Exercise Ball for step counts cheating

[ann-on-a-mouse]

Hello!  I log about 8 miles a day on my fitbit through walking and running.  My neighbor and friend is in most of my challenges, but I get so frustrated because once she told me that she logs "steps" by bouncing on her exercise ball.  Now I can literally see her across our street doing "steps" while watching tv.  Although this behavior annoys me (call me a legalist), I tolerate it because she needs the exercise more than I need the validation of winning.  But can anyone answer...is bouncing on an exercise ball a legitimate way of aquiring steps?  Please be kind in your response.  Thank you!

[Hillz13]

Yes it does cause my heart rate increases. I've found light bouncing doesn't even register on my fitbit. I actually squeeze my glutes with every bounce so it increases my hr even further. It also corrects posture and I sit as if I'm doing a squat. I used to take my fitbit off when I was bouncing but now I don't seeing that it's obviously not cheating 😉. Really glad I came across this post cause the research is interesting none the less. 

[Ricepup]

Obviously, not all exercises are created equal. A bounce "step" may or may not equal the caloric burn of a standard "step". Same as a walking "step" vs a running "step" or a jump rope "step" vs a running "step", or even climbing up stairs "steps". But they are all exercises in their own right. Otherwise they can make separate challenges like an "only walking step" challenge or "only running steps" challenge 😂. Perhaps it may ease your mind if she was bouncing vigorously as opposed to light bouncing (the images that come to mind) 😂😂. 

But to answer the original question, no it's not cheating because she is exercising muscle groups and moving. Cheating would be waving her arm with the fitbit on it to register the steps while eating a candy bar. Hah.

[MajorMac]

I would agree with a lot of the previous responses that you just have to stop challenging her in steps. I haven't issued a challenge in a while so I don't know if this is a thing, but maybe do a calorie challenge, heart rate or "floors" challenge instead? Try to take the possibility of "cheating" out if you really want to challenge her! 

As for myself, I don't count ball bouncing as a step, but (for now) I consider it half a step, so I just change my daily goal to accommodate (as in, if my daily goal is 10,000, I change it to 15,000 or 20,000). 

[Alicat2104]

It's still activity that will burn calories I guess... I jog on my rebounder in the gym and that counts steps, and it's actually more hard work than just walking would be. 

[WavyDavey]

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@Ricepupwrote:

But to answer the original question, no it's not cheating because she is exercising muscle groups and moving. Cheating would be waving her arm with the fitbit on it to register the steps while eating a candy bar. Hah.

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Well, by your own definition, waving our arm around is also exercising muscle groups and moving. And the candy bar--fuel for the workout! 😄 😄

I recall one community member posting that they were able to burn quite a few calories just waving their arm around. It seemed a little odd, but I suppose there are stranger ways of elevating your heart rate.

Still wishing there were challenges based on active minutes...

[LadyChris]

I have the same exercise ball. My Fitbit told me I reached 168bpm in no time at all. My resting is 68bpm. Right. I suggest taking fitbit with a grain of salt here... step count and otherwise. It's a fancy watch.