Science behind the Exercise Recovery
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Exercise Recovery test is a more in-depth way to assess one’s ability for optimal recovery after physical exercise. Optimal recovery means that the body achieves the same physiological condition that was before doing a test exercise and this process occurs in a very efficient way. The quicker it occurs the better your organism is susceptible to physical challenges.
The following physiological processes occur in the body during exercise. Physical exertion causes increased activity of skeletal muscles and their energy consumption. The energy is released from utilization of nutrients in presence of oxygen. The higher energy release is required the more oxygen must be delivered to the muscle cells. To provide such increased oxygen consumption the body increases the volume and rate of breathing. Heart rate and stroke volume are also increased to increase oxygen transport to the muscles. All these physiological processes are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Thus the level of performance of the autonomic and cardiovascular systems determines the body’s ability to endure significant physical exertions. This level is also known as a level of cardiovascular fitness.
There are different methods to assess cardiovascular fitness. The most reliable and accurate way to do it is to measure maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max). However very expensive equipment and a highly trained specialist of a special sports lab are required to perform this test and interpret its results. Thus the most efficient way to assess cardiovascular fitness of ordinary people is to use heart rate recovery test. There are many research publications showing high correlation of these two methods of cardiovascular fitness assessment.
The most informative indicators of Heart Rate Recovery are the level of heart rate increase caused by a dosed physical exertion and speed of heart rate recovery after the exertion ceases. These indicators are the result of dynamic interaction of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. When physical exertion begins the sympathetic tonus increases significantly while parasympathetic tonus decreases to allow the sympathetic nervous system to quickly take control. When exercise is over the parasympathetic nervous system immediately shoots in its full power to boost recovery processes and then sympathetic tonus is being gradually decreased. The effectiveness of autonomic regulation depends on the intensity of physical exertion and individual fitness level.
The main algorithm used in the Exercise Recovery test is based on well-known methods described in published research materials. One of the key indicators assessed in this test is Recovery Rate showing how significantly heart rate drops within the first minute of recovery (after test physical activity ceases). The higher this parameter is the faster recovery occurs.
We have added calculation of exercise intensity to make test results comparable between tests. If this parameter is significantly lower 100% then physical exertion is considered insufficient to challenge the recovery mechanism so the Recovery Rate value cannot be considered as confident.