Suunto Blog

Have you ever felt that your results are not improving despite consistent training, or that fatigue is not going away? The reason may be the quality of your recovery. In recent years, HRV (heart rate variability) has gained attention from elite athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. This article explains what HRV is, how to interpret normal values, what may be happening in the body when HRV is low, and how to use HRV in daily life with a SUUNTO watch. What is HRV? Understanding the basics of heart rate variability HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is a numerical measure of the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats, known as RR intervals. It is easy to assume that if your heart rate is 60 bpm, your heart beats exactly once every second. In reality, there are small differences in timing from one beat to the next. The size of these variations is HRV. The difference between HRV and heart rate Metric What it means Heart rate (HR) The number of heartbeats per minute, for example 60 bpm HRV (heart rate variability) The amount of variation between one heartbeat and the next HRV is important because it is about more than the heart alone. HRV works as an indicator that reflects the balance of the autonomic nervous system. When the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for relaxation and recovery, is dominant → HRV tends to be higher When the sympathetic nervous system, associated with tension and stress, is dominant → HRV tends to be lower By monitoring HRV over time, you can gain a more objective view of your recovery status and stress level. How to check HRV with SUUNTO | Connecting your watch and app SUUNTO watches automatically measure HRV during sleep. During sleep, the body is at rest, allowing the watch to collect reliable data that is less affected by daytime activity. The measurement uses a metric called RMSSD (Root Mean Square of Successive Differences), which calculates the root mean square of differences between consecutive heartbeat intervals. This is a scientifically established method for quantifying HRV. How to check your HRV data Wear your SUUNTO watch while sleeping and turn on sleep tracking Sync with the Suunto app after waking up, either manually or automatically via Bluetooth Check your HRV data in the app’s Training Zone or mini widget Continue tracking daily so your personal baseline can develop over time SUUNTO calculates your personal “normal range” based on 60 days of data. At least 14 measurements are needed to define the normal range, and at least 3 measurements are needed for the 7-day average. Data appears soon after you start using the feature, but accuracy improves the longer you continue tracking. What is HRV status? Understand recovery at a glance with color In the SUUNTO app, HRV condition is displayed visually as HRV status. Your current 7-day average HRV is compared with your personal normal range and shown as a bar indicator, with colors that make it easy to understand your recovery status at a glance. Display color General status Green Good recovery, ready for training Yellow Recovering, moderate training load recommended Red Insufficient recovery, rest or reduced load needed If HRV rises far above a certain standard deviation, it may also be displayed in yellow or red. This can indicate that the body is mounting a strong recovery response, through parasympathetic activity, to accumulated stress. Interpreting your HRV baseline and normal range HRV varies greatly from person to person, and there is no absolute value that is “normal” for everyone. Because HRV differs depending on age, fitness, physiology, and other factors, it is more important to track your own changes than to compare yourself with others. General tendencies include: Younger people and fit athletes → HRV tends to be higher Older age or high-stress environments → HRV tends to be lower SUUNTO uses an approach based on comparison with your personal normal range, calculated from 60 days of data. This helps you understand whether your current status is above, within, or below your own baseline. What happens when HRV is low? If HRV stays below your normal range, it may be a sign that your body has not recovered sufficiently. Possible effects include: Lower performance, with the same pace feeling more tiring Reduced immune resilience, making you more prone to catching a cold Lower concentration and decision-making ability Loss of motivation A temporary drop in HRV after an intense race or high-intensity training session is a normal response. The concern is when HRV does not recover for several days or more. Main reasons HRV may decrease Training load is not the only reason HRV may drop. Many everyday factors can affect it: Overtraining: Continuing high-intensity training without enough rest Lack of sleep: Both