How to Connect an Apple Watch to Gym Equipment (And if It's a Good Idea)

Enhance Your Gym Workouts with Apple Watch and Gym Equipment Integration!

Connecting your Apple Watch to compatible gym equipment significantly improves workout data accuracy by enabling seamless data exchange between your wearable and the fitness machine. This feature supports a variety of equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers, and exercise bikes from numerous brands. Many popular gym chains, such as Planet Fitness and LifeTime, now offer compatible machines.

Connecting Your Apple Watch:

The process is simple: hold your Apple Watch near the equipment's NFC reader and confirm the connection on your watch.

The NFC reader is usually located near a "Connect to Apple Watch" indicator on the machine. If not visible, look for a circle with two curved lines. Ensure the "Detect Gym Equipment" toggle is enabled in your iPhone's Watch app (Watch > Fitness) and on your Apple Watch (Workouts > Detect Gym Equipment).

How GymKit Works:

Apple's GymKit API, introduced with watchOS 4, facilitates this integration. While initially limited to higher-end gyms, compatibility has expanded to include brands like Life Fitness, Cybex, Matrix, Technogym, Schwinn, Star Trac, StairMaster, Peloton, and Nautilus/Octane Fitness. You'll find compatible equipment in various settings, from large gyms to smaller facilities and even hotel gyms. You can even purchase compatible equipment for a home gym.

For treadmills, you may select your workout type (indoor running, walking, Time to Walk/Run) from a list.

Benefits of Integration:

This connection enhances data accuracy for both devices. Your Apple Watch shares data like calories burned, heart rate, age, height, and weight, while the equipment provides incline, pace, RPM, and stairs climbed. This results in more precise metrics displayed on both devices. Additionally, stopping the equipment automatically ends the workout on your Apple Watch. Apple Fitness users can start workouts directly from the machine.

After your workout, the equipment manufacturer's logo replaces the workout logo in the iPhone's Fitness app, but tapping it still displays your workout stats.

Privacy Considerations:

Apple prioritizes security and privacy. Data is exchanged during the workout but removed from the equipment upon disconnection. Your workout data is saved in the Fitness app. However, gym equipment manufacturers may collect and retain data if you're signed into their system; otherwise, data isn't saved.

Connecting your Apple Watch to compatible gym equipment offers a seamless and accurate way to track your fitness progress, enhancing your workout experience with precise data and convenient integration.

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