Interested in adding an Apple Watch to your fitness regime? We’ve got everything you need to know about Apple Watch Workouts here.
Firstly, it’s no secret that the Apple Watch is great for getting fit. With high-quality sensors, health trackers, and an activity app, this device is certainly ideal for anyone who wants a combination of smartwatch features and fitness tools. But, what is the Apple Watch Workout app?
If you’re into gym classes or sports, you might want more data than a standard step counter. Luckily, the Apple Watch has the Workout feature to help you learn more about your performance while training.
In this article, we’ll explore exactly what the Apple Watch Workout app does, the best ways to use it, and why you should embrace this fitness technology.
Keep reading to learn why the Apple Watch Workout app is so important.
What Are Apple Watch Workouts?
The Workout app comes with the Apple Watch, and it allows users to track specific activities. Rather than calculating general movements, the workouts app can be set to an exercise to get detailed data on your chosen workout.
Through GPS and motion sensors, the workout app recognizes the sport and your movements. The watch can track indoor exercise and outdoor workouts too. This workout feature rivals the Polar sports watch or the Garmin ranges as it is optimized for different workouts, rather than just activity tracking like a Fitbit.
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What Workouts Are On Offer?
Apple Watch users have the choice between a range of different sports, and the list certainly keeps growing with every Apple Watch Update.
Workout options include:
- Running
- Walking
- Hiking
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Rowing
- Indoors Cycling
- Elliptical workouts
- Stair Stepper
- HIIT
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Tai Chi
- Dancing
- Cooldown
- Core Training
Whether you want to burn some serious calories or take a slower approach to get active, Apple can detect and measure your chosen sport. The watch can easily differentiate between indoor and outdoor exercise. Furthermore, it can even measure gym machines. Wheelchair-specific workouts are also accounted for on the Workout app, increasing accessibility for all users.
Users also have the option to measure their cool-down sessions, allowing them to record their entire gym session from start to finish.
The Apple Watch also provides an “other” category where users can insert additional workouts that aren’t yet supported by the system – for example, tennis or wrestling.
How Does This Differ To The Activity App?
Wondering what the key differences are between the workout and activity apps?
The core difference is that the activity app tracks calories, minutes, standing hours, and non-specific fitness metrics. This builds up an image of your daily fitness while wearing the watch, so any walking or movement from your day is included.
On the other hand, the workout app has to be deliberately turned on and is only used when you start a workout or sport. This gives you a detailed report of your fitness session, excluding any movement or steps taken throughout the day.
The activity app is excellent for getting a general picture of your day-to-day health, and the workout app should be used for training and sport. Users can use the data from both apps to improve their fitness and reach new goals.
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How Does Workout Tracking Work?
The workout app is ideal for tracking your workouts, but how does this work? Here are the key elements of this tracking feature.
Accurate Stats
When you’ve selected your workout and started the tracking, you can swipe between two screens to keep track of your statistics while you workout. The tracking allows you to see your real-time kilometers, calories, and time while getting fit. This works for all activities, including swimming. Users can also check their distance and pace too.
If you’re taking part in an indoor workout, the focus is more on your heart rate and calories. Apple allows you to choose “indoor” workouts, so you don’t have any confusing distance stats on your screen.
Watch Metrics
While Apple usually gives you appropriate metrics for your chosen sport, you can still swap and change them as needed. If you want to edit your workout metrics, use the companion Watch app on your smartphone to visit “workout view.” Here you can customize your data and metrics.
Users get to choose between single metrics and multiple metrics. Single metrics refer to focusing on one metric, but users can still use the digital crown to scroll to others. Multiple metrics allow you to view more than one category at once.
If you don’t like the metrics Apple has chosen for each sport, you can easily change them to focus on your needed categories.
Exercise Detection
The workout app can also pick up on when a workout starts. This automatic detection uses the watch’s built-in sensors to recognize when your movement picks up. For example, if you’ve started a run and forgotten to set the app, it will vibrate and ask you if you want to start recording a workout. Users can either accept and begin recording or dismiss the alert.
This also works for the end of workouts too. Just as the watch can sense the start of an activity, it can also sense the end. If you’ve forgotten to turn the workout off, the watch will vibrate to remind you to end the exercise.
FAQ – Apple Watch Workouts
Here are some common questions and answers about the Apple Watch workout feature. Got any additional questions? Ask away in the comments!
Can You Review Your Workout Data?
Users can go to the iPhone app when a workout is complete to see their progress. You’ll find your latest workouts in that day’s activity, but do note that workouts aren’t listed together yet. This is where Apple isn’t as organized as a dedicated sports app.
When you review your workout, you’ll be able to see time, distance, calories, pace, heart rate, or any other specific metrics you’ve chosen to record. The app also gives you a graph of the workout pace or a map of your route if needed. This is a great way to see your progress, and it empowers you to plan your next workout.
Can I Get Mid-Workout Feedback?
In the watchOS 8 updates, Apple added an additional feature that gives you mid-workout feedback on your process. This feedback is given through audible announcements, allowing you to work out without checking the stats on your screen.
While audible alerts aren’t new in the sports workout world, it’s great to see Apple finally embracing this feature. Apple has moved on from its buzzing alerts, and users can now gain clearer insights while active.
To use these new alerts, you need to enable Voice Feedback in your watchOS 8 settings. You also need to be using wireless headphones or AirPods to hear the alerts.
Can I Share My Workouts?
The Apple Watch offers activity sharing, and you can invite your friends who own watches via the iPhone app. This allows you to view their activity rings, start competitions, and you’ll see when they finish workouts.
When you’re connected with friends, they can also see when you’ve finished a workout too. This is a great way to stay connected and motivate each other to get fit.
To get connected, open the iPhone fitness app and invite friends via the sharing tab. You can also invite friends via your watch on the activity app. Just scroll down to the sharing screen and invite a friend.
Ready To Workout?
The Apple Watch is a strong smartwatch competitor. This model can do it all with a range of modern smartwatch features, a sleek design, and additional fitness and workout features. The Apple workouts keep getting updated, so if you don’t see your favorite exercise here yet, it could be included in the next update.
What do you think of the Apple Watch workouts? Let us know in the comments.
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Last Updated on May 3, 2022
Isobel is a freelance copy and content writer who regularly contributes to Superwatches. Well-versed in all the ins and outs of the smartwatch industry. Isobel specializes in Fashion and design and is a First Class fashion design graduate.
Currently lives in Bournemouth, United Kingdom.