What Is TRIMP? The Heart Rate Training Load Formula Explained

TRIMP turns your heart rate during a workout into a single number representing training stress — helping you balance load and recovery without guesswork.

7 min read
Beginner-friendly
ESC 2021 sourced
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Measurement complete
Your HRV today.
68 ms
Heart-rate variability
Excellent
RMSSD
68 ms
+6% · parasympathetic
SDNN
91 ms
+3% · autonomic
7-day trend
↑ up 4%

TRIMP — Training Impulse — is a simple way to put a single number on how much a workout actually cost you: duration multiplied by intensity. Pulse Rate adds up your TRIMP across the week so you can see whether your load is too light, about right, or heading toward overreaching. This guide explains the metric and how to read it.

What is HRV

The variation between heartbeats — your nervous system's report card.

RMSSD vs SDNN

Two metrics, one number. Why Pulse shows both — and which to watch.

TRIMP load

Training-impulse: your weekly training load, in one chart.

The protocol

4 steps. Sixty seconds. Done before your coffee.

  1. 01
    Morning

    Understand the Formula

    TRIMP = Duration × Average HR × Intensity Weighting. The higher your heart rate relative to max, the more stress each minute contributes to your daily score.

  2. 02
    60 sec

    Log Your Workout HR

    After a session, open Pulse Rate and record your workout duration. The app uses your heart rate zones to calculate a TRIMP score automatically.

  3. 03
    Read

    Compare Day-to-Day Load

    Review your weekly TRIMP totals in the trends view. A sustainable training week typically shows gradually increasing load with planned lower-load recovery days.

  4. 04
    Daily

    Use Load to Plan Recovery

    When your weekly TRIMP spikes significantly, your body needs more time to adapt. Use the morning HRV reading to confirm readiness before your next hard session.

What you'll see in Pulse

Your progress, exactly how the app shows it.

The same chart that lives on your iPhone's Progress screen — rebuilt so you know what you're looking at.

Wellness Index trend
82 / 100 Excellent
Last 30 days
100 75 50 25
Excellent (80+) Borderline (40–60) Very low (0–40)
Excellent 80+

Outstanding score. Your key heart metrics are above normal.

Normal 60 – 80

Most healthy adults fall within this range.

Borderline 40 – 60

Not necessarily alarming — but worth monitoring.

Very Low 0 – 40

If this persists, please consult a healthcare professional.

Bonus · TRIMP

Training Impulse, decoded.

TRIMP = duration × intensity. A 60-minute easy run scores about 70 TRIMP. A 30-minute interval session scores 110. Pulse adds them up daily and tells you when your week is too light, just right, or about to overcook you.

80–140
Optimal weekly load
140–200
Stretch (watch HRV)
200+
Overreaching
More guides
FAQ

Your questions, answered.

What exactly is TRIMP?

TRIMP stands for Training Impulse. It combines how long you trained with how hard your heart was working, producing one number per session so you can compare an easy hour against a short, brutal interval set.

What is a healthy weekly TRIMP range?

As a general guide Pulse treats roughly 80–140 as an optimal weekly load, 140–200 as a stretch worth watching against your HRV, and 200+ as overreaching territory. Your personal sweet spot shifts with fitness.

How does TRIMP relate to my HRV?

They work together: a rising weekly TRIMP with a falling morning HRV is the classic signal that you are accumulating fatigue faster than you are recovering. Pulse charts both so you can spot it early.

Do I need a wearable to track training load?

No. Pulse derives training load from your logged sessions and heart data on the iPhone, so you can follow your weekly load without a watch or strap.

Take your first reading.

You've already got the hardware — your iPhone. Pulse does the rest.

Free to download · Core tracking always free · iOS 15+

Download on the App Store