Apps WorkOutDoors: New workout features

[cfc]

Same problem with the AWU1. Only voice control when I'm wearing my iPhone. The Apple Workout app has the same problem Since iOS 26. I tried resetting the AWU1 to factory settings. Nothing helped.
I also always had problems with the AWU1 recording heart rate correctly. (The Apple Workout app worked fine.)
I bought an AWU3. Everything works fine. Problem solved.

sorry, reply to Richo5

Glad your AWU3 works better.

In terms of the heart rate if anyone else is having problems with that then the first thing to check is the health permissions for WorkOutDoors in Apple's Settings app. If they are not all enabled then enable them all (sometimes the heart rate will not appear if something apparently unrelated is disabled). If they are all enabled then disable them all; reboot both devices; and re-enable them. Sometimes the watch seems to lose permissions and that procedure nudges iOS into sending them again.

 

[Richo5]

Same problem with the AWU1. Only voice control when I'm wearing my iPhone. The Apple Workout app has the same problem Since iOS 26. I tried resetting the AWU1 to factory settings. Nothing helped.
I also always had problems with the AWU1 recording heart rate correctly. (The Apple Workout app worked fine.)
I bought an AWU3. Everything works fine. Problem solved.

sorry, reply to Richo5

That's a very expensive solution

It's interesting that you were seeing the same on the Apple Workout App - WatchOS 26 seems a little buggy

 

[ozowega]

Long time WOD user, long time lurker and first time poster...
I've been going back and forth between a AWU2 and Garmin Forerunner 965 for many kilometers. WOD being one of the main reasons coming back to AWU.
However I've got a strange issue with recorded data I can't fgure out.
In addition to the watch, I use a HRM Pro+ for HR and Stryd footpod for Power and Cadence. All this works very well.
What is strange, is recorded Vertical Oscillation is typical over 6 meters and Ground Contact time is above 9000 ms!
I don't have a graceful gait, but it's not that bad
Any ideas?

Link to screenshot

 

[cfc]

Long time WOD user, long time lurker and first time poster...
I've been going back and forth between a AWU2 and Garmin Forerunner 965 for many kilometers. WOD being one of the main reasons coming back to AWU.
However I've got a strange issue with recorded data I can't fgure out.
In addition to the watch, I use a HRM Pro+ for HR and Stryd footpod for Power and Cadence. All this works very well.
What is strange, is recorded Vertical Oscillation is typical over 6 meters and Ground Contact time is above 9000 ms!
I don't have a graceful gait, but it's not that bad
Any ideas?

Link to screenshot

Sorry, there are issues with GCT and VO when using Stryd. To be honest I am deciding whether or not to remove support for the Stryd footpod because it seems more hassle than it is worth. Also their lack of help when I ask for it makes me think that they don't want other apps supporting their hardware.

However I figure that while the main data is still working then I will keep support for it. If I do look into VO/GCT and can't fix them then I may change the app so that it gets VO and GCT from the watch rather than Stryd, even when using Stryd.

 

[ozowega]

Sorry, there are issues with GCT and VO when using Stryd. To be honest I am deciding whether or not to remove support for the Stryd footpod because it seems more hassle than it is worth. Also their lack of help when I ask for it makes me think that they don't want other apps supporting their hardware.

However I figure that while the main data is still working then I will keep support for it. If I do look into VO/GCT and can't fix them then I may change the app so that it gets VO and GCT from the watch rather than Stryd, even when using Stryd.

Thanks for the answer!
I think I’ll chase you on that decision and remove my Stryd right away.
The footpod is mainly used for treadmill runs to get a better distance/pace, but not using the Stryd PowerCenter or paid features, it’s currently an overpriced power source, instead of using the AW as a power source.

Thanks for the quick support and great app!

 

[supercurio]

Full support for the Stryd footpod has been a big deciding factor for me so I hope it'll stay.

In my last run, I found vertical oscillation from the Stryd Wind connected to AWU and AW7 worn on the other wrist pretty different tho, which makes me curious to double check by connecting the Stryd on my Garmin Via ANT+ to compare.

As seen on the graphs, the Stryd footpod reports ground contact time creeping up and vertical oscillation decreasing over the duration of a 4h30 run. IMO much more representative than what the Apple Watch estimates from the wrist.

Huge discrepancy between the Vertical Oscillations values.

