Detecting workout fails

Raz0rEdge

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I had an Apple Watch 3 and had the automatic workout detection enabled and when I failed to start the Outdoor Walk, it never picked it up. Interestingly, my wife's AW3 and AW4 would constantly remind her to enable the Workout on the same walk. I figured it was something odd with my AW3, but I just upgraded to a AW5 over the last week and it's the same situation. The AW5 doesn't pick up fact that I'm on the walk either.

There's obviously not a lot of information on WHAT triggers the workout detection, so it's hard to know what I'm not doing. Is it the heartrate that needs to be higher or bigger arm movements?

I, at least, like the Infographic watch face which allows me to put the workout complication on the main screen to enable things faster than I was before, but it would be nice to know why this feature doesn't work for me and does for my wife.
 
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Raz0rEdge

Raz0rEdge

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The setting was the first thing I checked and have left them toggled off and on for some duration to see if it picks anything up, but no change.
 
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I'm stumped, then. I don't see the prompts on my Watch, but I'm pretty careful to start my watch before I start my routine, so I wouldn't expect to see it. I do get extra minutes of "workout" if I do something to elevate my heart rate, but no warning about forgetting to start the workout. I guess that is the same "failure" as you are seeing?

I think the triggers are movement at a certain speed (I think it's 4mph) and/or elevated heart rate that triggers "exercise" minutes. I read that a long time ago, so don't take that to the bank...
 

RavingMac

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Honestly, I haven’t found anything on the Apple Watch regarding workouts that functions as well as I expect it to. When it comes to running, my old Garmin GPS watch was easier to use, gave access to more data, and actually seemed more accurate, though satellite syncing could be a pain. Also, having to raise my wrist (doesn’t always work) to get the display to come on is a bother.
If it wasn’t for the ability to call home or 911 while out for a run I wouldn’t have an Apple Watch.
 
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Raz0rEdge

Raz0rEdge

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I'm stumped, then. I don't see the prompts on my Watch, but I'm pretty careful to start my watch before I start my routine, so I wouldn't expect to see it. I do get extra minutes of "workout" if I do something to elevate my heart rate, but no warning about forgetting to start the workout. I guess that is the same "failure" as you are seeing?

I think the triggers are movement at a certain speed (I think it's 4mph) and/or elevated heart rate that triggers "exercise" minutes. I read that a long time ago, so don't take that to the bank...

Yeah I'm pretty much the same, when I know I want/need to track a workout, I start it up and go. With the new AW5, I can put the Workout right on the dial and get there faster which helps. But it would be nice to get 'credit' for the other walks I do do with the dogs when I forget to turn if on.

We don't maintain a very fast pace with the dogs, what with all of their distractions, but my wife's watch continually bugs her while mine doesn't at all, just very confusing.
 
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Raz0rEdge

Raz0rEdge

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Well an interesting thing. I was walking over to the football stadium yesterday, about a 20 min walk, and boom I got the workout alert. Now i know I was walking at a much faster pace than I do with the dogs, so that seems to be the key. At least, now I know that this feature does indeed work. :)
 

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