The annual Firstbeat HRV Summit brings together experts and top professionals from around the world to explore how analysis of heart rate and heart rate variability data can be deployed in new and better ways to help individuals reach their health and performance potential with science-backed confidence.
This year, the Firstbeat HRV Summit 2019’s Fitness & Training session welcomed speakers from Finland, North America, France and Germany. Firstbeat’s Veli-Pekka Kurunmaki kicked things off by unveiling the Firstbeat Sports Sensor and Live app*. He was followed by veteran NHL strength and conditioning coach Reg Grant, renowned sports scientist Martin Buchheit, and Johannes Egelseer of the Germany Hockey Federation. The three guest speakers then joined Firstbeat’s Nigel Stockill to discuss the role of science in coaching at the elite level.
Veli-Pekka Kurunmaki, Firstbeat
Firstbeat Sports Sensor and Live app were launched at the Firstbeat HRV Summit 2019. The next generation solution to player monitoring brings focus and mobility to coaching. For more details see the full press release.
Firstbeat Sports’ comprehensive heartrate-based insights allow you to see truly individualized responses to load whilst new features like Training Status and Stress & Recovery analysis let you assess training balance and the balance of an athlete’s daily life.
Reg Grant, Strength and Conditioning Coach
An effective player monitoring program relies on a strong team culture. Setting up a transparent, honest culture allows players to be open to, and have confidence in, the data your present to them.
HRV data provides an insight into how an athlete’s body is being affected beyond how they feel. As a coach, it is important to be aware of the context of this data and take into account factors impacting an athlete’s situation. Finding the signal within the noise makes it easier to act on the relevant information.
Buy-in into technology has changed dramatically over the past 15 years among NHL players. Players are now used to being monitored but it remains important to make the values and benefits clear to ensure positive buy-in.
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Martin Buchheit, Sports Scientist & Strength and Conditioning Coach
HRV analysis lets you monitor athlete training response, rather than training load. When interpreted correctly this helps make decisions which positive impact performance output.
It is important to make decisions based on multiple days of HRV data rather than on a one-off basis. An individual day’s HRV data may not truly reflect the training status of an individual athlete. Taking into account several days – a minimum of 3 days-per-week – provides more relevant data.
HRV monitoring is most relevant to sports with a high metabolic component and high training volume.
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*Please note the Firstbeat Sports Live app is now known as the Firstbeat Sports: Coach and Firstbeat Sports: Athlete app.
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