 

[Project Speedforce]

Thanks for the answer!
I think I’ll chase you on that decision and remove my Stryd right away.
The footpod is mainly used for treadmill runs to get a better distance/pace, but not using the Stryd PowerCenter or paid features, it’s currently an overpriced power source, instead of using the AW as a power source.

Thanks for the quick support and great app!

Sorry, there are issues with GCT and VO when using Stryd. To be honest I am deciding whether or not to remove support for the Stryd footpod because it seems more hassle than it is worth. Also their lack of help when I ask for it makes me think that they don't want other apps supporting their hardware.

However I figure that while the main data is still working then I will keep support for it. If I do look into VO/GCT and can't fix them then I may change the app so that it gets VO and GCT from the watch rather than Stryd, even when using Stryd.

I echo the request to not remove Stryd support, at a minimum continue to report power, pace and distance.

Stryd made a change a few years ago when they introduced Duo or using two footpads together. At that time, I noticed that many of the other metrics started reporting incorrectly in WOD. I do not think Stryd has changed the reporting since Duo and expect if WOD was updated for the new reporting, shouldn't be issues for the next several years. Although, they are releasing a new footpod next month called "Stryd 5.0". However, I do not believe the metrics and how they are reported will change from the prior gen. If you were to update WOD, may be a good idea to wait until after next month to verify there are no changes in data reporting...

The most important benefits from Stryd are the total power, pace, and distance reporting. Distance specifically is key for big city races (like recent Chicago Marathon) where buildings or tunnels can impact GPS or indoor treadmill runs. Please keep some level of Stryd compatibility in WOD!

 

[daanjj]

I echo the request to not remove Stryd support, at a minimum continue to report power, pace and distance.

Stryd made a change a few years ago when they introduced Duo or using two footpads together. At that time, I noticed that many of the other metrics started reporting incorrectly in WOD. I do not think Stryd has changed the reporting since Duo and expect if WOD was updated for the new reporting, shouldn't be issues for the next several years. Although, they are releasing a new footpod next month called "Stryd 5.0". However, I do not believe the metrics and how they are reported will change from the prior gen. If you were to update WOD, may be a good idea to wait until after next month to verify there are no changes in data reporting...

The most important benefits from Stryd are the total power, pace, and distance reporting. Distance specifically is key for big city races (like recent Chicago Marathon) where buildings or tunnels can impact GPS or indoor treadmill runs. Please keep some level of Stryd compatibility in WOD!

+1

 

[NickYanakiev]

+1

+1

 

[Tuesdaycake]

Hi, can you please integrate Garmin Varia radar sensor function for outdoor cycling? Thanks

 

[cfc]

Hi, can you please integrate Garmin Varia radar sensor function for outdoor cycling? Thanks

It is on my to-do list for when I next investigate sensors but that probably won't be for a while. Sorry about that.

I bought one a while back, so I am ready to integrate it when I do enhance the sensor support, but other features are higher priority at the moment.

 

[Buadhai]

Spurious Auto-Pause​

Ultra 1 - OS 26.0.2

I've been using WorOutDoors for several years now and couldn't do without it.

This morning I started a running workout as usual. First I opened the Running workout to the START screen and put on my shoes while I waited for the heart rate data to kick in.

Once it did I started running. But after only about three seconds I got an auto-pause. I decided to continue running to see if it would resume, but it did not. So, I walked back home and started over again. Same thing; auto-pause after just a few strides. This time I ran a couple hundred meters more to see if it would resume. It did not, so I walked back home and started a running workout with Apple's Workout app. This worked fine with no spurious Auto-Pauses.

When I finished the run I used the GPS Diagnostics app to check the GPS signal and it was fine and nominally accurate. I checked the settings on Apple's Workout app and found, as expected, that Auto-Pause for both cycling and running was enabled.

So, what did I do to cause the spurious auto-pauses in WorkOutDoors?

 

[CAMEO172]

Hello,
I'm a huge Workoutdoors users since something like 3 years.

i have an Apple Watch Ultra 1.
Even with a 84% battery life, I did Saturday an 9 hours hiking workout with 1 hour of Screen active (navigation) and I have still a 35% battery level at the end. i'm on flight mode, Bluetooth off and power saving mode : this s always my hiking mode.


