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Smileyboy

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 6, 2008
1,148
131
Hey guys. I'm a CrossFitter. Just wanted to check to see if anyone else is using their watch to track their CrossFit workouts. One of the things I'm looking forward to doing.... Once I receive it ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430362261.406956.jpg
 
Hey guys. I'm a CrossFitter. Just wanted to check to see if anyone else is using their watch to track their CrossFit workouts. One of the things I'm looking forward to doing.... Once I receive it View attachment 547695

I'll be testing it out during crossfit for sure - Crossing my fingers that i get my watch SOON since i ordered it 4 minutes after launch!!

I'm kind of wondering how the tracking will be when out of range of the phone. I do know that Xfinity wifi covers the block that my gym is on and wonder if that would work.
 
Nice! I should check to see if my gym has xfinity wifi! I'm in the same boat, I ordered 4 min in too.
 
Yup. Gf and I send our heartbeats over to each other after a metcon lol.
 
I use mine for boot camp (not as hardcore as crossfit), and the heart rate monitor is virtually useless. Since we're always moving our hands, jumping, burpees, etc, I can't get the watch to consistently find my heart rate while in motion.

Every time I look down it is searching for my heart rate. I've tried every combination of high on the wrist, low on the wrist, as tight as I can possibly make it without cutting off circulation, etc. It only reads accurately when I stop for a few seconds between reps.

I bought a Wahoo Tickr X and paired it over Bluetooth and it works like a charm, however there is a 300+ calorie difference between what Wahoo is reporting and what Apple is reporting. I don't know which one is more accurate.
 
I'm actually wondering the same thing. Should be getting my watch by Friday, so I'm hoping to test it out this weekend during a WOD. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Got charged for my watch last night - hoping i somehow get it today or at least tomorrow and I will definitely let you know the experience with doing Crossfit with it.
 
I'm also a Crossfitter, but there's no way in hell I'm wearing the Watch while I work out. Sometimes we forget how heavy even the lightest barbells are.
 
I don't do crossfit, but I workout every morning with a rower, adding different exercises every 500m (pushups, dips, squats, etc)... I simply use the workout app under "rower" setting in that case... seems OK.

At the gym when lifting weights, I've been using the "other" setting. It kills battery life somewhat (well, I am streaming music also... probably the combination), but it seemed to do a reasonable job of measuring HR, and registering it as activity / workout on the daily ring. I have no way of knowing if the calories burned estimate is accurate.

All-in-all, the workout app is pretty good. It will get much better in the future. I'd expect they will add XFit, Yoga/Pilates, BarreFit, weight lifting, etc in the future as more data is collected and algorithms are figured out.

I will say that the workout app / movement / activity circles are very motivating. My wife and I are already pretty active and try to stay fit, but it has really put a fire under us to "complete" the circles every day. Funny how psychology works.
 
After using the Apple Watch for a few WODs, I can tell you the heart rate sensor is definitely better than the Fitbit Charge HR or Surge. Yes, there are times that the Apple Watch can't pickup a measurement because of movement, but at least it gives you some idea of heart rate during the workout.

I've been able to get it to read up into the 180s, whereas the Fitbit never would go above 130s. It's still not as accurate as a chest strap, but you can always pair a Bluetooth HRM to your watch if you really want to get a better reading, especially for activities like Crossfit.
 
Would you guys mind posting some pics of you wearing your Apple Watch in your Crossfit gyms? Maybe take your shirts off? Thanks in advance. ;)
 
I can't speak for activities such as running or cardio, but I found the device useless for high endurance exercises similar to Crossfit. As someone else stated, the battery is quickly drained and the information aside from time seems inaccurate.

I'd also be careful with using it at the gym. One slip of the bar or kettle bell is going to destroy your device.
 
Taken a break from Crossfit. I would be somewhat scared to use kettlebells with the Apple Watch.
 
I don't think the :apple: watch will be any good for varied type activities like Crossfit or Circuits but this isn't anything against the :apple: watch as all other devices are just as useless for this kind of exercise. My Fitbit Charge HR often looses my HR when doing my circuits but as long as your getting a guide of where your heart rate is in general that should be enough.
 
