Marco Altini Episode Recap
The latest episode of PA Chalk Up features a deep-dive into heart rate variability (HRV), readiness scores, and how athletes truly respond to training stress. Host Manny sits down with Marco Altini—the founder of HRV4Training, advisor to companies like Ōura, and a leading mind in the intersection of data science and sport performance.
With a rare blend of academic knowledge (PhD in data science + sports science degree) and practical coaching experience, Marco breaks down the why, how, and what now? behind HRV, wearables, and stress monitoring in a way that’s refreshingly honest—and grounded in evidence.
Meet Marco Altini
Marco is the founder of HRV4Training, a mobile app and research-backed tool that has changed how thousands of athletes and coaches track internal load. His mission? To make HRV more accessible, more understandable, and more actionable.
He’s also a university lecturer in Amsterdam, a coach to recreational runners, and a trusted advisor to brands like Ōura, COROS, and Garmin.
Key Topics Discussed:
What HRV Actually Measures—and What It Doesn’t
Marco opens by clearing up a common myth: HRV is not a performance score—it’s a marker of how your body is responding to stress.
“We can’t measure stress directly… but HRV is the best non-invasive proxy we have for your autonomic nervous system.”
• High HRV ≠ Good: Sometimes elevated HRV reflects recovery effort, not readiness.
• Low HRV ≠ Bad: One bad night or hard session may suppress HRV temporarily—but context matters.
👉 Takeaway for Coaches: Stop chasing higher numbers. Stability within your personal range is the goal.
Morning HRV vs Night HRV: Which Is Better?
Wearables typically measure HRV during sleep, but Marco makes a compelling case for morning readings:
• Morning data (post wake-up) gives insight into your current readiness and training tolerance.
• Night data reflects what happened yesterday—sleep quality, late meals, or stress from the previous evening.
Marco recommends a 1-minute morning reading, after sitting upright (to include a mild stressor), as the most sensitive and actionable measurement.
👉 Pro Tip: Morning HRV is especially useful for athletes with late-night routines or high training volume.
Journaling > Made-Up Readiness Scores
One of the most important—and underrated—insights from the episode was this:
“Subjective data matters more than people think. Journaling how you feel each day is often more valuable than the HRV score itself.”
Wearables often confuse behavior with physiology (e.g., assuming poor sleep = poor recovery). But your body might be coping just fine.
✅ What to Journal Each Morning:
• Mood and motivation
• Sleep quality (your own rating)
• Soreness or stiffness
• Planned training session
Over time, journaling helps coaches contextualize HRV readings, identify patterns, and avoid unnecessary program changes.
How to Use HRV to Adjust, Not Dictate, Your Training
Marco’s rule: Start with a plan—then use HRV to adapt it, not build it.
“HRV is a great check-in tool. If it’s suppressed, scale back intensity. If it’s stable, stick to your plan.”
He warns against reacting to every little fluctuation—most HRV changes aren’t significant enough to warrant action.
🔁 Practical Framework:
• HRV stable → Train as planned
• HRV suppressed for 2+ days → Scale intensity or push recovery
• HRV elevated but you feel drained → Journal and observe trends before making decisions
The Problem with Wearables and Made-Up Scores
Marco doesn’t shy away from critique—especially when it comes to modern wearables:
“These recovery scores combine step count, sleep time, and other behaviors with HRV… that’s not science. That’s marketing.”
He explains that many readiness scores oversimplify the data and confuse the user. True recovery comes from understanding how your body handles stress, not how many hours you slept.
👉 Advice for Coaches:
• Use wearables that show raw HRV and heart rate data (like Ōura or Polar + HRV4Training)
• Avoid over-interpreting “recovery scores” unless you understand how they’re calculated
How to Improve HRV (And It’s Not What You Think)
There’s no magic intervention for boosting HRV—but long-term improvements come from the basics:
• Low-intensity physical activity
• Consistent sleep
• Nutritious food
• Stress management
Marco also notes that slow breathing and mindfulness can cause short-term HRV boosts, but sustained gains require lifestyle change—not hacks.
“The best thing I ever did for my HRV? Learning to work less.”
7. Should You Track Both Morning and Night HRV?
You can—but only if you know how to interpret both.
Marco uses a combo of:
• Morning HRV (via chest strap and app)
• Night HRV (via COROS watch)
If morning HRV is down and night HRV is normal → it’s likely a training fatigue response.
If both are down → could indicate illness or systemic fatigue.
Final Thoughts
This episode wasn’t just about HRV—it was about how coaches can use technology more responsibly.
Marco encourages coaches to:
• Build awareness over time (not from one number)
• Let HRV support—not replace—training plans
• Be wary of oversimplified data from wearables
• Use journaling as a critical tool in performance monitoring
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Marco Altini:
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