Everything is working well BUT, I have a disturbing GPS trouble on my workouts : I don't have a good Ascent or Descent information. The trace is good but not the altitude.
Sunday : everything was quite good but near the last km, I have a -1992m !! I was coming back from the same road

Saturday : I did a loop. I have a +1649m and a -2177m ! The descent seems better even if a little low. I have various altitude sign on my road. I check and everytime the watch was + or - at 4m !
On my run workout (without my phone near me), i use to do loops. Each loop is more or less +50m ascent. Everytime I have something wrong since something like a year. I can have a goof ascent information on Apple sum up from Workoutdoors informations.
On my flat cycling road, I can have a +1200m coming from nowhere !
I remember good altitude informations a few years ago but at least since 1 year this is messy on nearly all workouts (cycling/walking/outdoor swimming/ hiking). I can't explain it. i'm not on "use always on altimeter" even if I try this way a few months ago. Nearly all my workout had a trouble, at least on one km and that destroyed the sum up.

I really care of this information on hiking workout.

 

[cfc]

Spurious Auto-Pause​

Ultra 1 - OS 26.0.2

I've been using WorOutDoors for several years now and couldn't do without it.

This morning I started a running workout as usual. First I opened the Running workout to the START screen and put on my shoes while I waited for the heart rate data to kick in.

Once it did I started running. But after only about three seconds I got an auto-pause. I decided to continue running to see if it would resume, but it did not. So, I walked back home and started over again. Same thing; auto-pause after just a few strides. This time I ran a couple hundred meters more to see if it would resume. It did not, so I walked back home and started a running workout with Apple's Workout app. This worked fine with no spurious Auto-Pauses.

When I finished the run I used the GPS Diagnostics app to check the GPS signal and it was fine and nominally accurate. I checked the settings on Apple's Workout app and found, as expected, that Auto-Pause for both cycling and running was enabled.

So, what did I do to cause the spurious auto-pauses in WorkOutDoors?

View attachment 2570552

View attachment 2570554

No-one else is reporting that. Do you have the app configured to use Apple's auto-pause or the WorkOutDoors auto-pause? To check go to Settings / Pausing (in WorkOutDoors, not in Apple's settings).

Also please could you send the wkt file for that workout to info@workoutdoors.net and I will take a look. To do this tap the Export button 3 times quickly.

 

[cfc]

Hello,
I'm a huge Workoutdoors users since something like 3 years.

i have an Apple Watch Ultra 1.
Even with a 84% battery life, I did Saturday an 9 hours hiking workout with 1 hour of Screen active (navigation) and I have still a 35% battery level at the end. i'm on flight mode, Bluetooth off and power saving mode : this s always my hiking mode.


Everything is working well BUT, I have a disturbing GPS trouble on my workouts : I don't have a good Ascent or Descent information. The trace is good but not the altitude.
Sunday : everything was quite good but near the last km, I have a -1992m !! I was coming back from the same road

Saturday : I did a loop. I have a +1649m and a -2177m ! The descent seems better even if a little low. I have various altitude sign on my road. I check and everytime the watch was + or - at 4m !
On my run workout (without my phone near me), i use to do loops. Each loop is more or less +50m ascent. Everytime I have something wrong since something like a year. I can have a goof ascent information on Apple sum up from Workoutdoors informations.
On my flat cycling road, I can have a +1200m coming from nowhere !
I remember good altitude informations a few years ago but at least since 1 year this is messy on nearly all workouts (cycling/walking/outdoor swimming/ hiking). I can't explain it. i'm not on "use always on altimeter" even if I try this way a few months ago. Nearly all my workout had a trouble, at least on one km and that destroyed the sum up.

I really care of this information on hiking workout.

There are several things that can affect the ascent. The most common is if you go indoors during a workout. By default the app uses the barometer to calculate relative altitude by measuring air pressure. So if you go indoors (maybe stopping off at a shop or something) then it can cause spikes.

Wearing a case on the watch can also cause problems because it can stop the sensor working correctly. So if the watch has a case then try it without a case.

Also changing weather can cause problems due to air pressure differences. So for example if a weather front comes in whilst you are doing a circular route then the app can think you are at a different elevation at the end than at the start, even though it is the same location. However this usually results in gradual changes rather than the sort of sudden spikes like you are experiencing.

Occasionally there can be spikes even without those explanations but that is probably down to barometric sensor hardware issues. I often wonder if just putting your hand in your pocket or inside a rucksack would cause problems for the barometer in some situations.

