Author Topic: Need a recommendation for fitness app  (Read 902 times)

Offline Billy no mates

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All I want is something I can use to track my treadmill runs. Something where I can manually enter each run, and then see totals, for each week/month/year etc, maybe see averages.

That’s the only feature I want, I don’t mind if it has a load of other features, but I won’t be using them.

Dont mind paying (not a subscription a one time price), but I would rather free and no bullshit.

So far I have tried about ten different ones that didn’t do what the claimed to do or the part I wanted was behind a subscription paywall.

Thanks

Offline Strawberry

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All I want is something I can use to track my treadmill runs. Something where I can manually enter each run, and then see totals, for each week/month/year etc, maybe see averages.

That’s the only feature I want, I don’t mind if it has a load of other features, but I won’t be using them.

Dont mind paying (not a subscription a one time price), but I would rather free and no bullshit.

So far I have tried about ten different ones that didn’t do what the claimed to do or the part I wanted was behind a subscription paywall.

Thanks

Could you set up a spread sheet to do this?

Twenty five years ago I had a pen and paper training diary, totalled and averaged each week, month, year.

I know we have technology to do this now, but if you can't find an app, might be simpler to go back to basics.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2020, 06:38:07 am by Strawberry »

Offline Steve2

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How about something like a garmin? A bit like a Fitbit but cheaper. Just wear it for the run maybe

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« Last Edit: September 15, 2020, 08:45:07 am by Steve2 »

Offline lostandfound

Garmin are brill, and once you've bought it the free tracking through Connect is great, but not sure cheaper than a Fitbit. Other way around I'd have thought?

Looks like £50ish versus £150ish.

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Can you use Strava with a Fitbit?
« Last Edit: September 15, 2020, 10:35:31 am by lostandfound »

Offline Billy no mates

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Thanks for the responses, not sure how well a garmin (and others) would work on a treadmill.

Sadly I think the ‘back to basics’ approach (spreadsheet) might be the best option.

Offline Yankee21

Thanks for the responses, not sure how well a garmin (and others) would work on a treadmill.

Sadly I think the ‘back to basics’ approach (spreadsheet) might be the best option.

It works fine.


Offline lostandfound

Thanks for the responses, not sure how well a garmin (and others) would work on a treadmill.

Sadly I think the ‘back to basics’ approach (spreadsheet) might be the best option.

A very sensible approach IMO.  :thumbsup:

If you're into fitness a Garmin is a very nice luxury, and will track multiple activities and sleep etc. I have one and I love it - but I'm a sucker for tech gadgets. I would recommend it, but I have to admit it is a luxury. If you were interested enough to spend the price of a punt or so on one, it would be worth keeping an eye out for deals around Black Friday or when they do a change of models and the likes of Amazon are flogging off the outgoing model.

Offline Gordon Bennett

Thanks for the responses, not sure how well a garmin (and others) would work on a treadmill.

Sadly I think the ‘back to basics’ approach (spreadsheet) might be the best option.

In all seriousness, what's wrong with a pen and notepad or scribbling runs on a calendar. Given you don't want any unnecessary bells & whistles that'd do fine wouldn't it?

Offline Billy no mates

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In all seriousness, what's wrong with a pen and notepad or scribbling runs on a calendar. Given you don't want any unnecessary bells & whistles that'd do fine wouldn't it?

Pen ? Paper ?
It’s not the dark ages  :D

As previously said, yes of course that’s fine, but I would imagine (like 99% of people reading this) I could lay my hands on my phone quicker than a working pen and a piece of paper. Also the ease at looking at averages per week, month and totals without digging out a calculator.

But you are right it’s probably the best option.

Offline Strawberry

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Pen ? Paper ?
It’s not the dark ages  :D

As previously said, yes of course that’s fine, but I would imagine (like 99% of people reading this) I could lay my hands on my phone quicker than a working pen and a piece of paper. Also the ease at looking at averages per week, month and totals without digging out a calculator.

But you are right it’s probably the best option.

Small note book 1 page per week, one day per line few notes, distance at the end. Total the distance down side of page, total at the bottom, under which divide by 7. Divide by 7 probably requires calculator. Or just set up a spread sheet, Excel is available for smartphones also smartphones have a built in calculator.

Could even buy some graph paper and make a chart, pin it to your door or noticeboard. Place your dot for each week.

Offline DrGFreeman

I have a garmin GPS watch. every run or bike rude uploads automatically to garmin connect and strava
I could never get it to work properly with treadmill runs though even with the shoe cadence sensor, it was always 20% out on the distance

Offline Londonpunter30

Pen ? Paper ?
It’s not the dark ages  :D

As previously said, yes of course that’s fine, but I would imagine (like 99% of people reading this) I could lay my hands on my phone quicker than a working pen and a piece of paper. Also the ease at looking at averages per week, month and totals without digging out a calculator.

But you are right it’s probably the best option.

Excel online or google docs.  Sign up for MS or google and you can do all this from your phone.

Setup on a computer then just put in totals

Offline DastardlyDick

I can't see how any of the various fitness apps can work on a treadmill, since they work on GPS technology?

Offline Londonpunter30

I can't see how any of the various fitness apps can work on a treadmill, since they work on GPS technology?

Some treadmills give you a fit file you can upload to various apps.  The trackers can also detect you are static or you can manually set a treadmill run

Offline DrGFreeman

Some treadmills give you a fit file you can upload to various apps.  The trackers can also detect you are static or you can manually set a treadmill run

Never worked for me
As GPS is useless my garmin counts foot impacts and multiplies by its own calculated stride. It was always 10-20% out with no way to calibrate.
The posher treadmills will link to your phone to export the data