HRV4Training app for iPhone and iPad

4.4 ( 7264 ratings )

Sports Health & Fitness
Developer: Marco Altini

9.99 USD

Current version: 8.3.2, last update: 6 months ago
First release : 14 Aug 2013
App size: 32.6 Mb

The first scientifically validated Heart Rate Variability (HRV) app. HRV4Training provides HRV based insights to help you quantify stress,
better balance training and lifestyle, and improve performance. HRV4Training does not require a heart rate monitor, since it can accurately assess your HRV using the phones camera.

HRV4Training also works with Apple Watch, the Oura ring and all compatible Bluetooth SMART sensors.

HRV4Training is also the first app that goes beyond simple measurements and provides insights on:
1) acute or day to day HRV changes in response to different stressors (alcohol, travel, sick days, training, menstruation, etc.)
2) long term multi-parameter trends to look at the big picture
3) correlations between physiological measurements and annotations
4) training load analysis, fitness, fatigue, readiness to perform and injury risk
5) VO2max estimation for runners linking the app to Strava or TrainingPeaks and using a heart rate monitor during their workouts
6) Training Polarization analysis (or 80/20)
7) Lactate Threshold Estimation for runners linking the app to Strava or TrainingPeaks and using a heart rate monitor during their workouts
8) Weekly and monthly summaries to track progress.

All data is processed inside the app in order to provide you with actionable interpretations that can help optimizing your training plan and performance.

Supported devices for the camera measurement: iPhones 5, 5S, 6, 6S, 6+, 6S+, SE, 7, 7+, 8, 8+, X, XS, XS Max, XR, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13 mini, 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 14, 14 Plus, 14 Max, 14 Pro

Currently unsupported devices for the camera measurement: iPhones 4S, iPads and iPods - These devices require a chest strap.

Other features:
- HRV-based advice helps you to adapt your trainings based on objective measures of recovery
- TAGS: lets you tag your sleep, mental energy, muscle fatigue, stress and all other parameters that can help you understand what is influencing your physical condition and physiological stress
- Works with Bluetooth SMART heart rate monitors (a Polar H7 is recommended) or simply your phones Camera
- Integrates with the Health app (writes heart rate, and sleep, read sleep time)
- Configurable test (single or orthostatic, choose test duration between 1, 3 or 5 minutes)
- Extracts and stores the following features while lying down and/or standing: heart rate, mean of beat-to-beat intervals (AVNN), standard deviation of beat-to-beat intervals (SDNN), square root of the mean squared difference of successive R-Rs (rMSSD), number of pairs of successive R-Rs that differ by more than 50 ms (pNN50), low frequency power (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz), high frequency power (HF, 0.15-0.40 Hz)
- Shows the PPG signal view to ensure signal quality during the test if the camera is used instead of a bluetooth SMART sensor
- HRV4T Recovery Points to provide a single, straightforward metric to analyze your physical condition
- Population summaries and people like you comparisons to put your data into perspective
- Analysis of compliance and consistency
- Data export via email or Dropbox
- Integrates with TrainingPeaks, SportTracks, Genetrainer and Strava

HRV4Training requires to register an account with your email address, so that your data can be backed up safely and retrieved in case anything happens (app issue, changing phone, etc.).

Pros and cons of HRV4Training app for iPhone and iPad

HRV4Training app good for

I tried several HRV apps and this one wins with usability, features and active development.

Ive been using this app to accent my run training for about 3 months now and it keeps getting better and better. Absolutely love this company.

The app creator has a wealth of knowledge about HRV and his blog is a great read.

Got into the habit of taking daily HRV readings during my marathon training. I love it - great biofeedback and app is super easy to use. Thanks so much to the developer for continuing to improve the app.

I find this up amazing in that it integrates with my Polar sensor H7 or when not available the flash finger sensor. The amount of details available based on HRV are simply amazing, and the fact that improvements occur so often intrigues, as I find each version an improvement over the last. I would like integration with my Garmin watch/HR sensor and more intuitive interpretation of results.

I have been using HRV4 for several months now, mainly as a result of a rather severe episode of over-training last year. I’m so glad I found this app! Even after reviewing other HRV apps after I got this one, I believe HRV4 to be top dog. The regular updates based on science are confidence-inspiring. As a retired physician, though I no longer have the opportunity to make recommendations to patients, I do regularly and often recommend this app to my fellow training freaks. It seems to be keeping me out of past troubles. A+

Some bad moments

I cant get the app to take a full measurement. Keeps freezing at 29 seconds or spinning at start up and wont allow reading at all (and cancel button seems frozen too).

It crashes every time I hit the test button. Doesnt work. I will be looking to get my money back.

Ive tried almost every HRV app I can get my hands on in the App Store. This is on my short list of go to apps for giving valuable information about your parasympathetic nervous system activity over time. I love it. My only complaints are that the reminders are buggy, turning vibration "off" doesnt really turn it off, and I would like more contrast in the colors on the breath pacer.

I wanted to see if I could measure HRV without expensive sensors so I tried this app. It detects my heart rate fairly accurately for almost a minute and then it starts to jump wildly, often 50 beats above what its supposed to be. I guess Ill have to try the app again when I finally do get a sensor since it seems the camera mode lacks accuracy.

Crashes right at the end every time I try to do a test. Waste of money.

Im not pleased to use this app I now need to create an account. I personally dont find the accumulated data collected is worth saving/syncing if I delete the app.

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