For most people with barometer problems I recommend using the always on altimeter but, as you say, that can also cause spikes, which is why it is not the default. My guess is that Apple prioritise an accurate absolute elevation over an accurate ascent and occasionally recalibrate (maybe when they know the elevation of a certain position) which causes a spike in the ascent/descent. It is rare but common enough that I make the barometer the default.

In summary elevation data can be erratic whichever method you use!

 

[CAMEO172]

If I can understand a change of weather during a 9h hiking at various altitude ( I can begin at 900m and finished at 3000m) during a day in mountains where all can change quickly but I can't understand on a 2h cycling workout where there is no change for the watch and no sleeve on for sure.

During Hiking, i'm NEVER indoor. I was in a short Tunnel saturday but this is really rare.
My watch doesn"t have any case. Even my iphone dosn't have one

And, it was really good (or at least acceptable) a few months/years ago. This is everytime a trouble now. I can show you a Run session with dumb altitude informations on Workoutdoor but something good once saved in Apple exercice. So the same infos are not managed the same way.

I know this is not a Workoutdoor trouble, but I'm pretty sure Apple changed something in the way they manage the altitude on GPS. The change is before Watch OS 26. and maybe Workoutdoors has to manage the same way.

I don't know if an Ultra 3 can change something on this or not.

 

[cfc]

If I can understand a change of weather during a 9h hiking at various altitude ( I can begin at 900m and finished at 3000m) during a day in mountains where all can change quickly but I can't understand on a 2h cycling workout where there is no change for the watch and no sleeve on for sure.

During Hiking, i'm NEVER indoor. I was in a short Tunnel saturday but this is really rare.
My watch doesn"t have any case. Even my iphone dosn't have one

And, it was really good (or at least acceptable) a few months/years ago. This is everytime a trouble now. I can show you a Run session with dumb altitude informations on Workoutdoor but something good once saved in Apple exercice. So the same infos are not managed the same way.

I know this is not a Workoutdoor trouble, but I'm pretty sure Apple changed something in the way they manage the altitude on GPS. The change is before Watch OS 26. and maybe Workoutdoors has to manage the same way.

I don't know if an Ultra 3 can change something on this or not.

The app just shows the values given to it by the barometer. You could try the always on altimeter again in case that has improved for you since you last used it.

It's interesting that the elevations look ok in Apple's Health system. That would be using the GPS locations. Maybe I will add an option in the future to use GPS elevations instead of the barometer or the altimeter. They were pretty unreliable when I first wrote the app, but that was a long time ago so it may be a reasonable option now.

 

[CAMEO172]

I just finished a 2 hour walk in the city. just a few stairways twice for a bridge.

My first km had a dumb -663m
I'm with my iphone, all on as battery life isn't a matter for this kind of walk.

Just check the log : 2 seconds after the beginning I have "First Barometer reading when GPS elevation is 5m"

When I check the details saved in Apple exercice, the altitude profil is ok. No echo of this -663m at the beginning. i can clearly see the stairs taken twice, as this is the major change of elevation.

 

[cfc]

I just finished a 2 hour walk in the city. just a few stairways twice for a bridge.

My first km had a dumb -663m
I'm with my iphone, all on as battery life isn't a matter for this kind of walk.

Just check the log : 2 seconds after the beginning I have "First Barometer reading when GPS elevation is 5m"

When I check the details saved in Apple exercice, the altitude profil is ok. No echo of this -663m at the beginning. i can clearly see the stairs taken twice, as this is the major change of elevation.

Were the stairways indoors? That can affect air pressure.

If not then please could you send me the wkt file for that workout and I will take a look. To do this tap the Export button 3 times quickly and email it to info@workoutdoors.net

 

[CAMEO172]

I just check my 9 hours hiking. I'm pretty sure I beginning at about 900m (altitude of the city).

I have the log : First Barometer reading when GPS elevation is 951m
I sounds good !

BUT

the frst elevation on the profil is 1225m ! where are the nearly 300m ?!?

I also have the same trouble at the end of the climbing (half hiking). elevation decreased and I'm sure i'm climbing to the highest spot of the day.

it makes the end of the hiking at 600m once back to the village. the 300m lost at the end wasn't at the highest spot (so descend value are more or less ok because of this : the error is from the beginning of the return to the end)

GPS accuracy is 4m. and t's true the trace seems perfect

 

[cfc]

I just check my 9 hours hiking. I'm pretty sure I beginning at about 900m (altitude of the city).

