Apple Watch Introducing New Tai Chi and Pilates Workout Types in watchOS 8

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced a few workout-related features coming to watchOS 8 and Apple Fitness+.

Starting with watchOS 8, users will be able to track Tai Chi and Pilates workout styles on their Apple Watch. Apple said that the new workouts are supported by powerful custom-built heart rate and motion algorithms to provide users with accurate metrics.

Apple Fitness+ is also gaining a few features in watchOS 8, including Picture in Picture support and new filtering options, as well as the ability to stop and resume an in-progress workout on any device.

Coming to Apple Fitness+ later this month, Apple also revealed that there will be a new workout series with trainer Jeanette Jenkins. Additionally, there's also an "artist spotlight" series of workouts that highlight songs from specific artists, like Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, and Keith Urban.

Article Link: Apple Watch Introducing New Tai Chi and Pilates Workout Types in watchOS 8

 

[munpip214]

Wish they would add an outdoor paddling workout so I can track my kayaking

 

[Franklin Klein]

I got excited for a second...thought Pilates was coming to fitness+ ☹️

 

[himanshumodi]

I got excited for a second...thought Pilates was coming to fitness+ ☹️

Wait, it isn’t? I thought it was.

 

[himanshumodi]

Fitness plus was the most underwhelming bit today. There is so much scope for improvement in this service.

 

[cecil444]

I'm confused what this means exactly; Pilates and Tai Chi were already available as workouts in watchOS. Though to be honest I've tried these (and several other types) before and they are not at all accurate in their measurements...for example, a Tai Chi workout records burning many more calories than it should for a practice that mainly involves standing in place, breathing normally, and making slow movements. So does this announcement just mean they are going to finally make these workouts measure more accurately? Or are they going to be brought to Fitness+?

 

[1rottenapple]

They should poach Cody from peloton lol. Try to get his services haha 😂

 

[sonshole]

They should poach Cody from peloton lol. Try to get his services haha 😂

They should not lol.

I don't think Fitness+ will meet Peloton level at least in the next couple of years at the rate apple implements and releases things lol.

 

[applesque]

Why no roller skating or ice skating??

 

[B4U]

Seeing what Apple did to the dance workout in WatchOS 7 comparing to 6, can't say I am excited.

 

[Octopuss]

Still no sex workout

 

[Franklin Klein]

Wait, it isn’t? I thought it was.

No just Yoga...I'm guessing they don't think people know the difference between pilates and yoga enough to add it.

 

[ErikGrim]

Pilates has been on the Watch since forever. I am looking at it right now...?

 

[tolsen718]

Yeah Pilates and Tai Chi have been there since watchOS 6 at least

 

[ErikGrim]

So are they NEW workouts, or have they just been updated with improved metrics?

 

[4487549]

updated with improved metrics?

Evidently.

 

[oy1007]

I'm confused what this means exactly; Pilates and Tai Chi were already available as workouts in watchOS. Though to be honest I've tried these (and several other types) before and they are not at all accurate in their measurements...for example, a Tai Chi workout records burning many more calories than it should for a practice that mainly involves standing in place, breathing normally, and making slow movements. So does this announcement just mean they are going to finally make these workouts measure more accurately? Or are they going to be brought to Fitness+?

They did the same with Dance, Traditional Strength, Core, and Cooldown workouts last year. Undoubtedly they will add these workouts to Fitness+ in the Fall - otherwise, what would the point be? But yes, seems like for now these workouts will now measure more accurately

 

[Alan Wynn]

Fitness plus was the most underwhelming bit today. There is so much scope for improvement in this service.

I would expect them to do a big Fitness+ update with the new watch. Things I would like to see:

1. Multi-user workouts (so my BF and I could do a work out on the AppleTV at the same time).
2. Equipment control (automatically adjust the resistance on a bike or rower, speed/incline on a treadmill) and metrics (how far did I ride/run/row), etc.
3. Guided workout programs: let me specify a goal or set of goals and an amount of time I want to workout each day and have it select a set of Fitness+ workouts for me to do each day.
4. Better filtering including: muscle groups, difficulty level, favorites.
5. Grouped workouts: let me pre-select (or have it suggest) a set of works to do in a session, and then have it automatically run them one after another, rather than requiring me to to pick my next one after I finish one.
6. Poses/moves in a workout: Let me see every pose move in a workout, with views from multiple angles and arrows showing me what I need to do. Extra credit: pose/move library, so I can just work on form outside a particular workout.
7. Better results display. I have an iPad Pro with a giant screen. I want to be able to examine the stats of what I have been doing on something larger than my iPhones screen.
8. Outdoor audio only (or audio mostly) workouts.

 

[Apple or apricot]

I'm confused what this means exactly; Pilates and Tai Chi were already available as workouts in watchOS. Though to be honest I've tried these (and several other types) before and they are not at all accurate in their measurements...for example, a Tai Chi workout records burning many more calories than it should for a practice that mainly involves standing in place, breathing normally, and making slow movements. So does this announcement just mean they are going to finally make these workouts measure more accurately? Or are they going to be brought to Fitness+?

Sorry, if you think Tai Chi is just standing, normal breathing and making slow movements, you don't really know what Tai Chi Chuan is. If you properly study Tai Chi you will find out that it is surprisingly intensive.

 

[cecil444]

Sorry, if you think Tai Chi is just standing, normal breathing and making slow movements, you don't really know what Tai Chi Chuan is. If you properly study Tai Chi you will find out that it is surprisingly intensive.

Sorry, but that is a grossly inaccurate generalization of the practice, especially when you neither know me nor my training. Tai Chi *can* be enormously intensive, but it need not be. And when I see a 45-minute Tai Chi workout on Apple Watch say I’ve burned as many calories as a grueling run or swim, there is no question: it is not computing an accurate measurement.

 

[Apple or apricot]

Sorry, but that is a grossly inaccurate generalization of the practice, especially when you neither know me nor my training. Tai Chi *can* be enormously intensive, but it need not be. And when I see a 45-minute Tai Chi workout on Apple Watch say I’ve burned as many calories as a grueling run or swim, there is no question: it is not computing an accurate measurement.

Dear Cecil, I must have misunderstood you. I indeed do not know you or your training. I concluded from your statement "a practice that mainly involves standing in place, breathing normally, and making slow movements" that you thought that Tai Chi is not intensive. I am happy to read that as a fellow practitioner you recognise that Tai Chi can be very intensive. Happy practice!