Versa tracking steps when walking in the pool

[Kilmeny]

I'm enjoying the versa, and particularly like the way I can use it in the pool. I'm not doing laps but have my own routine which has a few different elements including water walking and water running. At the moment I am letting it automatically detect the 'swimming' rather than using the swimming app on the watch so I can see what happens to my heart rate rather than getting readouts of 'laps' which I haven't swum. Doing it this way underestimates the time I am in the pool which is a disadvantage but I like to be able to see my heart rate.

The problem I am getting is that I am getting steps added into my day when I am only swimming. My phone tells me in the section saying 'impact on my day' that it is adding 0 steps but when I look at the details of my steps for the day it is registering them as steps, and generally adding roughly a few thousand steps to my day. I'm not sure exactly how many but can see the activity in the graph with the green columns. I want to know that the steps I am doing at the end of the day are all land steps not general activity converted to steps plus land steps.

If I use the swimming app on my watch it shows up the steps under 'impact on my day' and also represents these as steps in my day's overall steps. It does give me a precise number of steps which are added into my day. If I use this method do I manually have to deduct the steps every time I have a swim  to calculate my land steps for the day?

Is there a way I can keep seeing my heart rate but not have 'steps' added to my day when I'm doing a pool activity? I'm keen to have the information kept separately as it's important for me to quantify my weight bearing activities. 

Moderator edit: format

[LucyAP · Accepted solution]

Thanks for stopping by @Kilmeny! It's good to hear that you are having fun with your Versa. I appreciate that you have shared your experience with it during swimming activities. 

Currently, you can't activate heart rate while doing a swim activity or delete the steps from this activity without impacting your swim activity (for more info check out How do I edit or delete Fitbit data and activities?). 

However, this is a nice idea. The best place to make your voice heard is the Feature Suggestions board. Here you can upvote for a similar idea or create your own. The ideas with more votes are taken into consideration for next updates or product development. 

I hope this helps, see you around! 🙂 

[Kilmeny]

Thanks Lucy for your reply and for finding me the thread. I'll keep using the auto detect function for the swimming  but it would be good to be able to see at a glance my actual land based steps for the day separated from the total activity for the day. 

[LucyAP]

Thanks for the update @Kilmeny! Please be assured that we take in consideration all your comments and suggestions to keep improving your experience. 

Remember that you can create your own suggestion with the specifics of what you want. After that, your suggestion will be evaluated by our developers. If you would like to know more about Feature Suggestions you can check out the Feature Suggestion FAQs.

I hope this helps, keep me posted! 😉 

[gymswimbiker]

I so agree with you. I just got my fit bit versatile past week. it's an awesome tool in my exercise routine. However, I've been a pool runner for 15 years and I'm disappointed that my versa won't let me track this exercise as "pool running" not swimming. They're very different. It would be great to be able to track my heart rate and pool steps separate from my overall daytime steps. I also do a circuit class and ride bike. Those activities are well recorded but my pool time does not show an accurate measure of my workout. 

If anyone has a suggestion on how to make this work for me, lol, ZI'm all ears. 

[ChristineCS]

I water jog/run too and used Versa for the first time in the pool today, I used the run app and that tracked my water steps pretty well I thought, although it did keep pausing which was very frustrating (and showed a total workout time of 31 mins instead of the 45 it actually was). Other posts indicate that if I don't use the run app and just let it auto detect that that fixes the pause issue, so that's what I'll try tomorrow.

[gymswimbiker]

Hi Christine, thanks so much for your reply. Lol, great minds think alike,
I realized yesterday that I would give it a try. I can't wait for my next
pool day. 😊
Let me know if you find something that can "tweek" this plan.
Brenda

[ChristineCS]

Hi  Brenda

I have found that keeping the versa under water whilst water running solved the pausing issue.  As long as I don't life the versa out of the water for very long then it doesn't pause.  I don't think it's tracking my  distance accurately - it's telling me I've done 2.6 km when I haven't done 50 lengths of the pool, but that doesn't matter to me (more important to track time, heart rate, steps).

Perhaps off topic but I'd be interested to hear how you manage things like sharing lanes in the pool, I have a regular battle at my pool with designated lanes and lap swimmers.