I have the log : First Barometer reading when GPS elevation is 951m
I sounds good !

BUT

the frst elevation on the profil is 1225m ! where are the nearly 300m ?!?

I also have the same trouble at the end of the climbing (half hiking). elevation decreased and I'm sure i'm climbing to the highest spot of the day.

it makes the end of the hiking at 600m once back to the village. the 300m lost at the end wasn't at the highest spot (so descend value are more or less ok because of this : the error is from the beginning of the return to the end)

GPS accuracy is 4m. and t's true the trace seems perfect

As I say, please send workouts with an issue to info@workoutdoors.net. To do this tap the Export button 3 times quickly.

 

[viscount]

Long time WOD user and it's been great. I just paired a new Apple watch with my phone in addition to my old watch, and now suddenly WOD does not record heart rate any more (on my old watch or the new one). I've tried the tips suggested in this post, which is to disable health permissions, then reboot and reenable them, but no luck.

I've also tried reinstalling the WOD app on my watch (lost all my history ) but that didn't help either. How do I get heart rate recording back?

Now, when I stop a workout, there's a new voice message that says something like "Error with end collection, cannot set end date without start date". I've never heard this message before and it doesn't make sense.

Another problem is that I cannot find WOD in the list of complications to add to my watch face, even though it's installed on both watches. How do I enable that?

 

[cfc]

Long time WOD user and it's been great. I just paired a new Apple watch with my phone in addition to my old watch, and now suddenly WOD does not record heart rate any more (on my old watch or the new one). I've tried the tips suggested in this post, which is to disable health permissions, then reboot and reenable them, but no luck.

I've also tried reinstalling the WOD app on my watch (lost all my history ) but that didn't help either. How do I get heart rate recording back?

Now, when I stop a workout, there's a new voice message that says something like "Error with end collection, cannot set end date without start date". I've never heard this message before and it doesn't make sense.

Another problem is that I cannot find WOD in the list of complications to add to my watch face, even though it's installed on both watches. How do I enable that?

It sounds like the watch app still does not have the permissions, despite your attempts to get them there. That error message is reported by watchOS when the app tries to save the workout to Apple's health system but it does not have the permission to do so.

If you are getting that message and can't see the heart rate then the problem is either permissions-related or you are running another workout app on the watch at the same time. This is not allowed by watchOS and will result in the workout session in WOD being killed off, which gives the same symptoms as not having permissions.

So if you are running another workout app at the same time then please don't.

Otherwise it is a permissions issue and usually the disable permissions, reboot everything, enable permissions workaround nudges iOS into sending the permissions to watchOS and fixes the problem. However someone else also mentioned it not helping recently, so maybe the bug has got worse with watchOS 26.

If reinstalling the watch app hasn't worked then the next thing to try for strange issues is to unpair the watch from the phone and re-pair it.

Unfortunately unpairing the watch or uninstalling the watch app will lose the watch app data, as you have seen. WatchOS does not preserve it. However you can send it from the phone app to the watch app. To do this go to the Settings tab and tap 'Storage & Transfer' and then 'Send Yesterday's Watch Settings', 'Send Screens to Watch' and 'Send Interval Schedules to Watch'. If you want then you can also send routes or workouts individually. They can't all be sent at once because they are too large.

For complications the best solution is usually the configure them on the watch itself, rather than by using Apple's Watch app on the iPhone. Otherwise you may find that unpairing and re-pairing also fixes that issue. It could be that whatever communication issue is preventing permissions from getting to the watch is also affecting complications.

 

[viscount]

Unfortunately, unpairing and re-pairing did not fix the heart rate problem. Still getting the same error message. But I re-paired it from backup. Now I'll try pairing it as a new watch and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[cfc]

Unfortunately, unpairing and re-pairing did not fix the heart rate problem. Still getting the same error message. But I re-paired it from backup. Now I'll try pairing it as a new watch and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestions!

If re-pairing it as a new watch doesn't help then I really don't know what to suggest.

I was hoping that Apple would eventually fix the missing permissions bug but it looks like they may have broken the workaround. However things are often flaky at this time of year, so it's also the most likely time for them to fix problems.