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How to Use the Activity and Workout Apps on Apple Watch

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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One of the main features the Apple Watch has to offer is the ability to track your daily activities and workout routines. The Apple Watch has a comprehensive set of health and fitness tools to help you keep track of your movement, reach workout goals, and get more activity into your life. One of Apple's main goals with the Apple Watch was to provide users with tools to keep them healthy, and the Activity and Workout apps on the Apple Watch are part of that effort.

If you've been a couch potato for too long, Apple Watch might be just what you need to motivate you to get moving and get healthy. The following video and tutorial will show you how to track your daily activities and how to monitor your workouts using the Activity and Workout apps.

Tracking Daily Activities

Activity-Ring-Apple-Watch-250x313.png
Thanks to the motion sensors built into Apple Watch, it's always keeping track of your movement when it's on your wrist. Whether you are sitting around doing nothing, or participating in a decathlon, Apple Watch knows your movements and will keep you informed.

Open the Activity app on Apple Watch.
Swipe left to the "Move, Exercise, and Stand" screen and tap Get Started.
Enter your personal information (gender, age, weight, and height).
Turn the Digital Crown to set the information and tap to Continue.
Tap Start Moving.
Or, use the Apple Watch app on your iPhone to enter the information, under the "Health" section of the app.

Once the information is entered, Apple Watch will do the monitoring for you. When you take a brisk walk, run, or take a spin class, your movement heart rate data will be tracked on your Activity Rings.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: How to Use the Activity and Workout Apps on Apple Watch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/apple-watch-activity-workout-apps/
It might be worth noting that the iPhone app only seems to refresh every hour (on the hour) and doesn't appear to have a manual refresh option, so it is rarely the best way to check on your progress (and newly earned achievements) throughout the day.
 
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Reactions: sidewinder3000
is there any way to reset the goals after i've messed with them back to what Apple Watch originally had recommended?
 
It's unfortunate that such detailed instructions are needed to understand and use some of the functionality of the Apple Watch. Apple used to pride itself on making UI's that were so simple and intuitive that no operating instructions were needed.

While undoubtably the best Smart Watch around, there are aspects of the UI that are more convoluted and complex than they perhaps ought to be.

But to paraphrase Steve, making things really simple is actually really hard.
 
I'm not usually one to track my fitness, but I love this app. I literally do nothing and get relevant notifications. Truly a case of "it just works".

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Reason077 said:
It's unfortunate that such detailed instructions are needed to understand and use some of the functionality of the Apple Watch. Apple used to pride itself on making UI's that were so simple and intuitive that no operating instructions were needed.

While undoubtably the best Smart Watch around, there are aspects of the UI that are more convoluted and complex than they perhaps ought to be.

But to paraphrase Steve, making things really simple is actually really hard.
Click to expand...

While this makes it seem hard to set up, it is not at all.
 
I dont know, $400+ dollars and a long list of instructions to get my watch to tell me what everyone should already know: get off your --- and move around!
 
After significant testing of alternatives it has been determined that one actually needs to have a the watch before these apps will function correctly. :D

At first I thought it was me but now I am 100% confident that I must agonizingly wait for the watch in order to get these apps to work correctly for me.
 
First one of these kind of posts that I got a new tip out of, I didn't know it update, and didn't know it was on Mondays, that's good to know
 
robeddie said:
I dont know, $400+ dollars and a long list of instructions to get my watch to tell me what everyone should already know: get off your --- and move around!
Click to expand...
But if you pay $400+ for that, the rest of the Apple Watch functionality comes absolutely FREE!
 
Reason077 said:
It's unfortunate that such detailed instructions are needed to understand and use some of the functionality of the Apple Watch. Apple used to pride itself on making UI's that were so simple and intuitive that no operating instructions were needed.

While undoubtably the best Smart Watch around, there are aspects of the UI that are more convoluted and complex than they perhaps ought to be.

But to paraphrase Steve, making things really simple is actually really hard.
Click to expand...

While I completely agree with you, one really doesn't need to get as involved as this post suggests in order to benefit from these features.
Set up is very simple and everything can be left alone to run in the background. Or, if someone wants to, they can really dig in and modify things more.

Overall, there are a few aspects of the watch that I find NOT intuitive. Namely, just navigating the interface. There is a bit of a learning curve; however, it is still the best watch I've ever had! Love it!
 
