apple watch series 3 exercise app not syncing with activity app

[Lee_Bo]

So I used the Workout app on my series 3 yesterday for the first time and sent on a walk. Not really sure if you'd call this a "brisk" walk (per Apple's explanation) but it faster than a normal leisurely walk:



To me, that was a brisk walk.

However, that activity did not sync into the Activity app:





From the official Apple support page I came across this:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8212983

Anyone else encounter this?

 

[wolfee48]

I experience something similar to this as well. I'll go on 3 - 4 hour hike along a river with a elevation gain of 600 and the exercise ring only records 45 - 60 minutes of exercise activity.

 

[Lee_Bo]

I experience something similar to this as well. I'll go on 3 - 4 hour hike along a river with a elevation gain of 600 and the exercise ring only records 45 - 60 minutes of exercise activity.

Ok, thanks. Glad to know it's not just me then.

I mean, I understand Apple's explanation:
"To credit progress towards your Exercise goal, the Activity app aims to identify activity that equals or exceeds the intensity of a brisk walk. This requirement applies both during general daily wear and when recording workouts via the Workout app."

I would think a heart rate above 100 continuously would indicate a brisk walk, run, bike ride, etc., but I guess not. I'm going to try it again with a 3rd party app and see if I get any different results.

 

[Ken Magel]

Different apps do tend to give somewhat different results since they use different criteria.

 

[doogald]

If you were to ask me, I would say that a 19:15/mile pace is not quite a "brisk walk", no matter what your heart rate is. I think I've read that a "brisk walk" corresponds with a pace of about 3.5 mph, which is a pace of about 17:10 per mile. (Also, Apple may be measuring relative heart rates, and, if your resting heart rate is high, then 100 bpm may not be enough of an increase to be called "brisk").

The truth, though, is that Apple really hasn't specifically defined what "brisk" is. I'd try walking a bit faster to see if that registers in the green ring, though.

 

[phlamethrowre]

I am just now starting to use the Activity and Workout functions of my Series 3 watches. I plan on tracking my 5 mile run this afternoon using the workout feature. I’ll report back how well it works. It didn’t work very well last night when I was strength training. I didn’t use the workout function thinking it would detect that I was working out automatically. It recorded a few minutes of exercise during a 45 minutes non-stop lifting sesssion. (I don’t believe in resting between sets)

 

[doogald]

I am just now starting to use the Activity and Workout functions of my Series 3 watches. I plan on tracking my 5 mile run this afternoon using the workout feature. I’ll report back how well it works. It didn’t work very well last night when I was strength training. I didn’t use the workout function thinking it would detect that I was working out automatically. It recorded a few minutes of exercise during a 45 minutes non-stop lifting sesssion. (I don’t believe in resting between sets)

If you are not using the workout app, the watch checks for heart rate about every five minutes or so. When you are using the workout app, it checks continuously - so, yes, using the workout app should more accurately measure/approximate effort.

 

[phlamethrowre]

I’ve noticed it will give you credit for exercise when you’re not really exercising. Probably from walking fast enough to elevate your HR. I’m a fast walker so that makes sense.

 

[doogald]

I’ve noticed it will give you credit for exercise when you’re not really exercising. Probably from walking fast enough to elevate your HR. I’m a fast walker so that makes sense.

Yes, the green ring counts a minute for any activity that is the equivalent of "a brisk walk" whether you are using a workout app or not. The only exception is if you are doing an "Other" workout - then it counts every minute as green ring exercise (for some reason I'm not quite sure I understand.)

 

[phlamethrowre]

It seems to have tracked my run fairly well. I’ve always guessed that course to be 5 miles based on how long it takes me to run it. I seem to be getting slower now that I’m over 50.