What a 12-lead ECG tells you before you start training

A 12-lead ECG (electrocardiogram) records the electrical activity of your heart while you lie still. It’s one of the six tests in our Health Autonomy assessment in Chudleigh, and it takes just a few minutes.

What happens

• You lie down on a couch.
• Small sticky pads are placed on your chest, arms and legs.
• You stay still and relaxed while the trace is recorded.
• It’s painless, with no needles.

What it measures

• Resting heart rate: how many times your heart beats each minute at rest.
• Electrical timings: how quickly the signal travels through your heart and resets between beats (known as PR, QRS and QTc).

Why it matters

A lower resting heart rate usually reflects better cardiovascular fitness, and cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health. Knowing your baseline helps us design training that’s both safe and effective for you, from gentle Zone 2 work to high-intensity intervals.

During the rest of your assessment you also wear a light chest strap (the Frontier X2) that measures heart rate variability, which shows how well your body is balancing stress and recovery.

What it isn’t

This is a baseline for exercise planning, not a diagnostic heart check. If anything needs additional checking, we’ll explain it and advise you of the next step.

If you have chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or feel faint or breathless, don’t wait for an assessment: call 999 or contact your GP or NHS 111.

Part of a bigger picture

Your ECG sits alongside body composition, an AGE Reader scan, spirometry and force plate testing, plus a calculated VO₂ max, all in one 45-minute appointment. See all six tests.