Apple WatchOS 11 Training Load, Vitals, and Maps Could Be Better - Here's How!

[@TheSaunaViking]

Please Apple listen to this guy! 😊👍

[@applerunner1184]

I own the Apple Watch Ultra and on the whole, I love it. With that said, when it comes to running, I often wonder if the running features are designed / tested by actual runners. If they were a runner, they would know that if you are wearing a running jacket you have have to put the watch in water lock mode (to prevent phantom touches from the jacket) which would prevent you from having access to the maps application. I guess that you could technically exit from water lock mode, swap over to the maps app, get your directions, swap back to the workout app, put it back into water lock mode and then continue your run. That is a lot of hassle, especially if you have to do it multiple times… There are lots of other little “hassles” like this which really do add up to a rough overall experience for serious runners…

[@Oharsh0928]

Apple definitely needs to add maps to the workout app. Totally agree this should be an easy fix.

[@DonGib888]

If they introduced an Apple Watch "Athlete" or "Sport" mode and incorporated these and other metrics into this mode, it would enable them to appeal to the Garmin / Polar etc crowd. They are trying to facilitate all levels with the software which is understandable considering the market they're in but a simple "mode" could fix the need for more detail for runners / triathlons etc ?

[@DonGib888]

You can turn off / on other measurements easily !!

[@rubenkvalsvik1928]

Adding a target range for training load like this would be awesome! Love that on my Garmin!

[@lukasdvorok6456]

I am missing suggested workout functinality on Apple Watch. These new metrics are great, but give me some actionable things I can do to achieve optimal performance and health. For example Garmin gives you suggested workouts, but only for running and not for weight training. Something along "do leg day", "go for upper body day" to achieve optimal combination of running and weight training of different body parts based on my prefered goals like gain strength, lose weight or become a better soccer player.

[@DamianMajk]

@@lukasdvorok6456 anthlytic on apple watches gives examples of different training, according to your training load. Garmin watches are basically for runners, cyclists, so do not count gym training in a proper way. So because of that there is no gym training suggestion.

[@elmastigre5194]

Keep up the good work and hopefully OEMs are listening!

[@elmastigre5194]

A curiosity that has bugged for a very long time, all this fitness/sport trackers/watches no matter accurate or not, pin point GPS or not, at the end of the day what truly matters is the work/exercise/exertion done. The body will never miscalculate anything, where you ran on the trail or streets in the city or body water you went swimming, day light or cloudy rainy skies, your body will never get any metrics wrong, but all sport dedicated or smartwatches do give erroneous data. I say this because i met some teens saying that need a garmin to do exercises, no matter what device you use they'll never be more accurate than your body itself and our system doesn't need gratification from smart devices to acknowledge that you did a damn good exercise today.

[@stormchaser2669]

The last point about the maps being in the workout app is something I’d love to see too. I ride my bike a lot and sometimes in unfamiliar areas and it’s a pain to have to switch from the workout app and maps to try and figure out where I am. However, I’d love to see a split screen display where both the workout information and map are displayed simultaneously at a glance without having to rotate the crown or swipe the screen which can be inconvenient especially during outdoor bicycle workouts. But tapping either half momentarily expands that half to full screen for better viewing and interaction.

[@MrHepcat34]

I agree with your opinions. I enjoy the new features, but there are lots of pieces that are just short of being great. What I would love to see is a better way to search / create training plans. I waste a few minutes every time trying to figure out what fitness+ run i want to listen to. I may want to do an easy run you have to open & read the description to find something.

[@aviyanshanuraag1248]

Sir I am 25 years old and my Heart rate zone is set to automatic. Should I change it to manual and if yes then at what value should I keep it?

[@JosephTrezza]

I have the ultra, I have Athlytic and the WorkOutDoors app and I’m in the public betas. I love these apps and yet I find myself still wanting a Garmin watch like the fenix 7x or even the instinct 2x tactical lmfao. Part of me knows that aside from the excellent battery life, these watches will fall short in comparison to the above app/watch combo, but I’m still trying to convince myself I’m wrong and need one of those garmins in my life! 😂

[@atbeanjr]

I had an Apple Watch since series 1 and bought an Ultra on release day. I bought an Epix Pro 2 months ago and don’t miss any of the things I thought I would. You definitely need one of those Garmin’s in your life 😂😂.

[@tonybowen455]

Actually, the third party apps are arguably better than garmin/coros/polar/ect. More options with the apps, more customizable, and they're more powerful. That being said, I use solely a garmin watch.

[@applerunner1184]

I wear the AWU and the Coros Pace 3. I sometimes wonder if the AW running features are designed by actual runners. Having the maps in a separate app is a real hassle especially if you are wearing a jacket (as you probably have the AW in water lock mode to prevent phantom screen touches). There are lots of other “little” running issues which add up to a pretty annoying overall experience (for serious runners that is).

[@seanmarshall5475]

Great video very informative, apple should definitely listen to this 👍

[@JJCA82]

Agree with all your points. Things I would add: - pacer screen for interval training. There isn’t a graphic view on where you are in your pace or heartbeat when you put and objetive pace or heartbeat. You only get an audio cue and it can be very annoying. Wish it was visual too. - routing and maps working outside the us and Europe. Every map app works everywhere in the world except Apple Maps. - number scoring for readiness or resting grading or something that tells me where am I in my training. Am I ready for my race next week or am I overtrained?

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Yes! The pace thing drives me nuts. I love how Garmin has a pace gauge with a “green zone” to visually display where you are at a glance!

[@JJCA82]

@@ChaseTheSummit the worst part is that the Apple Watch does have a pacer view but it doesn’t work on intervals it only works on pacer runs. So dumb

[@MrMeowNow]

Great content! Awesome info!

