The recovery readiness formula (simple, actionable)

The goal of this Recovery Advisor is not to predict your exact performance. It’s to help you make a smart decision: rest, light, moderate, or push. Most people get stuck because they only look at one signal (like soreness) and ignore the rest. This calculator uses a weighted blend of nine signals to produce a single number you can track over time.

Each slider is rated from 1 to 10. Higher is better for sleep, energy, hydration, nutrition, mobility, and motivation. Higher is worse for stress, soreness, and training load — so those three are inverted into “calm,” “freshness,” and “load‑relief” scores.

• Sleep quality: 18% (the #1 recovery multiplier)
• Energy: 15% (your “battery” for the day)
• Stress (inverted → calm): 14% (stress steals recovery)
• Soreness (inverted → freshness): 12% (muscle/tissue signal)
• Training load (inverted): 10% (how taxed you are)
• Hydration: 9% (small changes, big effects)
• Nutrition quality: 9% (fuel + repair)
• Mobility/movement: 7% (fast “reset lever”)
• Motivation: 6% (mind-body readiness)

After weighting, we get a number that still lives on a 1–10 scale. We convert it to 0–100 using:

Recovery Readiness (0–100) = ((WeightedAverage − 1) ÷ 9) × 100

This keeps the math easy and makes the meaning intuitive: 0 is “depleted,” 50 is “okay,” and 100 is “fully ready.” The best way to use the score is as a trend line. If your readiness is drifting down across several days, you’re accumulating fatigue. If it climbs after a rest day, your plan is working.

What to do with your score

A score is only useful if it changes your behavior. So this advisor turns your readiness into a clear recommendation you can actually follow today.

• 0–34: Recovery Day — reduce demands, prioritize sleep, mobility, and nutrition.
• 35–54: Light Day — technique, easy cardio, short strength session, low intensity.
• 55–74: Moderate Day — normal training, but keep one “reserve gear.”
• 75–100: Push Day — hardest workout, new PR attempt, or the task you’ve been avoiding.

Try this challenge: “Improve your lowest slider by 1 point in 24 hours.” It’s small enough to be realistic, but meaningful enough to change your trajectory. People love tools that produce one clear action. This calculator identifies your two weakest areas and suggests the simplest “+1 point” steps.

Suppose you slept poorly (3/10), feel stressed (8/10), but you’re motivated (7/10). Your brain says “push anyway.” Your body says “not today.” The score will likely land in the Light or Recovery zone — and your plan becomes: a short mobility session, a walk, hydration, and an early bedtime. Tomorrow, your readiness rises and you can push.

What each slider is telling you

The fastest way to use this tool is to stop obsessing about the final number and start treating each slider as a signal. Here’s what they typically mean — and what to do when one is low.

Sleep quality is your core recovery lever. If sleep is low for multiple days, even “easy workouts” can feel hard. A practical fix is to pick a bedtime window you can actually keep (even 30 minutes earlier), reduce bright screens before bed, and make the morning light exposure more consistent.

Soreness isn’t always bad — it can mean you trained well — but high soreness often reduces movement quality. If soreness is high, switch to a session that improves blood flow (walk, bike, mobility) instead of max effort. If soreness is sharp, joint-based, or worsening, stop and seek qualified support.

Stress consumes recovery capacity. Two people can do the same workout and recover differently depending on stress load. If stress is high, the best “training” might be a planning session, a short breathing exercise, or a low-stakes social check-in.

Energy is your felt capacity. When it’s low, the safest move is to lower the “intensity tax” today and focus on basics. If it’s high, it’s a green light — but only if sleep and stress aren’t flashing red.

Hydration and nutrition are powerful because they’re controllable. Many people see a readiness jump just by drinking water earlier and adding one protein-forward meal. The point isn’t perfection — it’s predictable inputs.

Training load is how “taxing” your recent effort has been. A hard week builds fitness, but it also builds fatigue. If load is high, your body needs low-intensity movement and sleep to absorb the work.

Mobility is a fast reset lever because it reduces stiffness and improves blood flow. Even a 10-minute mobility circuit can raise the subjective feeling of readiness, which is why it’s included here.

Motivation is not “willpower.” It’s often your brain’s way of saying “resources are low.” If your motivation is low but everything else is fine, you might just need novelty or a smaller starting step (a 10-minute timer).

Three quick score scenarios

Sleep 7, Soreness 8, Stress 4, Energy 8, Hydration 6, Nutrition 7, Load 7, Mobility 5, Motivation 8. The soreness and load will pull the score down, but energy and sleep keep it afloat. Plan: moderate day, avoid heavy eccentrics, add mobility and a longer warmup.

Sleep 3, Soreness 5, Stress 9, Energy 4, Hydration 5, Nutrition 5, Load 4, Mobility 4, Motivation 3. Expect a low score. Plan: recovery day (walk, mobility, hydration, simple meals, early bedtime). Tomorrow is likely better if you protect sleep.

Sleep 8, Soreness 3, Stress 3, Energy 8, Hydration 7, Nutrition 7, Load 5, Mobility 6, Motivation 7. Expect a high score. Plan: push day — pick your hardest session or the most important task.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this the same as a medical recovery assessment?

  No. This is a self‑reflection tool to help you choose intensity wisely. It does not diagnose injuries or conditions.

• How often should I use it?

  Daily works if you keep it fast. Weekly is great for trends. Many people do it in the morning before training.

• Why invert stress, soreness, and training load?

  Because higher values usually reduce recovery readiness. We convert them into “calm,” “freshness,” and “relief” to keep the math intuitive.

• What if my score is low but I still want to train?

  Train, but change the goal: technique, easy movement, mobility, or a short session. Save the intensity for a higher readiness day.

• Can this help with burnout from work, not exercise?

  Yes — the same signals apply. Use “training load” as “overall demand” (workload + obligations) and follow the plan accordingly.

• What if I feel pain or dizziness?

  Stop and seek professional help. This tool is not for urgent symptoms or injury assessment.

Use it responsibly

Treat the score as a conversation starter with yourself: “What would make tomorrow easier?” Don’t use it to ignore pain, push through illness, or replace professional advice. If you’re concerned about health symptoms, consult a qualified professional.

• Pick one consistent check-in time (morning or evening).
• Save a snapshot once a week and look for direction.
• When readiness drops for 3 days, schedule a deliberate recovery day.

“+1 point” Recovery Challenge

Post your score and your “+1 point” plan: “Today I’m a {score}/100. My +1 focus is: ___.” Small, concrete, and surprisingly motivating.

• “Recovery Readiness: 62/100. My +1 focus today: hydration + 10-minute walk.”
• “Score: 41/100. My +1 focus: earlier bedtime + no screens 30 minutes.”
• “Score: 83/100. My push plan: hardest workout first.”