If you run with a Garmin smartwatch, you probably spend a few minutes (OK, more than just a few) looking at your performance data when you get home from a run. How far did you run? What was your pace? And if you’ve been running for a while, you’re probably peeking at that VO2 max number too. You get all that and so much more when you run with Garmin.

But where does your data fit in with users across the globe? We can help you figure that out. We looked at Garmin Connect app data from runners — all over the world — to find trends.

Here are a few highlights:

• The average run distance for all users was about 4.8 miles, but the age group logging the longest average run might surprise you.
• European locales clocked the fastest average pace, with Ireland leading the way at a 9:09 minutes per mile pace.
• Garmin runners are all committed to beating yesterday. Runners under 40 saw the biggest upticks in running activities, and athletes over 60 made big strides as well.
• Strength training is gaining traction: We found a nearly 25% increase in users who recorded a run and a strength activity in the same week.
• The average VO2 max for all Garmin runners was 50.
• Garmin runners tended to record a better sleep score compared to non-runners. Plus, the average resting heart rate¹ of Garmin runners decreased as they ran farther.

How many miles do Garmin users run?

The average distance on a run for all users was 4.82 miles. Those ages 50–59 ran slightly more per activity on average at 5.1 miles. Those ages 20–29 tended to run slightly less at 4.6 miles per run.

No matter how many miles you’re putting in, it’s important to pay attention to how your body restores itself. That’s where your recovery time, powered by the Garmin Human Performance Lab, comes in. This feature provides scientifically personalized insight into how long it will be before you are fully recovered so you know when you’ll be ready to gain the maximum benefit from your next hard workout.

What month and day of the week were the most popular?

August was the month of the year with the most miles run. Garmin users recorded the most miles on Saturdays — we love a Saturday long run too.

If you’re venturing out on a long run, you don’t have to worry about battery life when you run with Garmin. Our long battery life — and we mean long — means you should get up to 1 week of battery life in smartwatch mode at a minimum on most outdoor and fitness watches, or even up to 90 days of battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging² on the Enduro 3 GPS endurance smartwatch.

How many miles did users run each week?

Now, how much did Garmin users run in a week? The sweet spot is between 6–10 miles per week on average with nearly 40% of runners falling in that category, while 28% of runners hit their stride between 11–20 miles per week. Only 7% of users ran between 21–30 miles a week and just 3% ran more than 31 miles each week.

Compatible Garmin smartwatches can help you manage the impact of running on your body with the running tolerance feature. Powered by the Garmin Human Performance Lab, this feature offers the insight you need to manage that impact while you build and maintain mileage.

How long does it take to run a mile?

The average pace per mile was 9:21 for men and 10:11 for women. As you might expect, the younger age groups ran a bit faster than the older ones, with an average speed of 9:16 per mile for those 20-29 compared to 10:57 per mile for those over 70.

These locales ran the fastest on average:

• Ireland (9:09 minutes per mile)
• Portugal (9:12 minutes per mile)
• Italy (9:13 minutes per mile)

If you’re wondering just how efficient you are while clocking those miles, check the running economy feature on a compatible Garmin smartwatch, such as Forerunner® 970. This uses your long-term running volume, stride length and step speed loss to measure your overall energy efficiency — when paired with the HRM 600 monitor.

How much time do Garmin users spend running?

On average, Garmin users spent 46.3 minutes on a run.  When broken down by age, those ages 60–69 ran 50.8 minutes, 50–59 ran 50.7 minutes, over 70+ ran 49.9 minutes, 40–49 ran 48.5 minutes, 30–39 ran 45.9 minutes and 20–29 ran 42.6 minutes.

To power your long training sessions, select Garmin smartwatches are packed with features for the elite runner. Determine how hard you can push yourself on a run by looking at your real-time stamina that tracks and manages your exertion, while your endurance score helps track your progress after workouts as you strive to become a better endurance athlete. Plus, with dynamic round-trip routing, you can tell your watch how far you want to go and it will suggest return routes.

