Heart Rate Variability

Sylvain Laborde, PhD, is an associate professor in sport psychology at the German Sport University Cologne, where he founded the HRV–Performance Psychophysiology Lab. He holds doctorates in sport science and psychology and has spent 18 years researching HRV and noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation in athletes.

A global authority on HRV and author of over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers, Dr. Laborde is an award-winning speaker who has shared his expertise in five languages across more than 20 countries, presenting to Olympic committees, national coaches, and elite athletes. His Vagal Tank Theory, co-authored with Emma Mosley, translates complex research into practical applications for performance and self-regulation through techniques like slow-paced breathing and the diving reflex. His research is frequently featured in international media.

In this book, Dr. Laborde aims to provide a comprehensive guide to monitoring and enhancing HRV for athletes, coaches, and performance seekers.

Marco Altini, PhD, MSc, is a scientist and developer working at the intersection of health, technology, and performance. He holds doctorates in data science and computer science engineering, and a master’s degree in human movement sciences with a specialization in high-performance coaching.

Dr. Altini founded HRV4Training in 2012, a platform used by over 150,000 individuals, including Olympic medalists and professional teams, to measure HRV and quantify stress for improved performance.

His blog entries and articles have reached over one million readers, and he has published more than 50 scientific papers and patents. He has developed software solutions for tracking and improving HRV, including HRV4Training and HRV4Biofeedback, and has collaborated with organizations like Oura and Strava.

Dr. Altini is a guest lecturer at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and advises companies in the HRV space. He is a recognized expert on HRV measurement and application, and as a recreational athlete, he broke the 3-hour marathon barrier.

Emma Mosley, PhD, is a senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at Bournemouth University. She holds the Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist certification and the Chartered Scientist credential. Her doctorate is in HRV and performance under pressure, and she has studied HRV for over a decade.

A leading HRV researcher, Dr. Mosley, with Sylvain Laborde, has advanced HRV research in psychophysiology and sport and exercise psychology. She has authored significant papers, including a methodological paper on Vagal Tank Theory with Sylvain Laborde, and a systematic review on HRV in sport and exercise psychology. Her work also explores applied HRV interventions in elite athletes.

Dr. Mosley has experience in elite sport, including Formula 3 and the International Biathlon Union, and has delivered HRV-informed breathing sessions to corporate teams. She is dedicated to making HRV accessible and understandable.

Dan Plews, PhD, is an applied sport scientist, researcher, and coach with extensive success in endurance sports. Athletes he has coached have won over 30 world championships and Olympic medals.

Dr. Plews is an expert in HRV, holding a doctorate in applied HRV with research focused on using HRV to track training adaptation in elite athletes. His work has been published in over 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

He has held senior high-performance roles, including head of physical performance at Emirates Team New Zealand during their America’s Cup win, lead physiologist for Rowing New Zealand at the Olympic Games, and lead performance physiologist for Women’s Canoe Racing New Zealand.

Dan is the founder of Endure IQ, an endurance education and coaching company, and cofounder of Endurox, a training platform for Hyrox athletes. He has coached numerous Ironman athletes to sub-8-hour performances, including Chelsea Sodaro to victory at the 2022 Ironman World Championship. As an athlete, he set the Ironman World Championship amateur course record at Kona in 2018 and was the first amateur to break the 8-hour Ironman barrier.

His current research focuses on optimizing performance for hybrid athletes in Hyrox, integrating endurance and strength training methodologies. He holds the Hyrox world record for the men’s 45-49 pro doubles division.

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