Since watchOS 9, Apple Watch owners have been able to use cardio recovery, also known as heart rate recovery. This allows you to check how fit you are.
When you are exercising or doing heavy work, your heart rate can increase to over 180 beats per minute. The heart rate drops the most in the first minute after the effort. In the minutes that follow, the heart rate gradually drops back to the normal resting heart rate. The faster your heart rate returns to its normal value after exercise, the fitter you are.
Cardio Recovery Apple Watch
Cardio recovery is often referred to as heart rate recovery and is an estimate of how quickly your heart rate drops after you reach your peak heart rate during activity. You may have noticed that the heart rate monitor on your Apple Watch stays active for a short while after you’ve finished a workout. This is to monitor how quickly your heart rate drops after exercise.
Cardio recovery is estimated by tracking the change in your heart rate one minute after you stop exercising. In general, the lower your heart rate, the better. It can be an indicator of your cardiovascular health.
Check heart rate recovery
- Open Health on your iPhone
- Navigate to the ‘Data’ tab
- Tap ‘Heart’ and open ‘Cardio Recovery’
You can then check the data per day, week, month, half year or year. Tap on the results or on ‘Show all data’ to view them. The higher the number, the fitter you are.
If you have done a normal workout of at least 15 minutes then you can say that a heart rate recovery of 30+ is good and below 20 is bad.
When does the Apple Watch measure?
Cardio recovery is estimated only using data your Apple Watch records during and after multiple outdoor walking and running workouts. For other workouts, the watch can’t yet estimate it. Your heart rate doesn’t need to be at its peak during a workout to estimate your recovery.
More in Health
Cardio recovery isn’t the only thing you can monitor in the Health app—you can also view your heart rate variability and cardio fitness level (VO2max).