How much more are Garmin users running?

The number of running activities increased across the board for Garmin users on a per- capita basis. Indoor running activities increased 12.6% per capita in 2025 compared to 2024, while outdoor running activities went up 3.2%. The 30–39 age group recorded the largest year-over-year increase of average activities per user, followed by those ages 20–29, 60–69, over 70+ and 40–49.

When it comes to specific types of runs, South Korean users recorded the most activities per user for running, track running and treadmill running. Users in France recorded more trail running activities per user than those in other locales.

Whether you’re running on city streets or densely covered trails, the built-in maps on compatible Garmin smartwatches provide full-color maps and turn-by-turn navigation to keep you on track.

If you wake up wanting to go for a run but don’t know how hard you should push yourself, consider the daily suggested workouts feature on select Garmin smartwatches. You’ll get run recommendations each day based on your training history, fitness level and recovery time.

How well did runners sleep?

Sleep is essential to your recovery — and runners tended to sleep better than those who didn’t run. The average sleep score of all Garmin runners — 73 if they ran between 0-10 miles, or 74 if they ran between 11-30 or more — was higher than non-runners who had an average sleep score of 70.

How did running affect resting heart rate?

Getting that cardio in can be good for you. There’s no surprise there. We know that Garmin users who spend more time being active — whether they love running, biking or swimming — tend to have lower resting heart rates. The resting heart rate of non-runners sat around 62 bpm. The more miles a user committed to running, the lower that number dropped. A user who ran 0-5 miles per week had a resting heart rate of 59 bpm, while a user who ran more than 31 miles a week had a resting heart rate of 55 bpm.

What is VO2 max? And what was the average best VO2 max for Garmin runners?

Your VO2 max is a number that defines your cardiovascular endurance; the Garmin Human Performance Lab embedded in compatible Garmin smartwatches estimates your VO2 max by analyzing and interpreting performance data while you run.

A higher VO2 max, which means your body is better at taking oxygen from the air and using it in your muscles, is better than a lower one. The average VO2 max for all Garmin runners was 50. If you’re having trouble increasing your VO2max, focusing on high-intensity efforts and increasing variety in those efforts — among other factors — could help. But VO2 max varies significantly when it comes to gender and age. The below VO2 max chart shows how VO2 max differs between men and women and gradually decreases with age.

How are Garmin runners using strength training?

In our 2025 Garmin Connect data report, we found that all users have been loving their strength training regimen, but we wanted to look at runners in particular. When comparing 2024 to 2025, we found a 23% increase of runners recording a run and strength training activity in the same week.

That makes sense. After all, research shows that strength training can be beneficial for runners. And when you train with a Garmin smartwatch that supports Garmin Run Coach, you’ll also have the option of adding supplemental strength workouts into your plan — making it even easier to build the strength you need to keep your runs going, well, strong.

How did runners use Garmin Coach?

The most popular distance that runners trained for using Garmin Coach was a half marathon. And if you need help on race day, don’t forget about these free race day features on your Garmin running smartwatch.

If you’re a runner looking for structure, Garmin Coach provides dynamic training plans from the pros and adaptive training plans with Garmin Run Coach, so you’ve got great options for how to train. Whether you’re ready to train for a 5K or a marathon, Garmin Coach has your back.

Feeling inspired to pull on your running shoes? Just grab a Garmin smartwatch to get started. Whether you’re just starting to run around your neighborhood or you’re passionate about ultras, Garmin has the right running smartwatch for you.

And don’t forget to record your run on Global Running Day. You’ll earn a limited-time Garmin Connect badge. Plus, try out the transparent data and map overlays available in the Garmin Connect app to post and share your run.

¹_{See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

²_{Assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions}

The post Trends in running: New data shows how Garmin runners hit their stride appeared first on Garmin Blog.