sleep duration and sleep quality are closely linked to autonomic recovery Mental stress: Pressure from work or relationships Poor physical condition: HRV may decrease in the early stages of infections such as colds or influenza Alcohol and irregular eating habits: Alcohol is especially likely to affect nighttime HRV Is higher HRV always better? The idea that “higher HRV is always better” is partly true, but it also needs context. If HRV rises far above the upper end of your normal range, it may indicate that your body is using significant recovery resources in response to strong stress. This does not always mean you are in good condition. What matters most is that HRV is stable within your personal normal range. How to use HRV in daily training By adding HRV data to your training plan, you can train more intelligently and more effectively. Seven practical steps for using HRV: Wear your watch every night and turn on sleep tracking: Continuous measurement helps build your baseline Make morning syncing a habit: Sync with the app and check your HRV status before planning the day. When combined with the SUUNTO Coach AI training plan, training sessions can be suggested automatically based on your HRV status. Compare HRV with training load: Learn how your HRV changes after high-intensity workouts Use it together with resting heart rate: Higher HRV plus lower resting heart rate is a sign of good recovery Reduce training intensity when HRV is low: When the numbers are low, switch to an easy session or a rest day Schedule regular recovery days: Look at HRV trends and intentionally rest 1 to 2 days per week Track sleep, nutrition, and stress as well: HRV is most useful when viewed as part of your overall lifestyle Tip: HRV works as a barometer for your condition. Rather than reacting to each individual number, focus on weekly and monthly trends. SUUNTO watch models that support HRV The following SUUNTO models currently support HRV measurement, meaning HRV tracking during sleep: Model Features Suunto Vertical 2 Latest flagship model. A long-distance adventure watch with up to 65 hours of GPS and an LED light Suunto Vertical Up to 60 days of battery life. A long-distance model with offline maps Suunto Race 2 Latest flagship model. A race-focused watch with high-accuracy sensors and a 1.5-inch AMOLED display Suunto Race S Compact and advanced. Training plans can be automatically optimized through integration with AI Coach Suunto Race Previous-generation Race 2 model. Fully supports HRV measurement and coaching features Suunto Run Lightweight runner-focused model at 36 g. Supports HRV measurement and sleep tracking Suunto Ocean A multisport watch built for both diving and sports, designed to perform underwater as well Suunto 9 Peak Pro Built tough. A durability-focused model popular with outdoor users All models connect with the Suunto app to automatically record and analyze HRV data. Based on accumulated data, they provide personalized feedback on your recovery status. Optimize your recovery with data SUUNTO watches automatically handle everything from nightly HRV measurement to calculating your personal normal range and comparing it with training load. Move from “I feel tired” to understanding recovery through data, and improve the quality of your training with a more scientific approach. ▶ Check SUUNTO watches that support HRV Summary HRV is a metric that quantifies the variation between consecutive heartbeats. It is an important biomarker for objectively understanding the state of the autonomic nervous system and the body’s recovery status. To recap the key points: HRV is the variation between heartbeats. A higher value generally indicates stronger parasympathetic, or recovery-related, activity Normal values vary greatly by individual, so comparison with your own baseline is important Persistently low HRV can be a sign of overtraining, lack of sleep, stress, or other strain Unusually high HRV may also be a body alert that needs attention SUUNTO watches measure HRV automatically during sleep and show it as HRV status in the app Tracking HRV as a daily habit helps you build smarter training plans Using HRV is not only about improving performance. It is also an important habit for improving performance while maintaining long-term health. With a SUUNTO watch, you can read your body’s rhythm through data. Start by understanding your body HRV measurement is useful for everyday health management, even if you are not following a dedicated training plan. With a SUUNTO watch that measures automatically while you sleep, you can start making recovery visible from today. ▶ See the full SUUNTO watch lineup Heart rate variability (HRV) measurement is available on Suunto Vertical 2, Suunto Vertical, Suunto Race 2, Suunto Race, Suunto Race S, Suunto Run, Suunto Ocean, and Suunto 9 Peak Pro GPS watches.  