Cuban Missles said:
After significant testing of alternatives it has been determined that one actually needs to have a the watch before these apps will function correctly. :D

At first I thought it was me but now I am 100% confident that I must agonizingly wait for the watch in order to get these apps to work correctly for me.
Click to expand...
Yes, that free Apple Watch companion app on your phone is not very useful without a companion Apple Watch.
 
Does anyone know how to change measurement units from miles to kms in the Activity app?
 
Reason077 said:
It's unfortunate that such detailed instructions are needed to understand and use some of the functionality of the Apple Watch. Apple used to pride itself on making UI's that were so simple and intuitive that no operating instructions were needed.

While undoubtably the best Smart Watch around, there are aspects of the UI that are more convoluted and complex than they perhaps ought to be.

But to paraphrase Steve, making things really simple is actually really hard.
Click to expand...

Well Whilst I'm still waiting for mine to turn up I spent an hour yesterday in the Apple store playing around with the watch. After an hour I found the UI completely intuitive and easy to use. This post highlights what can be achieved using one of the many apps but from my one hour experience, this post is not needed. The user will figure all this out themselves.
 
Reason077 said:
It's unfortunate that such detailed instructions are needed to understand and use some of the functionality of the Apple Watch. Apple used to pride itself on making UI's that were so simple and intuitive that no operating instructions were needed.

While undoubtably the best Smart Watch around, there are aspects of the UI that are more convoluted and complex than they perhaps ought to be.

But to paraphrase Steve, making things really simple is actually really hard.
Click to expand...

They are not needed.

This is MR generating clicks by writing random empty articles about basic functionality, playing off the people who haven't received their watch yet but wiang to read anything on the topic.

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mattopotamus said:
I'm not usually one to track my fitness, but I love this app. I literally do nothing and get relevant notifications. Truly a case of "it just works".

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While this makes it seem hard to set up, it is not at all.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

I'm waiting for the 2 page MR instructions on how to tell the time on the analogue style clock faces.
 
Reason077 said:
It's unfortunate that such detailed instructions are needed to understand and use some of the functionality of the Apple Watch. Apple used to pride itself on making UI's that were so simple and intuitive that no operating instructions were needed.

While undoubtably the best Smart Watch around, there are aspects of the UI that are more convoluted and complex than they perhaps ought to be.

But to paraphrase Steve, making things really simple is actually really hard.
Click to expand...


Have you used the activity app? It's actually ridiculously simple. I can't imagine even the least tech savvy person not being able to figure it out in a matter of minutes.
 
Billberryjuice said:
It might be worth noting that the iPhone app only seems to refresh every hour (on the hour) and doesn't appear to have a manual refresh option, so it is rarely the best way to check on your progress (and newly earned achievements) throughout the day.
Click to expand...

My 6+ updates almost instantly. As soon as I save a run and look at the Activity iPhone app the new workout results show up.
 
It's so disturbing to see that so much effort went in to writing and formatting this incredibly in-depth walkthrough of something so incredibly simple. All of these things are so easy for about 95% of users to figure out on their own, and for the rest there is plenty of information already on Apple's website.

Why is MacRumors publishing these kinds of articles, and why is every single one of them being published under the name "Lory Gil"? What is going on here? Is MacRumors under new management or something?
 
Does anyone know if the workouts continue if you leave the app? I've received texts on the watch but been scared to reply while on my exercise bike for fear of losing my progress.
 
jhts said:
Does anyone know if the workouts continue if you leave the app? I've received texts on the watch but been scared to reply while on my exercise bike for fear of losing my progress.
Click to expand...

Yes, the workout continues in the background. While it's running the workout app basically replaces the watch face... So every time you raise your wrist you see your workout app info (with the time also in the corner) even if you have switched back to the watch face while the workout is still going.
 
mattopotamus said:
I'm not usually one to track my fitness, but I love this app. I literally do nothing and get relevant notifications. Truly a case of "it just works".

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While this makes it seem hard to set up, it is not at all.
Click to expand...

Completely agree with both
 
Thanks for the article but, as others have said, this is pretty simple. (I'm a new and proud Watch user by the way, not one of the trolls)

What article will we have next? How to turn your new MacBook on? :D
 
For god mode, swipe up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A.
 
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