At Garmin, we know cyclists. We know how much you love getting the miles in on your bike. That’s because we love it too. All our cycling products — including Edge® bike computers, Rally power meter pedals, bike radars and lights, and more — are purpose-built to help you make the most out of your rides.

We also know how much you love the data you get when you ride with Garmin. That’s why we looked at data from Garmin cyclists riding with an Edge bike computer all over the world to find the latest trends.

Here are a few highlights:

• On average, cyclists tended to spend the equivalent of a full-length feature film on their rides.
• Garmin cyclists in Italy rode the farthest per ride on average, followed by those in Belgium and Spain.
• This age group climbed nearly the elevation of the Empire State Building on average per ride — and it might not be one you’d expect.
• The more miles ridden, the higher a cyclist’s average VO2 max and functional threshold power (FTP) tended to be.

How far did Garmin cyclists ride?

The sweet spot lies at an average of 28.59 miles per ride.

Age also played a role in how many miles users were able to squeeze in. Those ages 20–29 and 60–69 both rode just over 30 miles per ride, while those ages 30–39 and 40–49 rode just over 27 miles per ride on average.

These three locales went the distance and clocked the highest average miles per ride:

• Italy: 34.73 average miles per ride
• Belgium: 33.05 average miles per ride
• Spain: 32.80 average miles per ride

No matter how many miles you’re putting in — and whether you’re wanting to enjoy the ride or you’re looking for premium features — an Edge cycling computer can improve your time on the bike. If you need help choosing, not to worry: We can help.

Which locales are riding more?

When you ride with Garmin, you want to get out there more. We understand.

These were the top locales with the largest increases in number of cycling activities in 2025 compared to 2024:

• Belgium: 3.5%
• Luxembourg: 2%
• Taiwan: 1.7%

For cyclists getting out on the road more, awareness and visibility are critical. That’s where our Varia rearview radars and smart lights come in. The Varia Vue headlight camera, for example, records video in 4K (requires memory card; not included¹) and saves footage automatically if it detects an incident², while a headlight with up to 600 lumens lights your way. And Varia RearVue 820 features a powerful and precise radar that provides reliable alerts, a tail light with up to 1.24 miles of visibility and advanced vehicle tracking.

How long did cyclists spend on each ride — and when did they go?

Garmin cyclists spent about 115 minutes on average on each ride. Older cyclists tended to ride longer than younger cyclists. While those ages 20–29 spent about 111.6 minutes per ride and those over age 70 spend about 134.2 minutes on average.

Cyclists in the below locales spent quite a bit more time than others on their bikes:

• Italy: 142.7 average minutes per ride
• Spain: 134.4 average minutes per ride
• Colombia: 130.3 average minutes per ride

As for the time of day, Garmin cyclists tended to kick off their rides in the early to mid-morning and late afternoon.

Garmin Edge cyclists also recorded most of their rides on Sundays. And the most popular month of the year for all rides was August.

No matter when you choose to go, when you’re putting in that much time on each ride, the last thing you want to worry about is battery life. Edge 1050, for example, delivers up to 20 hours of battery life per day even in the most demanding use cases on a bright and vivid display, while Edge 1040 Solar offers up to 35 hours in demanding use cases and solar charging to extend that time even more — so you can ride longer and explore further.

How fast were cyclists riding?

Garmin cyclists rode an average speed of 14.89 mph.

When looking at age, we found younger cyclists typically rode at a faster pace than older cyclists.

These three locales recorded the fastest speeds globally:

• United Arab Emirates: 17.75 mph
• Thailand: 16.81 mph
• Malaysia: 16.73 mph

What was the elevation of these rides?

Garmin cyclists recorded a global average elevation gain per ride of 1,158 feet per ride.

And while those ages 20–29 may have been riding the fastest, they weren’t climbing the most. That honor falls to those ages 60–69, with an average elevation gain of 1,201 feet per ride — nearly the equivalent height of the Empire State Building in New York City.

