Inaccurate treadmill distance reading

[jirose]

Hi gang, just got finished running a 5k on the treadmill. I selected the exercise treadmill option before I started, and hit the stop button just after I finished. The treadmill itself recorded three miles run in 24 minutes, but the Blaze only recorded 1.7 miles. Anyone know why? This isn't a deal-breaker or anything...I really like the watch, but that's a pretty big disparity.

[FerdinandFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hey @jirose. Welcome to the Fitbit Forums! 🙂

When you're running on a treadmill, normally, most of the people hold the bars/sides of the machine so if you're running, make sure to move your arms as if you were running on the ground.

Also, keep in mind that when you're on the treadmill, you're not really moving forward but on the same place, this is the reason why moving your arms is very important for more accurate readings.

If you have any more questions, let me know and I'll be glad to help! 

[jirose]

I'll give it a try. Thanks!

[Rich_Laue · Accepted solution]

Another thought, even if your step count is correctly recorded, you will be running at the speed of the treadmill, not your free run speed . This change in speed will affect your stride,  and therefore will also affect the distance recorded.

[ljrain]

I had an AppleWatch which matched the treadmill. I now have a Blaze and it is way off. I do not hold the bars because of the reasons mentioned. If I wear both devices (Apple Watch & Blaze) AppleWatch is accurate. Please help. I prefer Fitbit (have had them since the Ultra).

There has to be a way to fix this issue. I want my heart rate tracked during my workouts and during cold weather I use a treadmill a lot.

[RockyHelminski]

I do not hold onto to the sidebars at all, and my distance and steps are off. Not by just a little. I'm new to Fitbit Blaze, not quite a week yet, and by my third day of wearing it I suspected inaccuracies in steps and distance. Today I put it to the test. I started Fibit-Exercise-Treadmill at the same time (within 4 seconds) I pressed start on my treadmill. Everything was pretty accurate except for distance. I did 3 miles on the treadmill, but Fitbit recognized only 1.95 miles. I took photos of both displays. That's a huge difference! This is walking briskly, not running, varying speeds between 3 to 3.5 mph. So holding onto the side bars is not the reason for inaccuracies. Nor is arm swing. 

[RockyHelminski]

Hey, post back if their suggestion about not using the sidebars helped you. I personally do not use them and I'm having distance/step issues too. Treadmill 3 miles, Fitbit 1.95 miles. Dissappointing difference.

[RockyHelminski]

I'm having the same issue. 

[Rich_Laue]

Has anybody tested their step count while on the treadmill? Or have you adjusted the stride setting to match your stride on the trradmill? The stride will not match your free run stride. 

To test the step count, simply start walking or running while cpu ring the steps in the head.. I every left step, and multiply by two. 

[meresydotes]

Sorry to say, the only way you're going to get an accurate step count on the treadmill is if you keep your blaze hand touching your body the whole time. It's actually WORSE to swing your arms a lot.

[ljrain]

I switched to an Apple Watch and accuracy is very very good. I was surprised with the difference, I wore the Apple Watch and Fitbit Blaze and compared them. Returned the Blaze. Sorry Fitbit

[adv1213]

This doesn't work.  I have had this problem with my Flex, Charge and now Blaze.  Someone at FitBit should log this as an issue and resolve.  Based on this thread Apple has figured out how to get this to work, so FitBit should too.

[SunsetRunner]

I just got off a 3 mile tread mill workout.  I started the tracking as I took my first step.  I did NOT TOUCH the sidebars and swung mile arms the entire time.  My tracker showed 1.5 miles at the end of 3 miles.  What gives?  How do I correct this?  I've tried restarting my Blaze and confirmed that I have the correct firmware update.  Is there a work around? 

[meresydotes]

@SunsetRunner First, don't swing your arms so much. I'm finally past having to keep my hand on my body, but you need to either just barely swing your arms or keep your elbows bent at 90-ish degrees and barely moving.

Second, don't fret about the distance. I don't think you're going to get the distance quite right, because the treadmill moves, too. I'm only 4'10" and my stride length is set to like 2 1/2 feet in order to get the distance of a treadmill workout close. I would concentrate on the step count and then adjust your stride length to fix the distance if it's important to you.

You should do a couple of workouts with your hand on your body (I did upper thigh for walking and upper chest for running) to get the steps correct, then go from there.

[Rich_Laue]

@SunsetRunner a couple of things to realize here.

- Your tracker counts steps.

- On a treadmill the tracker can not measure distance, it needs to count the steps and use your stride setting.

- As the speed of the treadmill changes the users stride will also change.

- The stride on a treadmill most likely not be the stride on a free run.

- If the distance is off it is because the step count and/or the stride is off

First thing we need to confirm is if the step count is correct.

Then it is simply a little math to figure the stride.

[SunsetRunner]

I've done a manual count of steps and compared it to the Blaze's count and the blaze is off by 30%.  When I use a treadmill, I set the speed at my desired speed and then step onto the belt and remain at that same speed the entire time.  There is no variation in speed.  I've tried manually setting my stride length a bit shorter in the app than my actual stride so that it would capture every step.  Yet, here I am, 30% undercounted.  I've tried allowing the Blaze to automatically recognize my stride length.  Still undercounting.

This inaccurate step count also occurs when simply out on a run.  My husband and I can leave the house together, go the exact same distance and both my steps counted AND my distance are both about 30% lower than his.

Help!

[meresydotes]

@SunsetRunner Blaze undercounts steps by about 30% if you swing your arms a lot. It's a bug. I don't think a fix will be coming. The stride length is just for calculating distance and will not affect the step count. When I walk, I just swing my arms a tiny bit. When I run, I keep my arms at a 90 degree angle and only move them as much as my shoulders naturally move. It's actually better to run that way anyway, as you don't waste a lot of energy swinging your arms.

[RWwarwick]

I do not accept that "accepted solution".  I do not hold on to the rails....I run and walk on the treadmill as I would when running/walking outside.  And yet, always have a very large distance disparity.   It seems to be that I'm always off by at least 25-35%.  If I run 3 miles, fitbit blaze will register somewhere around 2 milles.  That's a huge difference and VERY discouraging.

[SunsetRunner]

Right there with you friend.  The only thing that helps a tiny bit (still undercounting, but by less) is to take my blaze off my arm and put it elsewhere on my body (pocket, bra strap).  It seems that having it on my torso helps.  But, frankly, it seems counter-intuitive to take it off to get an accurate measure.

[Rich_Laue]

Your distance is calculated off of the steps counted and the stride setting.

You can't judge step accuracy by looking at distance.

Lets do a step count test.

Run 100, 200, 300 steps, then compare to what the tracker counted.

I usually do a 100 step test, followed by each a 200, 500, and 1000 step test.