[Newbie question] Walking counts as Excercise while auto-detect is off?

[hyperreal]

I had a band rehearsal today and the nearest bus stop is about 800 meters away from the rehearsal space. So from the bus stop I walked, carrying my drum machine case and my backpack which had my sampler in it. I also walked the same route back after rehearsal.

I have Automatic Workout Detection turned off because I've found it distracting. But when I got home, I noticed that my Excercise ring was full and the histogram was showing green bars corresponding to the time I spent walking. There was no workout report. Just the green bars and enough minutes to close my ring when combined with my morning routine.

Is it intended behavior to get Excercise minutes just by walking even when not using the auto-detection feature?

Not that I mind having my ring closed for today! When I checked my pulse logs, it had peaked at roughly the same level I get when steadily walking at a fast pace. Now I went slower because of the extra weight but there are some stairs on the way when going over the railroad so I guess that's where I hit the highest BPM.

I have a Series 8 41mm running watchOS 9. This is my first Apple Watch so I'm still figuring out how it all works.

 

[pup]

Yes, you’ll get exercise minutes regardless, but typically it will record fewer minutes and calories than it will if you start a workout.

 

[hyperreal]

Yes, you’ll get exercise minutes regardless, but typically it will record fewer minutes and calories than it will if you start a workout.

Thanks for clarifying this!
I thought it was nice, since messing around in a cramped rehearsal space and carrying my gear around certainly feels like excercise and I just couldn't bother going out once I got home - but I still got my rings closed!
So in a way the watch cuts you some slack when it notices you're being physically active even if you're not specifically doing a workout. I think it's a nice feature and supports a healthy attitude towards fitness.

 

[qnssekr]

Sorry if I’m hijacking’s your thread but I’m curious to know how does apple track walking? Is it through gps? How does the device know to differentiate between walking or traveling in a vehicle?

 

[Night Spring]

Sorry if I’m hijacking’s your thread but I’m curious to know how does apple track walking? Is it through gps? How does the device know to differentiate between walking or traveling in a vehicle?

It senses body motions you make while walking, like swinging arms or body bouncing up and down. If you are just sitting in a car, there's no body movement, so it knows you aren't walking. On the other hand, if you walk on a treadmill or just do steps while standing in one spot, that will add to your step count.

 

[parseckadet]

Thanks for clarifying this!
I thought it was nice, since messing around in a cramped rehearsal space and carrying my gear around certainly feels like excercise and I just couldn't bother going out once I got home - but I still got my rings closed!
So in a way the watch cuts you some slack when it notices you're being physically active even if you're not specifically doing a workout. I think it's a nice feature and supports a healthy attitude towards fitness.

Remember that the watch is periodically checking your heart rate no matter what, just less frequently if you're not doing a workout. A heart rate above 120bpm is considered exercise regardless of whether you're specifically working out or just slogging a bunch of equipment around.

 

[tolili alert]

This was some of the best features I discovered coming from a Samsung watch.

With others watches, you only get excercise minutes if you say to the watch that you are going to exercise or with auto detection…

The problem with these two options is that if I go to a grocery store 30 minutes far for my house… I want the exercise minutes but I don’t want that **** on my training log with a map and all stats.


Apple Watch does this perfectly. Very smooth and very smart approach.

 

[hyperreal]

Remember that the watch is periodically checking your heart rate no matter what, just less frequently if you're not doing a workout. A heart rate above 120bpm is considered exercise regardless of whether you're specifically working out or just slogging a bunch of equipment around.

Is the threshold something the device eventually learns as it gathers data, or is it a fixed value of 120 or tied to the inactive heart rate alert value?

 

[hyperreal]

if I go to a grocery store 30 minutes far for my house… I want the exercise minutes but I don’t want that **** on my training log with a map and all stats.


Apple Watch does this perfectly. Very smooth and very smart approach.

Kinda same for me. And like I said before, I also think it supports a healthy attitude towards fitness and excercising. I'm somone who could get really obsessed with the gamification aspects, to the point of exhausting myself. Like yesterday on my way home I was thinking about how I still have to go for a walk so I don't lose my streak, despite being tired out of my mind already.
But then the watch gave me credit for having been active even though I had been doing something else than a focusing on being active.

And I agree this approach is very smart. It puts focus on your actual well-being instead of just obsessive monitoring & measuring.

I've become very conscious about these things after living with someone who has struggled with eating, weight and body image for most of their life.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I thought any time your watch detects you are moving and you heart rate meets a certain rate, it starts counting it as exercise no matter in workout mode or not.

 

[parseckadet]

Is the threshold something the device eventually learns as it gathers data, or is it a fixed value of 120 or tied to the inactive heart rate alert value?

It's not learned. Now that Apple added heart rate zones, it might be based on that with anything zone 2 and above counting, I'm not certain. But really, for anyone who isn't in their 90's the threshold is 120. That's based on guidance from multiple health agencies around the world.