Logging workouts with your Apple Watch is a simple way to keep track of your fitness goals. You can set workout goals, measure the duration of your workout, and measure your level of exertion by tracking your heart rate throughout the workout.
If you find yourself getting bored with your usual workout routine and losing motivation, you may be able to find some inspiration among the options in the Apple Watch Workout app. Its thorough list includes many of the most popular workouts, such as swimming, walking, running, and strength training. But it also features some lesser-known options and everyday activities that you might not know are also effective exercises. Here are the least expected workouts available to track on your Apple Watch.
1. Archery
Looking for a creative upper-body strengthening workout? Consider taking up archery and logging it on your Apple Watch. Archery involves stringing a bow, pulling the arrow back, and holding the bow steady while you aim and shoot at targets on a range. That requires a surprising amount of strength and concentration, which makes for a good workout. Find a local range and look into buying archery equipment online to give archery a shot.
2. Fitness Gaming
Not into traditional workout routines? Give fitness gaming a shot. Note that not all video games rise to the level of fitness gaming. This category is generally meant for tracking video games that include an exercise component, such as Wii Sports, Ring Fit Adventure, and other fitness games. However, VR games may involve more movement than traditional gaming and could work as a quick exercise. If a video game gets you out of your seat and your blood flowing, start a fitness gaming workout on your Apple Watch to see how many calories you burn and track your heart rate.
3. Jump Rope
Looking for an at-home workout that won’t require bulky and expensive equipment? Try jumping rope, an exercise that's often overlooked but harder than you might think. A jump rope workout is a great way to get your heart rate up and sneak in a cardio session whenever and wherever you have time. Jumping rope is truly not just a game for children.
4. Social Dance
Can a nightclub double as the gym? Start a Social Dance workout on your Apple Watch to see how many calories you burn during a night of dancing with friends. You can track social dancing at a nightclub, concert, party, wedding, or other social gathering. Apple also has a Dance category in the workout menu, which focuses specifically on dancing for fitness—cardio, Zumba, hip-hop, or Bollywood dancing all count for this category.
5. Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art made up of slow, meditative, full-body movements. The Apple Watch tracks Tai Chi workouts with a customized heart rate and motion algorithm that was created just for Tai Chi and Pilates workouts and introduced in WatchOS 8. While it won't help you learn martial arts, it's a great way to track your activity as you do your own workouts or attend local classes.
6. Play
If you have children or pets, you are probably burning calories and getting some exercise without even knowing it by playing with them. Next time you find yourself running around in the yard with your kids or dog, start a play workout to see how much exercising you’re really getting in. This is also a great way to get your steps and exercise in if you don’t have time to hit the gym.
More Ways To Track Your Workouts
The Workout and Fitness apps on your Apple Watch and iPhone are great ways to record all of your workouts. From traditional workouts like walking and HIIT to more creative fitness activities like fitness gaming and archery, you can keep tabs on all your fitness metrics in one place.
However, you may need to go beyond the built-in apps for more detailed workout tracking. Thankfully, there are plenty of apps in the App Store to help you track workouts with your Apple Watch.