Log Swimming in Yards on iOS Mobile App

[esevillano]

I have found that when logging swimming activities, the distance units used are in miles and kilometers (and fractions) which are more suitable to log activities such as biking and are not that accurate when logging swimming.  It would be a lot more convenient to be able to enter the distance in yards or meters.  Of course, the calorie calculator would have to be fixed accordingly and I know from the blogs and my own experience that you have had issues with that feature in the past.

Great device for tracking steps but requires improvements for some of the other exercises.

Thanks for your consideration,

[tripsychgirl]

Hi, i think one way to improve the android app is to make a change to the options when you save swimming as on activity. Currently, the phone app only has 2 distance options - miles and km. The problem with that is more pools are in yards and it isnt easy to convert yards into miles. On the website you offer both yards and meters..it would be great if the app matched.

[Aukje]

I have a similar query. I am using the fitbit since two weeks. I play water polo and so I log my trainings and matches (4x a week) manually. Since with water polo we are zig-zagging through the pool all the time, I cannot give a distance, but probably more accurately estimate intensity. This I can enter, but only estimated in yards/minute. Since I am Dutch, I have to calculate from meters to yards, and the whole logging excercise becomes quite cumbersome. Would it not be easier if one should choose units used in account settings once, and the app/dashboard would allow for data entry, calculation and display in that unit automatically?

[Doug3rd]

I wonder if it would be possible to develop an algorithm to calculate the "activity value" and calories burned in the process of competitive swim training, such as a Masters Swim Workout.

I add my swim activities manually from the Dashboard, but the amount of calories burned shows little difference between a 4000 yard swim and a 5000 yard swim.

I would happily work with a team of Fitbit software engineers to develop such an algorithm.  My main fitness activity is swimming because my lower limbs are such a mess, and I would love to get proper "credit" for the intensity of swim workouts that I do.  I find that the Fitbit activity goals are very motivating, and they get me going.  So let's take the plunge for aquatic intensity!   😉

[krchapman]

My principle form of exercise is swimming laps (free style).  Since I am not able to wear my FitBit Charge into the pool I want a Step conversion algorithum that gives Step credit either for distance swam, elapsed time, etc. not just calories burned.  FitBit is a Step centric device that we all love but it needs to recognize other forms of activity/exercise... which I beleive is FitBit's main goal to encourage an active life style... which can be more than walking or running.

I have worked with other Wellness Apps that have this feature.  So it can be done. 

Short of making it waterproof this software change is a could meet us FitBit advocates half way. 

[julietc]

Pool swimmers track distance by yards and meters, not miles. Please option to add distance by yards and meters. Also add option to input heartbeat which will indicate intensity of the workout.

[SunsetRunner]

Most pools are measured in yards vs meters and miles. Perhaps modify the entry accordingly.

[Mcore]

Thank you very much for your contribution @esevillano! It seems like a good idea to be able to enter your swimming distance as yards or meters. Even though this option is available on the web Dashboard, it would be awesome to add it to the Fitbit app as well. 

I will forward your request to our developers so they can take it into consideration. Thanks! 

[Kitsman]

When will you add a swimming tracker? Other wise I love the Fitbit

[AnneBL]

I too want to track my swims by yards and/or meters rather than miles or kilometers. 

[JDA876]

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  @Doug3rd wrote:

  I add my swim activities manually from the Dashboard, but the amount of calories burned shows little difference between a 4000 yard swim and a 5000 yard swim.

   I would love to get proper "credit" for the intensity of swim workouts that I do.  

• Also, if you swim a set distance and then tweak the time to cover the same distance in a shorter interval, the calorie count drops, which seems counterintuitive.
• Does anyone know how to manually incorporate a heart rate? When I log a swim my dashboard says I'm a zombie, 'cuz there's no heart data.

[ruththetruth]

I too would like step credit for my swim workouts.  I would think that there is an easy way for this to happen.

[tmjg97]

Need the ability to enter swimming in as yards and meters. Not miles and kilometers.

And need a waterproof watch so we can swim with it.

[mcarland]

Still no meters/yards for the app? The settings panel allowed me to change Swim to Meters, yet the data entry still has km.

[geodepa]

I second the need to be able to manually enter heart rate for swims. Since I can't wear the Charge 2 in the pool, the cardio activty for that period is lost to ftibit app. I'd like to be able manually enter a heart rate for the swim period (my pace and heart rate is pretty consistent for the hour)  and have that incorporated into the cardio logs and calculations for the day. On swim days pool time is my primary cardio activity, it's a shame to not get credit for that in my logs.

[AnneBL]

Using the Flex 2 for swimming, I notice it cannot detect kicking laps, which are typically included in Masters workouts. And still no way to enter yards rather than miles. Minor note, the lavendar band quickly changed to beige. 

[Steve_Ensminger]

Swim workouts with a team / coach are nearly always measured in yards / meters. I know that distance. Please allow me to log my swim workout in yards/meters. Instead, I currently have to guess what the mile equivalent might be – and it's usually slightly off. This shoudl be a no brainer. 

[PD944]

It is unfortunate that the swim tracking only works with arm movements as I incorporate kicking drills with a kickboard into my swim set.....It would be nice to be able to log my swim with the number of yards I do and not the distance.  Currently my sets are 1300 yards which is 52 laps in the 25 yard pool, but I am only able to log my distance and not yardage, which is causing me to log it as more.  For instance I have to log .8 miles which calculates it as 1408 yards in the 35 minutes that I do......if I log .7 miles it calculates it as 1232 yards.  So I am either over or under. It would be great if I could log my swim workout, by the yardage that it is so that it is more accurate.  Thanks!!

[jwbeswick]

It would be helpful if we could choose to los swim distances in yards or meters (in addition to miles and km as presently allowed).  Many of us swim laps, and this approach could allow us to more accurately track our swim workouts.

[Millerc]

Per post "Can I track my swimming activity with my Alta?" on the forum. I have a screen shot where I would like to post my swimming distance in Meters or Yards as most pools are tracked via this distance not miles or km.  Can this be added/changed?

[kwaasen]

I have one of those big flamingos. The other day I was pushing two kids around the pool on this for about half a hour and no extra activity was registered... 

So disappointed! 

[ashleyehed]

YES. Please add this. m-->km isn't that hard, but yards-->miles is (and results in loss of precision).

[kferg501]

YES! Just reached out to customer service to ask about this. It's so frustrating to convert yards (how the pool posts distances) to miles or km to enter it and then the app displays the log in yards. Why make me convert just to convert back? It's annoying and less accurate. 

[LizFitbit]

Hi @PD944 thanks for sharing - you can currently set your pool length to yards (or meters) in the advanced settings - more on that here. You can also manually add swimming as an exercise in yards or meters on the mobile or web app - more on that here.

[LizFitbit]

Hi everyone, thanks for sharing - you can currently set your pool length to yards (or meters) in the advanced settings - more on that here. You can also manually add swimming as an exercise in yards or meters on the mobile or web app - more on that here. Thanks

[mcarland]

Hi @LizFitbit

Is there a new iOS version coming out? I just checked, and while I can change to meters in advanced settings (and I have it set to meters), when I go to add a swim workout, I can only choose miles or km under distance.

Checked the App Store, didn't see an update available.

-Michael