Apple Watch - Exercise Ring

[Glee Fan]

The last few days I’ve been out for walks that last 45 minutes, it clearly states that time under my workouts, but my exercise ring is only clocking maybe 20-25 minutes of the walk. Why might this be please?

I’m setting off the timer on outdoor workouts, open goal if this helps?

Thanks!

[RockTheDots]

Walking is slightly different to other workout types on Apple Watch. To register exerise minutes when walking I think your heartrate needs to hit a minimum threshold, so if it's only reaching that for half the time then only half the minutes will count as "exercise". It will however still count towards your "move" goal.

[ely3857]

As said, it’s unlikely every element of your walk was ‘exercise’ and wouldn’t register as such. If you were running or swimming it’d would be time spent = time exercised as your heart rate would be higher and movement more constant.

[baggers]

You can set it to outdoor walk so it records it more accurately. As others have said different exercises look for different heart rates to measure it. An outdoor workout will need a higher heart rate than an outdoor walk.

[ely3857]

Originally Posted by baggers

You can set it to outdoor walk so it records it more accurately. As others have said different exercises look for different heart rates to measure it. An outdoor workout will need a higher heart rate than an outdoor walk.

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I assume they are setting outdoor walk. The workout time would still state the length of the walk/time taken on that walk but the green exercise ring would only state the amount of actual exercise registered, not the length of the walk itself.

[Glee Fan]

Right, I understand now. Thanks.

So today I have done over 3000 steps but no minutes on my exercise ring as I haven’t increased my heart rate to class it as exercise?

I need to move a bit swifter then!

[Tigger71]

I have had similar issues and found this response online (apple discussions) to be useful:
” To credit progress towards your Exercise goal, the Activity app aims to identify activity that equals or exceeds the intensity of a brisk walk. This requirement applies both during general daily wear and when recording workouts via the Workout app.

Exercise credit is awarded for each minute during which this requirement is met. It is possible that, during your walks, you are only meeting that requirement for part of the time and/or your arm movements are not resulting in your activity being tracked accurately.

The definition of a brisk walk varies from person to person and depends on your personal information. To check that this is accurate - and to update it over time:

On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > Health > Edit - tap and adjust items, then tap on Done.
When recording specific fitness activities, be sure to use the Workout app (or a third-party app that shares data to Health) and to choose the activity type that most closely matches your workout, including choosing Other for workouts that are neither included within nor sufficiently similar to those in the main list. This enables your watch to use the most appropriate sensors and data sources when tracking results.
For example, with Apple Watch (first generation) and Series 1 models, the watch can access Location Services data from the paired iPhone if it is taken along during outdoor walking, running and cycling workouts. Series 2 and Series 3 models have built-in GPS.
For more accurate tracking of outdoor workouts, it may also help to check your Location Services settings:

On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy > Location Services:
Check that Location Services (the main setting at the top) is turned on.
In the list of apps beneath, check that Apple Watch Workout is set to While Using.
Also enable options under System Services including Motion Calibration & Distance, Wi-Fi Networking and Mobile Network Search.

During general daily wear and when using the Workout app to record workouts when GPS data is either not relevant or not available, the Activity app and Workout app track your arm motion (measured by the accelerometer) when estimating results including pace and progress towards the Exercise goal.

For the best results, allow the arm on which you are wearing your watch to swing naturally as you move around during daily wear and to move as expected during workouts.
Resetting your existing calibration data and recalibrating your Apple Watch can improve the accuracy of estimations made by Activity app and Workout app. Resetting your calibration data can be equally as helpful for Series 2 & 3 models and will not erase your Activity history”

[Bozza]

As others say: you’re not walking hard enough!

Up the pace and/or march up some hills to get your heart rate up.