Workouts
Definition
Structured activity sessions recorded in HealthKit, including activity type, duration, energy burned, distance (if applicable), and optional route data.
Why It Matters
Workouts provide crucial context for understanding your activity: - Training analysis - Structured data for fitness tracking - Heart rate context - HR interpreted within activity type - Energy expenditure - More accurate calorie estimates during exercise - Progress tracking - Compare similar workouts over time - Route logging - GPS tracks for outdoor activities
Workout Data Elements
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Activity type | Running, cycling, swimming, strength, etc. |
| Start/end time | When the workout occurred |
| Duration | Total time |
| Energy burned | Active calories during workout |
| Distance | If applicable (running, cycling, swimming) |
| Route | GPS track (outdoor activities) |
| Heart rate | Samples during workout |
| Segments | Laps, splits, intervals |
Supported Activity Types
Apple Watch and HealthKit support 80+ workout types, including:
Cardio: - Running (outdoor/indoor) - Cycling (outdoor/indoor) - Swimming (pool/open water) - Walking - Hiking - Elliptical - Rowing
Strength & Conditioning: - Traditional strength training - Functional strength training - High intensity interval training (HIIT) - Cross training
Mind & Body: - Yoga - Pilates - Tai Chi
Sports: - Tennis, basketball, soccer, etc. - Golf, skiing, snowboarding - Martial arts
How They're Recorded
- Workout app - Start manually on Apple Watch
- Third-party apps - Many fitness apps write to HealthKit
- Auto-detection - Apple Watch can detect some activities automatically
Use Cases
- Training logs - Complete workout history
- Performance analysis - Pace, power, heart rate trends
- Recovery planning - Understanding training load
- Goal tracking - Weekly workout frequency and volume
Best Practices
Combine workout data with: - Heart rate - Effort and intensity - Recovery metrics - Sleep, HRV - Body metrics - Weight trends - Nutrition - Energy balance