-HR down to 75%, which is a comfortable easy pace to hide in the pack. When I'm out of shape, it can take 30-60 seconds to go from max-HR back down to 75%. When I'm in tip-top shape, it may only take 15 seconds. Imagine sprinting all out as hard as you can to take a prime. Then you sit up and let the pack catch up to you. By the time you tuck back in, you're ready to go at it with another sprint again!

plin

^^^Very true. I really feel the difference on climbs. When I am in good form, the leg burn and hard breathing goes away real fast at the slightest change of slope.