But what's the point?

I did look at the step data occasionally when I got my watch first and got a slight satisfaction from reaching the "goal" but in reality, I think it's nonsense. It's "goals" are based on the assumption that gradual increases are always a good thing. It's starting point is completely arbitrary. I think it might be useful for people that really aren't very active and whose only significant source of exercise is whatever walking they do throughout the day. But I don't think it's useful for anyone posting on Slowtwitch.

I find them really annoying becuase they don't take into account biking and swimming, I think the fitbit does so if you ike it will convert the effort into steps.

The Fitbit definitely does. I went to an indoor BMX/Street park with my son earlier this week. He has a Fitbit Charge HR and I have a Samsung watch that came with my phone. At the end of the day, 5 hours later he had about 12,000 steps and I had about 300.

My Fitbit seems to track steps when I'm cycling at roughly the rate of my cadence. I.e. I get about 5,000 per hour as opposed to 10,000 per hour for running. Seems reasonable. It tracks virtually nothing on the turbo though, and I don't wear it swimming as it's not waterproof enough (I have a Surge).

I think some of the newer devices now just track "activity" rather than calling it steps. That seems a more sensible approach to me.

My Fitbit Surge recorded nearly 10,000 steps last Friday while I was cutting my grass ...on a riding mower! :)

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Happy trails,
Chris

Agreed, it is really meant to get people of the couch. But it is still a source of entertainment for me, as are all other records bevit swimming, running or cycling

I aim low and never disappoint.

my man!!

(+1)

I'm with this guy.

I've found my Garmin watch registers steps with movement of the watch itself despite not actually walking. A few times when I'm using the saw on my branch trimmer somehow my move counter will clear from the back/forth motion. It's somehow also magically cleared while driving from moving my arm around. It also tells me to move despite being 30 minutes into a ride (trainer usually).

Novelty has worn off from the initial neat factor and I ignore the move notification most of the time now.

What I really find humorous is when I get the stupid "Move!" notification and associated buzz and beep. One Saturday, it happened after a 40+4 mile brick, while I was driving to the pool for an hour of swimming. All because I sat down to have lunch before driving to the pool.

Just mowed my lawn this morning. 9500 steps while sitting on the seat! Awesome...lol.

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24 Hour World TT Champs-American record holder
Fat Bike Worlds - Race Director
Insta: chris.s.apex

I find it super useful on my garmin watch as a cubicle worker. It buzzes at me to remind me to move around periodically and counts my steps as I walk to lunch or the lab or my dog or whatever and between buildings. It helps to motivate for a general activity score outside of s/b/r that otherwise tbh I just basically am a slug in my desk chair

Probably has some benefits with respect to mobility/flexibility/circulation as a result as it gets me to move just a bit more throughout the day. I might get in 6-8 hrs of cardio training and another hour of weights per week but overall being a desk slug all day is a huge health problem also. Just my personal opinion

Example/: even walking my dog in a given day I can be sub 3k steps all day if I'm not running that day

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//Noob triathlete//bike commuter//ex-swimmer//slower than you

If I wear mine (vivoactive HR) while I am biking on the trainer (have a bike computer so do not set the watch to anything), it somehow adds a ton of steps. For a 1hr trainer ride before work I will get over 2k steps, even though I obviously was not walking, and my wrist was barely moving.

I rode 2 hours 15 minutes yesterday and that was worth about 15000 steps :)

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24 Hour World TT Champs-American record holder
Fat Bike Worlds - Race Director
Insta: chris.s.apex