These three locales recorded the highest average elevation per ride:

• Spain: 1,704 average feet
• Colombia: 1,678 average feet
• Portugal: 1,617 average feet

What is functional threshold power (FTP)? And how did Garmin cyclists perform?

What is FTP in cycling? It measures how much power in watts you can sustain without rapidly fatiguing — typically for about an hour — and is the gold standard in cycling. It helps you guide your training, optimize intensity and track changes in your performance over time. Powered by the Garmin Human Performance Lab, compatible Garmin devices estimate your FTP when you ride with a power meter (and a heart rate monitor for the most accurate results).

We found that the average max FTP for men was 224 and 188 for women. FTP was also typically the highest on average among younger cyclists, decreasing with age.

These three locales had the best average max FTP globally:

• Norway: 234 average max FTP
• Slovakia: 231 average max FTP
• Czech Republic: 228 average max FTP

The average max FTP steadily increased as users rode more miles; the chart below shows what the weighted average max FTP was by the average weekly miles ridden.

We also looked at the top 1% of Garmin cyclists, defined as those who cycled 140 miles or more per week, for a recent snapshot of just how well they performed. The max FTP for elite cyclists on average was 243. For all other users, it was 220. (Hint: If you’re wanting to improve your FTP, try boosting your tolerance for high-intensity performance.)

If you’re looking for a power meter to help you get an FTP estimate, consider our versatile Rally 110 and 210 power meters. These deliver responsive and accurate performance data, durable designs, rechargeable batteries and so much more.

How does age and mileage affect your VO2 max?

Now, let’s get into VO2 max³. This is a number — the higher, the better — that defines your cardiorespiratory fitness and aerobic performance capacity. The Garmin Human Performance Lab engine in your Garmin cycling computer or watch estimates your VO2 max by identifying, analyzing and interpreting meaningful performance data during your ride based on your power and heart rate data.

The average VO2 max for all Garmin cyclists was 51. Similar to FTP, the average VO2 max was the highest among younger age groups and steadily decreased with age.

Here’s the average VO2 max by the number of average weekly miles ridden: The more miles recorded each week, the higher the VO2 max.

To find the VO2 max of elite cyclists, we looked at those users with an average weekly mileage of 160 miles or more. The top cyclists recorded an average VO2 max of 62, while everyone else averaged 51.

If you’re looking for a way to get in your best cycling shape, consider the free and personalized Garmin Coach training plans in Garmin Connect. With Garmin Cycling Coach, for example, and a compatible heart rate monitor and power meter, you’ll get a program that adapts based on your performance and recovery — using your VO2 max and FTP as the foundation.

Why should you ride with Garmin?

With an Edge bike computer (otherwise known as your bike’s best friend), you get valuable performance data, detailed mapping features and dedicated training data — all the essentials for a quality ride experience. When you also wear a Garmin smartwatch, you get important off-the-bike training and recovery data so you can take your cycling fitness and health monitoring to a new level. Add on a Rally power meter to help track your performance, and don’t forget about our rearview radars and smart lights that help give you peace of mind.

These devices work together to help you reach your goals, whether that’s training for a race or improving your overall fitness.

Learn more about choosing which Garmin bike computer is right for you and how you’ll benefit from insights for cyclists on Garmin smartwatches. Browse all of our cycling products to start improving your rides today.

¹_{See Garmin.com/variavuememorycard}

²_{Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit use of this camera device. It is your responsibility to know and comply with applicable laws and rights to privacy in jurisdictions where you plan to use this device.}

_{³See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

The post The beat on bikes: The latest global trends from Garmin cyclists appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Millions of users rely on Garmin Connect as the tool for tracking, analyzing, and sharing health and fitness activities from their Garmin device every day. But Garmin Connect is so much more than just an app. If you dive a little deeper, you’ll find dozens of useful features, whether you want to track your wellness statistics, start training for a running or cycling race, or anything in between.  

