Option to Turn Step Tracking Off for Workouts

[ScottKilbo]

Most of my non-running workouts don't involve steps.  For instance I do a kickboxing/boxing workout pretty regularly and it counts steps based on my hand motions.  If I work the speedbag for a few minutes, it adds up to a few hundred steps.  As a result, I have to remove my watch when doing this workout and I don't get my heart rate recorded during this time.

Ideally, this would be a setup option for all of the workouts, except maybe the workouts like Run and Hike or anything that has the option to use the GPS.  I would like to be able to go into the setup for a workout on the watch, and turn off step counting.

Moderator edit: Clarified subject and labels

[LanuzaFitbit]

Thanks for sharing your idea and time with us @ScottKilbo! 

I could see this being very useful and welcomed by lots of different users.

Let's see what others think about it.

[SantiR]

Hi everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs located at the top right box of the Feature Suggestions Board screen. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.

[Elise1608]

It would be great if the steps are not counted when an activity (other than running) is detected, whether or not automatically.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Elise1608, thanks for taking the time to share why you would like to see this option on your Fitbit. This feature suggestion already exists, so I’ve moved your post here. This is not currently planned at this moment. You can keep adding your votes to this suggestion so we can keep tracking this request overtime.

You can also check this other suggestion: Option to Turn off step count when Crafting or doing basic tasks.

Learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs. I hope to see you around.

[dannyburkett]

When I select specific exercises on my ionic where i am not walking or running, like riding or weights, my step count should not be registering.  For example, when I hop off my bike, it has registered that I have taken 2000+ steps because of my subtle arm movement on the handlebars although I've been on the bike the whole time.  When I do weights, I am not walking but my arm actions register 2000+ steps.  At the end of the day my watch is wrongly saying I walked 2000+ more steps than I actually did.  

Solution suggestion: deactivate the step counter when non-stepping exercises are selected.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @dannyburkett. Thanks for taking the time to explain why you'd like to have an option to turn off step tracking for certain exercises with us! This feature suggestion already exists, so I’ve moved your post here. While this isn't currently planned at this moment, we have left voting open so we can keep tracking this request over time. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

[ArusVartan]

Add an additional settings that enables disabling or enabling step count while exercising like bikes or swimming to ensure no false stats have been created.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @ArusVartan, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to turn step tracking off for workouts. This feature suggestion already exists, so I've moved it into a similar request. While we don’t currently have plans to release this feature, we always appreciate the passion and creativity that comes out of this Community. Since we know this idea is important to many of you, we have left voting open to continue tracking interest and will post another update if anything changes. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

I hope to see you around.

[Boogie007]

i have found that when tracking steps that time i am riding in my golf cart are being counted as steps. Riding a nine hole course and only walking short distances i find the GPS tracking method is counting some 7,000 steps.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Boogie007, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to turn step tracking off for workouts including "Riding". This feature suggestion already exists, so I’ve moved your post here. While we don’t currently have plans to release this feature, we always appreciate the passion and creativity that comes out of this Community. Since we know this idea is important to many of you, we have left voting open to continue tracking interest and will post another update if anything changes. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

I hope to see you around.

[aarond123]

Under exercise, add an icon that called "drumming", "horse back riding" or "activity without steps".

[aarond123]

I read this in another thread: "If they did (add this feature), the next complaint we will see is. I forgot to turn driving mode off."

That is just not true.  I manually log my workouts daily.  When I am done the workout, I end the workout.

People who are serious about measuring health metrics will remember to turn the "drive mode" off and on.

There are a lot of activities where people want to measure their health metrics (heart rate for example) but don't want to clock in steps.  I play the drums and ride a motorcycle.  Both activities add an insane amount of steps to my day which is completely inaccurate.  Horseback riding is another activity that incorrectly logs a high amount of steps.

Fitbit needs to offer an option under exercise to select "non step activity" which you can start and stop like any other activity.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @aarond123, thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about adding the option to turn step tracking off when performing a non-step based activity. This feature suggestion already exists, so I’ve moved your post here. Click on the thumbs-up to show your support. 

While we don’t currently have plans to release this feature, we always appreciate the passion and creativity that comes out of this Community. Since we know this idea is important to many of you, we have left voting open to continue tracking interest and will post another update if anything changes. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

I hope to see you around.