Fitness on the Apple Watch from a Garmin User

Optimizing fitness on the apple watch

The built in Workout app on the Apple Watch leaves a lot to be desired. Especially coming from a Garmin.

The lack of data:

  1. Ability to customize screen display

  2. No external sensors

  3. Lack of running metrics: power, vertical oscillation and ground time

  4. Topographic map data

  5. HRV

  6. Vo2 Max

  7. Recovery

  8. Training load and planning

  9. Sync past workouts

Fortunately there are apps that optimize and make up for what the native Workout app lacks:

  1. WorkOutDoors ($6.99 one time)-I’ve found to be one of the best fitness apps I’ve used .Can do 1 to 4 above.

  2. Athlytics($29.99 per year)- Recovery time for me is really important so when the native Workout app didn’t have anything for this I was really disappointed.Thankfully this app can do 5 to 8 above.

  3. RunGap($10.99 one time)- Syncs past workouts across several fitness services. This app allows me to use either my Garmin or Apple Watch and sync the information on both. Marks off number 9 from list above.

Will these apps be the things that retire my Garmin Fenix? No but if Apple were to implement these things in their native app along with an increase in battery life to a week…then we can talk about retirement.