Wonder how to use Garmin Connect? Here are just a handful of the useful and surprising features you’ll find. Take a few taps around the app or click around the website, and chances are you’ll find even more ways that Garmin Connect can help you achieve your health and fitness goals

Your homepage  

If you’re a regular Garmin device user, then you are no doubt familiar with Home, the Garmin Connect app’s homepage. This hub of your health and performance stats presents all of today’s (and the past seven days’) information in easily digestible cards. These cards may include activities tracked by your Garmin device, daily step count, heart rate, stress level¹ and much more depending on your device’s capabilities. Even better? You can customize the In Focus and At a Glance sections that are displayed on your Home screen, allowing you to focus on the data you care about most. With a Garmin Connect+ plan, receive personalized insights and suggestions to improve your health and activity data with Active Intelligence, an AI-powered feature.

If you want more information about a specific metric, simply tap the card to access daily details. Or by tapping into each stat, you can view charts and analysis of your stats over longer periods to monitor your progress.

View your activity details 

One of the main reasons people turn to Garmin Connect is for a closer look at their activity details. Once you save an activity on your Garmin device and sync with Garmin Connect, you get an in-depth view of your activity that includes relevant performance metrics like time, distance, laps, elevation, pace/speed, heart rate and more. GPS-tracked activities include a map with a themed polyline that details the metric of your choice along your route. The mobile app and website also provide historical activity reports so you can track your personal records, training history, overall mileage and more. 

To see charts and graphs of your fitness and health data over time, take a look at the performance dashboard with Garmin Connect+.

Monitor sleep and recovery  

Research in recent years has shown just how important sleep is to our overall health and well-being. Garmin is at the forefront of sleep technology with advanced metrics that show you the duration and quality of your sleep over time as well as sleep stages, including REM¹. Beyond tracking your total duration and sleep stages, Garmin Connect gives you a nightly sleep score (with compatible devices) that ranks the overall quality of your sleep and provides guidance. For extra sleep recommendations, Garmin sleep coach gives you sleep insights based on your age, activity levels, sleep history, naps and HRV. Garmin’s exclusive Body Battery feature also shows how sleep impacts your overall energy levels each day, and sleep is factored into several advanced Garmin training metrics as well. Enable features like Pulse Ox² on your compatible device to track your blood oxygen while you sleep. By tracking blood oxygen, your device will measure your breathing variations for enhanced awareness of your sleep environment and wellness. Plus, see your HRV status to check in on your recovery status.

Proper recovery includes staying on top of your nutrition. Easily track burned¹ and consumed calories and progress, log foods, set goals and receive Active Intelligence insights on how nutrition is impacting your health and training all in one place.

Track women’s health 

Both Garmin smartwatches and Garmin Connect have several women’s health tracking features. Menstrual cycle tracking lets you log your period dates, receive future period predictions, track symptoms and more. During each phase of your cycle, you can learn something new about how hormone changes can affect your workouts and nutrition. You can also track pregnancies in Garmin Connect and receive insights, record baby movements and log blood sugar, among other useful features. On compatible devices, enable skin temperature tracking to receive period predictions for potential start dates and past ovulation estimates². You’ll find women’s health tracking in “Health Stats,” which is located in the left-side menu of the website and the “More” menu in the app.

Train hard  

One area where Garmin Connect stands above the competition is as a training tool. Whatever your goal, Garmin Connect likely has a workout, training plan, pacing strategy or performance stat to help you achieve it. Just tap on “Training” in the left-side menu of the website or the “More” menu in the app to get started.  