Join Suunto ambassador Philipp Reiter and his friend Martin Schidlowski as they retrace a historic journey to the Eiger North Face in their film, Bike2Eiger. Suunto ambassador Philipp Reiter invited his childhood friend and climber Martin Schidlowski on an adventure that combined history with the modern-day challenges of mountaineering. Riding 600 km from their home in Berchtesgadener Land, Germany, to Grindelwald, the base of the Eiger in Switzerland, and attempting to climb its notorious north face was merely the backdrop for something more meaningful and thought-provoking. We caught up with Philipp to discuss his film, Bike2Eiger. The film has been touring mountain film festivals for the past winter and is now released online. Read on – and watch the film below! Philipp Reiter and Martin Schidlowski are friends since childhood.   You were following in the footsteps of some true Alpinist legends. Who were they and what was their story? Anderl Hinterstoisser and Toni Kurz were two alpinists from the Berchtesgadener Land, where Martin and I also grew up. In the 1930s, they wanted to solve the last unclimbed problem of the Alps - the Eiger North Face. As they had no money to travel by train, they went from Bad Reichenhall to Grindelwald by bike. (Read more about them here.) What is your connection with your adventure buddy Martin? Martin Schidlowski is my kindergarten buddy. We have done many alpine adventures together, running, climbing, and mountaineering. Since the beginning, we have had the same mindset and passion for the mountains. He is a super good climber and alpinist, and I am more of the endurance athlete in our team. Not the conditions the duo was hoping for.    The adventure started with three long days in the saddle. How did that go? Haha, not very well! 1.5 hours after we started, we were stuck and had to push the bikes through 30–40 cm of fresh snow. Generally, it was super cold, and we underestimated the weight of the bags. We carried in all our gear – alpinism by fair means. The first night, the police also kicked us out of our little wood cabin as in Austria sleeping somewhere out counts as illegal camping.  Did you start to question why you didn’t simply drive to the mountain? We wanted to experience the same as the two pioneers in the 1930s, which is why we also took the bikes. Studying the route and the weather are part of any adventure.   Do you think Martin will ever again go on a bikepacking trip? No, never! He had never ridden more than 100 km before, and on day one we had to do around 220 km! He did not like it. And what about you…? Well, generally, I like cycling a lot as to me it’s the perfect way to explore new areas at a decent speed. But on this ride, my leg warmers were too tight, and I got an inflammation around the knee, which was super painful. First attempt on the Eiger: too much snow.   The weather conditions and the amount of snow made the first Eiger attempt hard. Is there anything you could have done differently? At one point, there were just too many people with busy schedules involved in the project, and we couldn’t keep shifting the dates all the time. So, we had only a few time slots planned, and basically, only this one was left. That’s why we started in okay conditions, knowing that it might become too tricky to climb the face. And then there was too much snow. Mountaineering has a lot to do with conditions. Usually, you need to be patient and wait for the right conditions. It’s never a good idea to rush it in the mountains.  Before the second attempt, the atmosphere was different. Can you explain a bit about what was happening? When we came back one year later for the second try, we knew that the conditions were very good and that it was just a matter of us making it happen. Also, we didn’t do the bike approach again, which made it easier. When we went up to Eigergletscher to sleep, there was so much positive energy. I remember this situation well. Second try, better conditions – but different route.   Could part of the mood be that you were so sure that with the right timing and team, you could just show up and finish the project? Yes, exactly. It was almost like: We just need to climb it now, and that’s it! Is it possible that the slower approach and early difficulties set you up differently? Martin and I had done some more training together, like the Matterhorn North Face. We felt more ready than the first time and were more relaxed as we did not have heavy legs from three long days of riding. Summit of the Eiger!   Did the adventure teach you something? Most of the time, things come out very differently than we have planned, and we always need to keep the capacity to adapt.   Watch now: Bike to Eiger Watch now: Philipp Reiter and Martin Schidlowski follow the footsteps of their local mountaineering heroes from the 1930s on a multisport adventure to the "Eigernordwand“.

