Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

HRV is the natural variation in time between each heartbeat. Instead of your heart beating like a metronome, the intervals between beats change slightly depending on how your body is responding to stress, recovery, sleep, and training load.

• High HRV often indicates good recovery, relaxation, and readiness to perform.
• Low HRV can signal stress, fatigue, or insufficient recovery.

With modern HRM straps, HRV data is used for recovery insights, training load analysis, sleep tracking, and advanced performance features.

QRS

The QRS complex represents the depolarization of the ventricles as seen in an electrocardiogram (ECG). It is the most distinct electrical event of each cardiac cycle and provides a precise temporal marker for the occurrence of each heartbeat.

In heart rate monitoring, QRS detection allows for:

• Arrythmia: High resolution HRV can help you determine Arrhythmia by detecting irregular or ectopic beats more reliably.
• High resolution signals ensures cleaner data where optical signals fail (e.g HIIT, Sprints or contact sports).
• EKG in field:  A range of apps can be combined qith QRS measurements from your advanced HRM monitor to provide an altenative to a full ECG in the field.

So in short: QRS detection unlocks precision-driven insights that go far beyond “just heart rate,” making straps like the HRM 600 and HRM-Fit suitable not only for athletes but also for sports scientists and advanced performance monitoring.

Running Dynamics from Heart Rate monitors

Modern HRM straps use built-in motion sensors to track your body’s movement with each step. Paired with a compatible activity watch, it translates this into advanced running metrics.

• Cadence – steps per minute.
• Vertical Oscillation – how much you bounce up and down while running.
• Ground Contact Time (GCT) – how long each foot stays on the ground.
• Ground Contact Time Balance – left/right symmetry of ground contact.
• Stride Length – distance covered per step.
• Vertical Ratio – efficiency measure (vertical oscillation ÷ stride length).