The list of training tools hosted within Garmin Connect is lengthy, but one of the highlights is Garmin Coach training plans. When it’s time to train for an event, achieve a milestone or improve your fitness, Garmin offers training plans for runners, cyclists, strength trainers, triathletes and fitness enthusiasts. If you’re a runner, for example, choose your plan, select your race distance or other training goal, and start packing on the miles. With Garmin Connect+, get coaching guidance and videos for Garmin Run, Cycling and Triathlon Coach. Plus, check out PacePro for pacing strategies when running and advanced training metrics such as Training Status, Training Effect, Lactate Threshold and Functional Threshold Power (FTP) that help you track your training progress.

Follow friends 

Maybe you want to compete in a step count challenge with your family members, or you want to follow and compare stats with your favorite athlete. If you do, keep up with the stats of your friends, family, and athletes and influencers on Garmin Connect. When you follow other accounts, choose to share logged activities, earned badges or steps. Plus, if you’re going toe to toe with one of your friends in the app, favorite their account to see frequent updates of their stats. 

Earn badges  

Nothing feels better than being rewarded for your accomplishments, and Garmin’s wide variety of badges do exactly that. For everything from recording your first activity to achieving a 30-day step goal streak to running a marathon, Garmin Connect will award you a badge and give you points for earning that badge. Plus, earn additional badges and points by joining badge challenges with your followers. Compare your badge achievements with your followers and climb the badge level leaderboard as you earn more points. Get exclusive badges and badge challenges, with a Garmin Connect+ plan.  

And so much more

Whether using the app or the web, Garmin Connect also lets you create mapped-out activity courses to download to compatible devices, build custom workouts, manage your device’s music and a whole lot more. This may sound like a lot, but it’s really just scratching the surface of what you can do with your Garmin device paired with Garmin Connect. No matter what your health, fitness or training goals may be, Garmin Connect has you covered.   

¹_{See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

²_{The menstrual cycle tracking feature should not be used in support of conception, contraception or birth control. This is not a medical device and is not intended for diagnosing or monitoring any medical condition.}

³_{This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.}

The post How to use Garmin Connect to track your health and wellness appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Ever wanted to know how your runs affect your Garmin sleep score¹? Or how your training load correlates with your resting heart rate? Now you can.

With a Garmin Connect+ plan, you’ll get access to premium features, including a performance dashboard that provides a comprehensive view of your training data, and helps you compare your fitness and health data in customizable graphs and charts. While you can already easily view metrics such as steps, intensity minutes, stress and much more in the Garmin Connect app, the performance dashboard takes analyzing your data to a new level.

If you’re looking for an in-depth way to understand your personal metrics — whether you want to improve your overall wellness or you’re an ultra-endurance athlete — this robust dashboard is made for you. Here’s what you should know.

What are the benefits of the performance dashboard?

The performance dashboard can help an athlete at any level examine the impact of their training through overlaying health and wellness metrics with sports and performance data. This enables you to see how your body is reacting to your activity. And that means you’ll be able to tell if one or more aspects of your workout routine are working great or if you need to adjust.

Even if you aren’t an athlete, you can benefit from the dashboard. If, for example, you struggle with a chronic health condition, you could look for a pattern in your health metrics tracked by your compatible smartwatch.

And with the Index S2 Smart Scale tracking your weight, body mass index, body fat percentage and more, you’ll have even more data available to track trends with.

How does the performance dashboard work?

Want to know how your heart rate variability relates to your running? Wondering if you’re less stressed on the days you work out? Curious how your training status correlates with how far you’re running? The performance dashboard can help with all of that and so much more.

If you want to see if changes you’ve made to your training are improving your fitness, you can compare training blocks by creating multiple charts with different time periods but the same data inputs.

With more than 140 premade charts, Garmin Connect+ lets you juxtapose dozens of health and performance metrics from any timeframe and create your own hub of customized insights. Incorporate strength training stats such as reps, weight, sets, volume and even muscle groups into your charts. Plus, add nutrition data such as daily average protein, carb, fat and calorie intake.

Simply open the Garmin Connect desktop site, select the performance dashboard and begin creating a new dashboard. Choose between strength training, running, cycling, multisport or a fully custom dashboard. Once set up, you can also use the Garmin Connect app (under the “more” tab) to open your dashboard on your phone’s browser.

