Running on Treadmill

[mattw]

I ran 5 miles on a treadmill and my fitbit force only logged 3.5 miles.  Any suggestions other than logging the activity manually. I'm concerned that it not accurately counting my treadmill runs.

[AdrianM]

I have different stride lengths set on the website (0.85m and 1.5m for walking and running at 6kmh and 12kmh respectively) however, the distances travelled only ever seem to relate to the walking length * number of strides.

My 'steps-per-minute' only varies from 120 (brisk walk) to 135 (run) but its the increase in length that increase my speed... but FitBit One can't seem to recognise this.

Any suggestions on how to get the One to recognise the different pattern?

[Mary]

I don't think you can do anything that you haven't already done-- adjust your stride length in the settings.  It doesn't ever revert to your running stride due to your steps not speeding up?  That's odd. I don't run and sometimes my running stride appears to be used, for faster walking.  All I can think is to change how you run so it detects the greater motion/speed or ignore your distance estimate (it doesn't affect anything), or maybe increase your walking stride setting if you prefer to overcount walking distance rather than undercount running distance.  

Where do you wear your Fitbit on your body, that it thinks you only walk?  

[AdrianM]

I keep it in my pocket...sat at a desk most days 😞 ...and then in the pocket of my shorts I wear when running (treadmill or outside) - it has a zip and so stops it falling out/getting knocked off.

...btw - I was surprised that my count didn't go up that much... I have heard others saying they use a metronome to get 145 spm... i 'pushed hard' the other week and still only went up to 137 😞

I think the issue is my count not being very different...

[Mary]

My steps per minute aren't very high even at a run, either.  Adrian, what is your goal with the Fitbit?  I don't think the distance estimate really matters to anything.  If you run at 130 steps a minute with a long stride, that's how you run.  If your goal is to lose weight or to become more active, you don't need to get more strides in per minute or have your device show more accurate distance estimates.  Not to minimize your concerns at all, but I would hate to see you losing sleep over stride/spm data if your goal is something they don't matter to, like it is for most of us.  

[AdrianM]

I wouldn't say I was 'concerned' over it ... it's just a bit annoying. I like data to be accurate, or why bother having it?

Primary goal is to be more active, and having the FB just makes me think about getting up and going for a walk at lunchtime, and doing an extra stint on the treadmill (or run at the weekend).

...If I just wanted to count steps then I could use a standard pedometer - at the end of the day, I can get distances covered from a map, or the treadmill readout. The FB has the ability to give a distance, so it would be 'nice' if it was a bit more accurate... but...I'm certainly not losing sleep over it!!  

[Mary]

Oh good!  I think Fitbit gives very rough estimates of many things, but for most general health purposes, accuracy isn't really needed and often isn't ever going to happen.  You can get very accurate distance from a GPS but you can't get much better of a calories burned estimate without wearing a chest strap, or worse, living in a lab with a calorimeter hose in your mouth.  

I really just use the Fitbit to count steps (and thereby motivate me to be more active) and often consider using a cheaper pedometer.  But I like the online data and the wireless synching and the small size and nice display of the Fitbit, so I spend a little more for it.  I don't think Omron's come out with one yet that's small enough to clip on my bra and go unnoticed, and that sends it's data to my PC.  

[mvega]

Very good explanation Mary. For those of us who just want simplicity and
efficiency we like what the Fit Bit can do for us; whether it be Flex,
wrist,clip,force, one. All are pretty good! Runners, Jogger, etc. may
have to implement other add ons to make up what they are lacking.

However you said it all. [?]

Michael V. Base Runner

[DeirdreL]

someone mentioned that running on a treadmill is easier. I find the opposite, anyone else run faster/longer outdoors? Even with hills?

[AdrianM]

I guess that could be a 'boredom factor' coming into play. Loooking at the same view on a treadmill (even with TV screen) is boring. Outside you get to see different things to take your mind off the run itself...and I think it's easier to 'daydream' and think about 'stuff' when outside rather than pounding a moving rubber track...

[slysam]

I calibrated my strides doing walking and jogging laps on a track. After calibrating, my fitbit distance for walks outside have been quite accurate compared to GPS, measured routes/tracks, and the treadmill. I originally calibrated on a treadmill and my stride came out shorter than it is outside. I am not sure why, but I kept the treadmill flat (no incline). Anyway I waned to post the formula I used. I plugged the fitbit counted steps and actual distance covered into this formula: 63360 * actual distance in miles / fitbit counted steps = average stride in inches

[Alf66]

I too find running outside easier. Treadmill I run between 10 and 11kph with an incline of 1%, usually do 5km a day.
Outside I easily run up to 13.5kph, and do the 5k much easier. Struggle much over 11kph on the treadmill.

[AdrianM]

Hey @slysam ...that's what I love about the imperial system...all those magic numbers!!!

distance in metres/number of steps = step length in metres

...couldn't be simpler and no need for a calculator...

 

[gourdman]

When on the treadmill tie the Fitbit to your belt or the string of your shorts or swearts. For some reason it won't count your steps on the treadmill if your wear the Fitbit on your wrist.

This works evey time for me.

[Dominique]

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@gourdman wrote:

For some reason it won't count your steps on the treadmill if your wear the Fitbit on your wrist.

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Which Fitbit tracker do you have? What are you doing with your hands when on the treadmill?

[gourdman]

I have the Flex Fitbit and I don't hold on when I'm on the Treadmill. I tie
the Fitbit to the loop in my belt or the strings on my sweats. It seem to
record just fine that way.

Gourdman

--
http://www.gourd.com/

http://gourdmusic.blogspot.com/

[Dominique]

---

@gourdman wrote:
I have the Flex Fitbit and I don't hold on when I'm on the Treadmill. I tie
the Fitbit to the loop in my belt or the strings on my sweats. It seem to
record just fine that way.

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I can't really comment, because I'm not using a Flex (I've got an One) and I don't have a treadmill either. However, my understanding is Fitbit trackers should be worn as recommended (eg. wrist-mounted trackers on wrist, waist-mounted trackers on waist) for optimal accuracy. It would be interesting to hear about other Flex users who have a treadmill.

[mvega]

I've using my flex wrist bracelet for almost one year on the treadmill and
I haven't had any problems other than a little accuracy variance. Just keep
the wrist at your side and no where else.

Good Luck,
Base Runner
Mike V. [?]

[nurse_dave]

I done a "treadmill run" for the first time using my tracker and it seemed that the tracker  was faster counting mileage than the treadmill. Not too much faster but i had to stop my tracker twice for the treadmill to catch up. Everything else seemed right on point. In all my tracker was like 2 minutes faster when i was done so does anyone know if theres a way to make them both as close as possible to each other or could the tread mill be off? I know outside it is always accurate.

THX

David

[AdrianM]

It will depend on the stride length set for the tracker. You may be taking shorter strides (more of them) than the setting, in which case the tracker counter will go up too fast.

So, if your stride was 1m and the treadmill going for 1km (1000m) would take you 1000 steps. But if your Tracker setting was for 1.5m strides, then it woudl register that you went 1.5km...

[Ozzie65]

Hi @nurse_dave - I agree that this is likely a stride length issue. Check out the link below for measuring and adjusting your stride length:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-measure-and-adjust-my-stride-length