As the title suggests, my whoop recovery tends to sit around 37-60% during a recovery week. I have no idea why.
- Bike workouts are short, easy/endurance with more time focused on stretching/drills etc.
- Sleep score is 95% (consistent bed/wake, avg 8 hours), although I have been making an effort to shift both bed and wake earlier by 2 hours.
- RHR is in normal range
- Respiratory rate is normal,
HRV is the only thing that is “lower than average,” and it appears that this is tanking my score.
My working theories are…
- My HRV sees higher peaks in response to the fluctuation of training intensity a la super compensation mechanism. This drives my average HRV up, so that when it levels off during a week of reduced strain, it is lower relative to average.
- I can remember a podcast where the TR guys discussed catecholamines. So maybe, although I feel fine, my body is finally catching up on the damage done and I truly need to give it more time than I’d prefer to fully recover and adapt.
- The 2 hour shift earlier in my sleep schedule has not habituated yet and so my sleep is not as good as I think it is.
Thoughts?