[@TheWolffness]

Not sure if I should get the AWU2 or Garmin Epix Gen 2 (not the pro, the regular sapphire), both on sale on Amazon.. :/ any inputs @chase the summit?

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Apples and Oranges. Apple Watch is probably the best "smart watch" and unique in that it has full cellular capabilities and a super fast processor along with thousands of apps. Garmin is... Garmin, a super advanced sport watch with crazy battery life and all of the fitness tools you need out of the box without third party apps needed.

[@anthonyrampino7734]

Will the ultra 2 ever get the blood oxygen feature back? And will it or the ultra 3 have blood pressure?

[@ChaseTheSummit]

🤷‍♂️

[@BilloBob1231]

ill stick with Garmin! hopefully the Fenix 8 will have LTE for fall alerts SOS situations other then that it blows away anything else.

[@mcm111able]

Apple has maybe the best programmers, i cant get over it, that they seem to ignore what garmin is able with their watches.

[@Anakena3]

Great ideas. For the first point I get it through Athlytics (but with plan)

[@movementisenergy]

Thanks for the great video and useful insights! As to the Automatic Effort Rating - after a few weeks it automatically became much more accurate for me and now it evaluates my effort level correctly (I am on a Developer Beta). Maybe it will be the same situation with you as well!

[@hwjgage]

Dave, comparing your effort for a track sprint and your effort for a 100 mile ultra, the latter is surely going to be a 10, which is why the former might only be scored by Apple as an 8. I expect the auto rating has to take everything into account, it can't provide siloed comparable ratings for each type of activity. Regarding the band, could it be that "Steady" is in fact -xx% to +xx% rater exactly matching the baseline?

[@valdius85]

I am in the Apple's ecosystem. How well the functions mentioned above will be implement will dictate how much I will be willing to spend on updating my phone, buying new watch etc. I am a hiker and I exercise regularly. These functions are important to me.

[@ZachGottlieb]

Unlike most wearables these days, Apple Watch HRV is pretty useless unless you take explicit spot-check measurements. The automatic measurements are really infrequent and random

[@TrentCarlisle]

Apple Maps on the Apple Watch has been in permanent night mode since WatchOS 8.0.

[@dionnea13]

Also the fact that you cannot route off a road that may not already be on Apple Maps. There are often paths that are not on the map with Apple Maps that may be on the Strava / All Trails / Mapbox maps. No manual mode is challenging for complete route creation.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

True! Though they seem to cover most of the popular trails in my neck of the woods!

[@hantla]

Apple needs to listen to this. I want to leave whoop for Apple and your suggestions would help Apple meet my needs to allow this.

[@maxiynacho]

Download bevel health. I think it’s good enough to leave whoop.

[@addeyyry]

Check out the quantified scientist accuracy testing of whoop vs any apple watch and you’ll be convinced. If the data is unreliable, there’s no point in insights from it

[@spiritofnorth]

All points mentioned are valid, but I'm afraid it will take Apple 20 years to implement them lol

[@ChaseTheSummit]

We'll see!

[@DamianMajk]

Because they don’t need this features now. If you are a pro athlete, then you will choose Garmin, Coros, Polar etc. But if you just try to keep fit, even working out 4-5 times per week, aw ultra/ultra 2 still is a great device with tons of smart functions. Many years ago i changed all apple watches to garmin eco, and now, sometimes, I just miss smart functions on my watch. Going to gym, and always taking phone with me, because of lack of the LTE/e-sim is ridiculous in 2024 :) same with running 20-30 km in hot weather. When I have been testing AW ultra/ultra 2 months ago, I just catch my watch and that’s it. Listening to the music, even small call - battery still was great at the end of run. Now I need to take my phone, with me, because of live track in garmin, and after run it’s look like a trash, no matter where I put it - on my pocket, bag, etc. Even Fenix 8 will still not have lte/esim, what’s is big disappointment for me.

[@spiritofnorth]

@@DamianMajk HRV status and Training Readiness are absolutely key metrics, no matter if you're pro athlete or not. It's a must for any sport watch and it's shame Apple didn't add those to Apple watches yet.

[@DamianMajk]

@@spiritofnorth training today, athlytic - all data in one app. And to be honest - 99% do not check hrv or training rediness. If you have enough power, then just go for a run, go to the gym etc. If not, even when hrv will be still ok, and training rediness about 100, I would just stay and take one day rest. My fenix 7x pro solar sapphire still, after 20 km hard intense run, show training rediness 50/100 and 30h recovery. So the data do not cover in proper way. I have many examples of it.

[@rahulroy3978]

While riding bike it does not navigate directions

[@rtfeasel]

Great video. Appreciate the non-milquetoast opinions. I do apologize for my previous comment (on a previous video). It was meant as a compliment. But in hindsight; it was such a backhanded compliment, passive aggressive thing to say. Appreciate all you do.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Lemme google that word again... jk. Thanks for commenting. I read them all and I take them all to heart!

[@valdius85]

Dear Apple UX designers - no, your "way" is not the only way and often not even the average way.

[@meaphotographica]

It seems Apple designed an average joe who never used a garmin watch. People who have no clue about fitness tech. Apple is either so blind to check what’s in the market or using us as a beta testers. I will wait until it gets perfect. That’s according to Apple incremental upgrades could be 10 years later or so. 😄

[@addeyyry]

This is beta to gather training data for the full release this fall. Just like with HR the limited data that it will give will be far superior to the competition. Personally I just use apps to track all the other stuff

[@JuanReyes-rl9sx]

First view ;-)

[@nkeet89]

It's still trash. Still years and years behind whoop.

[@LeeBoris974]

There is one thing about Apple...they never listen. 😛