I use mine for boot camp (not as hardcore as crossfit), and the heart rate monitor is virtually useless. Since we're always moving our hands, jumping, burpees, etc, I can't get the watch to consistently find my heart rate while in motion.

Every time I look down it is searching for my heart rate. I've tried every combination of high on the wrist, low on the wrist, as tight as I can possibly make it without cutting off circulation, etc. It only reads accurately when I stop for a few seconds between reps.

I bought a Wahoo Tickr X and paired it over Bluetooth and it works like a charm, however there is a 300+ calorie difference between what Wahoo is reporting and what Apple is reporting. I don't know which one is more accurate.

Same here. I do bootcamp classes during lunch and this has been the biggest dissappointment with the watch. I love everything about it... except that the HR monitoring sucks. Takes forever to get a reading and then the reading is way off.

I have an old Garmin heart rate monitor. Any idea if I would be able to pair that with the phone?
 
Same here. I do bootcamp classes during lunch and this has been the biggest dissappointment with the watch. I love everything about it... except that the HR monitoring sucks. Takes forever to get a reading and then the reading is way off.

I have an old Garmin heart rate monitor. Any idea if I would be able to pair that with the phone?

Get a Bluetooth HR monitor strap.
 
I use mine for boot camp (not as hardcore as crossfit), and the heart rate monitor is virtually useless. Since we're always moving our hands, jumping, burpees, etc, I can't get the watch to consistently find my heart rate while in motion.

Every time I look down it is searching for my heart rate. I've tried every combination of high on the wrist, low on the wrist, as tight as I can possibly make it without cutting off circulation, etc. It only reads accurately when I stop for a few seconds between reps.

I bought a Wahoo Tickr X and paired it over Bluetooth and it works like a charm, however there is a 300+ calorie difference between what Wahoo is reporting and what Apple is reporting. I don't know which one is more accurate.

Yeah, I had some issues with my bootcamp workout last night. Granted, I did get higher HR readings with the :apple:watch vs my FitBit Charge HR, but I was hoping for a better picture of HR with the Apple Watch.

Get a Bluetooth HR monitor strap.

question for both. Are you able to pair the HR strap to the watch so that it supplements the watches readings? or do you just have to pair with the phone and used a separate app (like Map My Fitness)?
 
Yeah, I had some issues with my bootcamp workout last night. Granted, I did get higher HR readings with the :apple:watch vs my FitBit Charge HR, but I was hoping for a better picture of HR with the Apple Watch.



question for both. Are you able to pair the HR strap to the watch so that it supplements the watches readings? or do you just have to pair with the phone and used a separate app (like Map My Fitness)?

I believe you can have the HR monitor overwrite the watch HR in the applications. I would use a 3rd party apps like Runtastic/Runkeeper etc...
 
I'll be testing it out during crossfit for sure - Crossing my fingers that i get my watch SOON since i ordered it 4 minutes after launch!!

I'm kind of wondering how the tracking will be when out of range of the phone. I do know that Xfinity wifi covers the block that my gym is on and wonder if that would work.

the watch will collect, display, and save the data... once in range with your phone it will sync. works just like any other fitness watch that syncs to a mobile app.
 
I believe you can have the HR monitor overwrite the watch HR in the applications. I would use a 3rd party apps like Runtastic/Runkeeper etc...

thanks, I'll check it out. I'd like to to supplement the workouts and activity apps, but I may just have to use another app to track these types of workouts and use an HR strap.

EDIT: i have used my bluetooth HR strap with the mapmyfitness app before getting the FitBit Charge HR, so I may have to go back to doing that.
 
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I have been using it this week during my Crossfit workouts. So far we haven't done any WOD's with Kettlebells, but I don't think I would use the watch during certain movements with them. So far I have only used Other and it seems to read my heartbeat just fine. I never used a heartbeat monitor or fitness watch before, so I have nothing to compare it to.

So far it is comfortable and I do not get nervous about scratching it up. My watch is the 38mm SG Sport.
 
I train CF every day. Have loved using the watch for the past 5 days. Zero problems with tracking heart rate, and I've found it to be accurate.

To the above people who say it is always "searching," are you choosing "other" from the activity app and then sliding to have the bpm always viewable on the watch face? Mine has been working perfectly, and ranges from 90 bpm in my warm-up to 181 during sprints and WOD.
 
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