Garmin Must Enhance Indoor Workout Features for Better User Experience

On Jan 7, 2024

Sunday Runday: Maximizing Your Indoor Workouts with Garmin

\"Lloyd, — (Image credit: Android Central)

In his weekly column, our Senior Editor of Wearables and Fitness Michael Hicks explores the realm of smartwatches, apps, and fitness tech related to running and health, sharing his insights and experiences on how to improve your fitness performance.

Garmin’s Aspirations and Shortcomings in Indoor Workouts

When it comes to indoor workouts, Garmin’s ambition is clear, attempting to track reps for a myriad of exercise types that most smartwatches can’t recognize. Furthermore, while it excels in tracking outdoor activities, it lacks certain features for indoor workouts that need addressing in 2024.

Most fitness smartwatches, including the Garmin watch and Galaxy Watch 6, utilize wrist movements to analyze your running form, count steps, or auto-detect the start of a workout. While this is an innovative way to track physical activity, it doesn’t cover all types of exercises, especially ones that require more specific movements.

Finicky Tracking with Garmin

Upon testing Garmin’s exercise tracking during our Garmin Venu 3 review, we found that its performance varied depending on the exercise. For slow, deliberate exercises like squats or sit-ups, it tracked reps nearly perfectly. However, when it came to push-ups or lunges, the watch struggled due to the restrained movement of the wrist in these exercises.

It’s worth noting that tracking whole body movements using only your wrist is challenging, and Garmin is not alone in facing this issue. Other brands like Samsung have similar limitations. Despite these challenges, the feature remains enjoyable and useful, especially when used as a general guideline rather than a definitive count.