Most pitchers aren’t fully recovered 24 hours after a start, even if they feel fine, because HRV data shows the body is still in a stress-dominant state until closer to 48 hours. That means next-day lifting or added intensity may compete with recovery instead of helping it, which can slow adaptation and potentially increase injury risk. Tracking individual recovery metrics like HRV gives coaches a clearer picture of when an athlete is actually ready to handle stress, rather than relying on fixed schedules or subjective feel.
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