Nordic Gravel Series team member, rider and coach Joonas Henttala gives his essential tips for a successful gravel race. Joonas Henttala, a coach and a Nordic Gravel Series team member, has more than 10 years of experience in the professional peloton. In 2023, after ending his road cycling career, he turned to coaching and gravel event organizing, took up trail running as his personal challenge while also riding gravel. We got in touch with Joonas to get some tips for a gravel race. Read on and be ready for a big, fun day out! Progressively build your fitness Gravel races are long and require a strong, aerobic base, which is built by spending quality time in zone 2 and later layering higher intensities and race spesific efforts on top. Joonas says that consistency and progressively adding training load are the keys to successful endurance training. “Riding one hour five times weekly is a better start than a five-hour smash-fest once a week. After your body starts to adapt, you can progressively add more training load. It does not make sense to do a huge hero ride way beyond your limits on the weekend and then recover from it the entire following week. The body simply can’t assimilate that and progress will be slow. The aerobic needs required in a long event or race need consistent stimulus over long periods of time.” The slower speeds and smaller groups make the power output on gravel slightly different from the road. “On the road there’s often more coasting and higher power peaks, while gravel riding is more grinding, keeping constant pressure on the pedals,” Joonas explains.  Get comfortable riding in a group. (Image: NGS/Falling Leaves Lahti) Practice your bike handling Solid bike handling skills are essential as gravel riding can get technical, almost like mountain biking. Especially if your background is in road cycling, practicing your bike handling can be very beneficial. “If you come from the road, you may assume there’s grip everywhere. But gravel is different. You must learn to find the grip on a surface that’s moving underneath you. Practice different kinds of turns on different surfaces.” Mountain bikers are comfortable with the varied terrain. For them, Joonas recommends getting comfortable riding in a big group. The first hour of a gravel race can be especially hectic. Still, you should be able to stay relaxed and not get intimidated by leaning on one another or touching handlebars with someone. “Joining a few group rides before taking part in a gravel race is definitely a good idea. After a few of them, you will start to feel more comfortable,” he promises. “Solid bike handling skills and experience from group riding help you save energy, too.” Get to know the course Knowing the course well is definitely beneficial. However, pre-riding the entire course is often not an option as the distances of gravel events are so long. That’s when the Suunto app comes in handy: Import the route GPX file to the Suunto app (or sync it from a compatible partner service, like Strava or Komoot) and study the course. Look at the altitude profile to identify the big climbs – and descents. “Try to save some energy for the big climbs. That’s where the strong riders will make their moves,” Joonas instructs. “That same applies to other parts of the course as well: Try to save energy when riding easy sections, like roads. When the riding gets more technical and the speeds slower, be prepared to hammer.” The map in the Suunto app is a great way to identify those key sections: Look at the roads, tracks and trails. How wide are they? When is it getting technical? If, for example, a road narrows to a single track, you don’t want to be in the back of the group and stuck in a traffic jam. Take your positions early. The fun is about to get real! (Image: NGS/Falling Leaves Lahti) Refuel early In a long endurance event, a steady pace would be optimal – but often far from reality in gravel races. If you want to stay in the front, the first hour is decisive: You must weigh whether you can afford to ride a little too fast in the beginning to stay with the group without bonking. Try to also conserve energy: Draft in the group and remember to start refueling already at the beginning of the long race. If you don’t refuel during the first hour, you will have to pay for the consequences later. “Riding should feel hard, but not so hard that after the first hour, you’ll start to question if you’ll be able to finish the race,” Joonas says. Having the necessary energy in the bottle for the first hour might be a good idea. This way you don’t need to mess with gels and bars in the heat of the early part of the race. Remember what’s important People take part in gravel events with quite different approaches: some are there to win, others to test their own limits. Some simply want to have a good time on the bike and make new friends. “Gravel races are quite different from road races. Even in the lead group people chat and have smiles on their faces. I certainly hope it stays this way,” says Joonas. Whatever your goal, ride hard but be polite and considerate of others.  “If you cross the finish line with emptly legs and a big muddy smile on your face, the day has been successful – whatever your goal!” Coach Henttala himself after Traka 360 in Girona in May 2024.   Learn more about the Nordic Gravel Series

We asked the Suunto community for your favorite training music. Here’s what you listen to as two Spotify playlists! In the pursuit of peak performance, the right playlist can be just as essential as the perfect pair of sneakers or a well-balanced meal. Understanding the profound impact music has on our workouts, we turned to the Suunto community for their ultimate training anthems.  The result? Two electrifying compilations curated directly from their recommendations: one pulsating with fast, energetic rhythms to fuel the most intense workouts, and the other, a collection of smooth, easy-listening melodies crafted to accompany moments of serene focus and recovery.  Dive into the beats that inspire, motivate, and elevate our training sessions below!   Fast-paced training music by Suunto Community We asked you delivered: These power songs get the Suunto community through the tough workouts.   Easy-paced training music by Suunto Community We asked you delivered: These chill songs get the Suunto community's workouts to flow smoothly.

