HRV trends during strenuous blocks

[v.mjohnso]

I’m an experienced athlete but BRAND new to HRV. I’ve read about it so I know the basics but I’m looking at my own data I’m trying to guide myself. I’m coming into the third week of a demanding three week block before a recovery week. My HRV started high after my last recovery week and then has been trending low since finishing week two, I would expect this to be normal during a three week block before a recovery week? Or are you expected to keep your HRV within a moderate or high range all throughout a mesocycle?

What I would traditionally do is finish this week as long as I hit markers and then know that a recovery week is ahead. But if I go by HRV, this may mean I dip below my baseline and I’d say I need to back off. What do people think?

[PaulLaursen]

Hey @v.mjohnso,
Good job with your HRV monitoring. Its a tricky area so we did an everyday athlete’s guide you can read here if interested. The quick answer to your question as I see it is that 1) you need a bit more time (i.e., 60-days) measuring HRV so you can establish your normal value and then 2) you can combine contextual factors alongside 7-day rolling changes in HRV (up or down) to help you make decisions around future training loads.