[gymswimbiker]

Christine
We have a designated walking lane that use. There are 5 more lanes for the
swimmers. As for myself I run with a float belt in the deep end of the
walking lane. Lol, sometimes I occasionally run into a slower walker. All
the lanes are required to use the rectangle "swim pwttern". I also use the
entire deep end when there is an aqua aerobics class that uses the shallow
end of the pool.
I use music Christine, lol, I would struggle to complete my workout without
it.
How about you....do you use headphones?
I hope to try out our running theory this Friday. I would like to compare
my heart rate with my circuit class.I hope I answered your question and
would enjoy staying in touch.
Brenda

[ChristineCS]

Brenda

Yes I use headphones, and I have a cap with a pocket so I can put my phone in there it's a glamorous look, LOL. The staff are convinced I have mental health issues... I am waiting for a tech solution for spotify. 

Our pool has a 'dedicated' recreational lane or two but the staff refuse to enforce them, so the lap swimmers invade (despite having another 8 yes eight lanes to use).  It's only when I give the feedback survey a result of 2 that they act - they initially tried to get me to use the shallower shorter pool but I refused (they don't ask the lap swimmers to move), and they have said I can't use the lap lanes so I told them I am being disadvantaged.  They then made a sign to say that one lane is not for lap swimming but they don't always put that sign up.  It's very frustrating as the lap swimmers splash me and the wash makes me bob in the water...  but I am doggedly persistent, I have been going there every workday for 2 and a half years (initially on a noodle, but for this year water jogging).

[gymswimbiker]

Christine,
Oh my goodness, I can't believe what you have to put up with. 😞 I can't
imagine going to the pool, not knowing whether or not I'll be able to
"breeze" through my work-out or argue my stance. After hearing your story,
I feel downright spoiled. The pool employees always enforce our right to
use the running lane. I've been on disability for a number of years;
waiting for back surgery. My rec. center recognizes disabled people's need
to exercise so my drop-in cost is only $1.55. Sometimes I use the gym as
well.
I live in British Columbia....
Brenda

[ChristineCS]

Hi Brenda

Thanks.  I'm in Cairns (Australia).

[gymswimbiker]

Hi Christine

Wow, lol, the fit bit world is so small. 😊

Brenda

[Tuffgirl19]

I do water aerobics on my own, just me and my playlist, haha. This includes water jogging, running. I use the Weights mode and it tracks HR, cals burned, time lapsed and also steps are recorded when I open up the workout after I'm done. The Weights mode is the best I've found. I tried the Swim and Workout modes and find Weights works best for me.  

[Tuffgirl19]

HI Christine and Brenda, 

I'm Ashley from US. I do my own water aerobics too, with. music. I sent friend requests to both of you, but it didn't have the prompt to type anything about me. I have a lane to myself in the lap pool and jog, run, different excisees. Mainly try to keep my HR up. I find the Weights mode is the best as I can monitor my HR, cals burned, track time completed and see the current time.I wanted to tell both of you, I found some great wireless bluetooth waterproof earphones I use. JBL Endurance Sprint. I bought them at REI but I think they're also sold on Amazon. And I also have a WaterGym belt I love! from Amazon. So nice to see others on here that enjoy doing the same exercise. 

Y'all have a great day.

[Tuffgirl19]

Sorry, I meant Weights mode is the best for tracking as listed in previous post. 

[gymswimbiker]

Thanks so much for your suggestion. I'm going to the pool tomorrow so will
give it a try.
Lol, will keep you posted.

[ChristineCS]

Hi Ashley

I have to confess that I know nothing about friend requests etc, but I have just now accepted yours.

Thank you so much for the info re earphones, I am going to chase them down.  I use spotify at the moment but I am thinking of trying deezer...any thoughts?

I just water jog (but have done lots of water aerobics in the past), I use a belt.  I really wish I had the luxury of a guaranteed lane ...even the supposedly designated one this week got hijacked by a lap swimmer that the staff allowed to continue.

Anyway, I am excited that there are others who are keen water joggers

[gymswimbiker]

Hi Ashley
I too am happy to meet a fellow pool runner. I love this exercise, lol, one
of many. I'm not sure what music format that you would be interested in, I
just listen to music that I've chosen from my song collection. A swimming
mp3 player is an amazing tool in the pool.
I'm sorry that you don't have a dedicated walk/run lane. What a difference
it makes. Lol, I still end up having to go around some people.
Hope we can continue this conversation. 🏊‍:female_sign:/🏃‍:female_sign:.
Brenda

[Tuffgirl19]

I haven't used Deezer or downloaded the music to my Versa, I just use my Iphone, I tunes 🙂