Want to know what gears you use and monitor the battery on your electronic shifting? Read on and learn how – and why – to connect your Suunto with Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. The new Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app connects your Suunto sports watch with Shimano’s electronic shifting for real-time guidance and saves data for after-ride analysis. See the gears you are using and the status of your Di2 battery on your Suunto.   Through the Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app, developed in partnership with Shimano, you can monitor crucial data such as gear positions and Di2 battery status directly on your Suunto. You can view details of your shifting after your ride in Suunto app.  The SuuntoPlus sports app also saves Shimano Di2 data in Suunto app for later analyzes. It can be viewed in relation to power and speed, for example.   What gear I am on (and why should I care) Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app offers clear benefits both during and after the ride. During the ride, you will easily see how much battery you have left in your electronic shifting system and the gears you are on. The gears you use, are also saved as part of the activity in Suunto app. Taking a moment to study these, may give you some interesting insights. Firstly, you will learn what gears you mostly use. Did you mostly use the higher or the lower gears or was the use well in balance? This can lead to two findings: is your gearing right for the terrain and how’s your chainline. If you spend most of the time on the lower gears and hardly ever touch the higher ones, you may want to consider a smaller chainring. Or if you are a lot on the hardest gear and spinning out, a bigger chainring might be a good option. Another consideration is the chainline. The word ‘chainline’ refers to how straight your chain runs between the front chainring(s) and the rear sprockets. A straigt chainline is more effective and stresses the components less. So, spending more time on rear sprockets that offer a straight, “perfect” chainline is smart. This data can be collected with the Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app.   How to use SHIMANO Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app Sync the Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app to your watch from Suunto app’s SuuntoPlus Store. Select the Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app in the exercise settings before starting your workout. During activity, scroll with the middle button to view the SuuntoPlus screen. Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sport apps stores data for after analysis in Suunto app. Next time you start your ride with the same sport mode, your Shimano Di2 SuuntoPlus sports app is selected as default and connects with your Shimano Di2. Happy riding!   Lead image: Philipp Reiter / The Adventure Bakery

Are you riding an e-bike with your Suunto? Now you can connect your watch with SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS bicycles. Learn how to do it! Cycling is one of the key sports within the Suunto community, with enthusiasts leveraging Suunto's advanced GPS watches to monitor and optimize their performance and explore new terrain. Suunto’s compatibility with SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS equipped e-bikes is a new addition to meet the diverse needs of cyclists. So, whether you are hitting the trails or commuting on a bike path on your e-bike, read on! SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS SuuntoPlus sports app, a feature developed in collaboration with SHIMANO, shows you the assistant mode (Eco, Boost, Trail), power assistance level, e-bike battery status, speed and heart rate directly on your Suunto watch in real-time during your ride. The sports app also stores that data for after-ride analysis: You can, for example, see the assistant percentage along with the other data you tracked with your Suunto watch in Suunto app.   How to use SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS SuuntoPlus sport app Sync the SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS SuuntoPlus sports app to your watch from Suunto app’s SuuntoPlus Store. Select the SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS SuuntoPlus sports app in the exercise settings before starting your workout. During activity, scroll with the middle button to view the SuuntoPlus screen. SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS SuuntoPlus sports app stores data for after analysis in Suunto app. Next time you start your ride with the same sport mode, your SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS SuuntoPlus sports app is selected as default and connects with your SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS bicycle. SuuntoPlus sports app is compatible with the SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS equipped with SHIMANO Wireless Units. SHIMANO Wireless Units can be equipped with following SHIMANO E-BIKE SYSTEMS Drive Unit Models: EP801, EP6 EP800 / E6100/E6180/E5000/E5080 E7000 E8000 / E8080 (Only E6000 cannot be equipped for SHIMANO Wireless Units)