Blaze & gym treadmill anomalies

[OldBenno]

So I use treadmill in gym for walking & have to say the step & distance readings on the blaze were way out compared to walking on pavements.
So I conducted a couple of tests - 3.8mph @ 0.5 elevation for 15 minutes = 1192 steps & 0.5 miles - 3.6mph @ 0.5 elevation for 15 minutes = 1697 steps & 0.71 miles ?
Walking normally outside gym the average is about 110 steps per minute & about 19 minutes per mile!

Can someone explain?

[jmattwood]

Do you hold the rails of the treadmill? This will reduce the step count in the same way pushing a shopping trolley/cart round a shop will do.

I put mine round my ankle when using a treadmill and, if I calculate my stride length accurately, the distance calculated by Fitbit is within 0.5% of the treadmill value.

At the end of the day, it's all about being more active. If you end up having to do more steps to compensate, you're a winner not a loser!

[OldBenno]

I don't hold the rails.
I don't think the blaze would fit round my ankle.
Why should a faster speed reduce the number of steps?

[jmattwood]

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@OldBenno wrote:
I don't hold the rails.
I don't think the blaze would fit round my ankle.
Why should a faster speed reduce the number of steps?

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I don't tie the strap around my ankle, I simply hold the Blaze in place using the elasticated top of my sock.

A faster speed generally involves a longer stride length; at least it does for me.

A longer stride length yields a longer distance covered for a given number of steps.

Not a serious suggestion; imagine it instead: Try tying your shoe laces together and see how quickly you fall down when you up the speed.

[OldBenno]

Sorry I'm still none the wiser especially as faster speed resulted in shorter distance in same time!!!!

Also my iPhone over the same 2 tests - it sits in my shorts pocket - whilst on treadmill records total number of steps that I expected????

[Rich_Laue]

Your distance is calculated, not measured. Steps times stride equals distance.
About stride vs speed.. When a person is walking the body is falling forward slightly, when walking the front door is placed slightly in front of the body's ballance point. When walking slow the body is slowly falling forward, steps are slower, when walking faster the foot has to be placed further in front of the body to catch the fall. So a faster walk means less steps. As stated above the Fitbit calculates miles, so yes less steps mean less distance is recorded.
The thing to check is what the Fitbit counts - your steps. I suggest take a and count the steps while the tracker also counts, then compare.

[AlejandraFitbit]

Welcome to the Community @OldBenno. @jmattwood and @Rich_Laue thanks for stopping by and the troubleshoot provided.  If you are seeing that your tracker is not being accurate, I recommend restarting your tracker. Also, keep in mind that Fitbit trackers can potentially miss steps while you're walking or running on a treadmill. Our engineers have determined that Fitbit trackers will provide greatest accuracy if you wear the tracker clipped on your mid-section and walking at least 2 mph.

Let me know the outcome. 

[Houstonnick]

How do you "clip" a Blaze to your midsection?

[Rich_Laue]

@Houstonnick there is a thread on this discussion with various ways others have clipped their tracker a to their waist. 

[bbarrera]

You could also try putting Blaze in your pocket.