Exercise Time vs Total Time

Question

djeetee Author

Level 1

4 points

Exercise Time vs Total Time

Hey Fellow Watchers,

i'm seeing the following scenario using the Workout watch App:

- start the workout app

- select outdoor walk

- pick open goal

- Start

- go for a 45min walk with my iPhone

- finish the walk and tap end and save

- the exercise ring shows that I did 17mins (my wife's 7 mins) instead of the actual walk duration

- everything else (duration i.e total time, calories, start/end time, pace, distance) in the Phone's Activity and Health apps seem to be accurate

Has anyone experienced anything like this or could suggest what could be going wrong?

thanks

//g

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Jul 18, 2015 4:31 PM

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Answer 1

G3gator

Level 3

596 points

Jul 18, 2015 4:43 PM in response to djeetee

To register as "exercise" is must meet some threshold of effort. Apple says a "brisk walk," but I have never seen this defined. So, this is telling you that 17 or your 45 minutes met the criterion.

Why your wife differed, I would have no idea. Maybe, the definition is based on individual data (age, weight, etc.). I would really like to know how it is determined.

George

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Answer 2

djeetee Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 22, 2015 2:18 PM in response to G3gator

Thanks George.

I was doing a bit of testing over the last few days to try to figure out what is going on. What you suggested makes sense but it is completely unpredictable.

for example, I went for 45min 'brisk walk'. no stopping and pretty fast but not at the 'almost jogging' level. the watch recorded about 10 minutes of exercise.

Just completed a 20min Fitstar workout. a strong one of about 260cal. the watch recorded the correct amount of cals as predicted by FitStar but out of the 20 minutes it only recorded 5 minutes as exercise minutes!

I will continue to test this but it would nice to get some clarification from Apple on what exercise minutes actually mean.

thanks

george

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,585 points

Jul 22, 2015 2:35 PM in response to djeetee

for example, I went for 45min 'brisk walk'. no stopping and pretty fast but not at the 'almost jogging' level. the watch recorded about 10 minutes of exercise.

Perhaps you did not swing your arms freely enough:

Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Every full minute of movement equalling or exceeding the intensity of a brisk walk counts toward your daily Exercise and Move goals. Any activity below the intensity of a brisk walk counts only toward your daily Move goal.

Make sure you earn Exercise credit during walks by allowing the arm with your Apple Watch to swing naturally. For example, while walking your pet, let the arm with your watch swing freely while the other holds the leash.

If you need both hands while walking, for example to push a stroller, you can still earn Exercise credit by using the Workout app. The Activity app relies on arm motion and an accelerometer to track movement, whereas the Workout app uses a heart rate sensor and GPS. Open the Workout app on your Apple Watch, tap Outdoor Walk, and bring your iPhone on the walk.

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