What else do you get with Garmin Connect+?

These are a few of the premium features you can take advantage of when you sign up for Garmin Connect+:

• Active Intelligence: Powered by AI, this feature provides personalized insights and suggestions. As the app gets to know you, the insights will adjust based on your activities and performance metrics.
• Nutrition tracking: If you have nutrition goals, track your calories and macros in the Garmin Connect app for a well-rounded view of your health and fitness. Track progress, log foods (on select smartwatches), create personalized goals and receive Active Intelligence insights on nutritional impacts when you have a Garmin Connect+ plan.
• Live activity: When you pair your smartphone to your compatible smartwatch, you can see real-time heart rate¹, pace data and videos for your indoor workouts such as Pilates, strength training and more. Plus, you can edit reps, update your weight, and stop and start workouts – all from your phone.
• Exclusive coaching guidance: You’ll get expert guidance from Garmin Coaches as you progress through your Garmin Run Coach, Garmin Triathlon Coach or Garmin Cycling Coach training plan. Plus, get exclusive educational content and videos when you upgrade to a Garmin Connect+ plan.
• Garmin Trails²: Find routes in select countries based on difficulty, distance and more for your next hike, backpacking trip or trail run with Garmin Trails. Then, send the trail to your compatible device with an active Outdoor Maps+ or Garmin Connect+ plan for offline access.
• Enhanced LiveTrack³: Your contacts will get a text when you start an activity on a compatible device. Plus, you can create a personalized LiveTrack profile page to share with followers.
• Social features: You can access exclusive badges, badge challenges and personalization for your Garmin Connect app profile.

Already have a Garmin smartwatch? Activate your Garmin Connect+ plan today. If you’re a first-time user, get familiar with Garmin Connect+ using your 30-day free trial. Still deciding which watch is right for you? Browse our collection of smartwatches to start learning more about your health and performance metrics.

_{¹See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

_{²Trails available in select areas. Learn more.}

_{³When paired with your smartphone; LiveTrack feature has requirements and limitations}

The post What is the Garmin Connect+ performance dashboard? appeared first on Garmin Blog.

We’ll help you understand what FTP is, how it differs from VO2 max, the science behind it, how you can find yours and how you can improve your FTP.

What is functional threshold power?

FTP is the highest power output, measured in watts, that you can sustain without rapidly fatiguing. This definition comes from Andrew Coggan, Ph.D., an early advocate of power-based training.

Well-trained cyclists can typically maintain FTP-level output for around an hour, though this varies by the individual. Fatigue can accumulate rapidly when your power output exceeds your FTP. Reduce your power output even slightly below your FTP and you may be able to keep going for longer.

It’s worth noting that FTP can be expressed in both absolute and relative terms. In absolute terms, your FTP is the total wattage of your power output. Relative expressions of FTP frame this insight as a power-to-weight ratio (watts per kilo of body weight). The ability to sustain higher power at lower body weights is an important predictor of success in races that involve major climbs.

What’s the difference between FTP and VO2 max?

What about VO2 max? VO2 max and FTP share an important relationship in the pantheon of performance metrics. VO2 max is the number that describes your maximum capacity for aerobic energy production. FTP, on the other hand, captures your ability to sustain higher intensities relative to your maximum aerobic capacity.

For two cyclists with similar VO2 max scores, the rider with the higher FTP may generally have an advantage in competitive settings. And just like VO2 max, FTP can be improved with targeted training methods. 

Physiology and the science behind FTP

The scientific basis for FTP offering useful insight is metabolic in nature. It connects what you do on your bike to what is happening inside your body.

A power meter quantifies performance by measuring energy transfer over time in terms of watts — one joule per second to be precise. Rally power meters can determine the force you’re producing right at the pedals, allowing you to compare the force generated between different bikes — regardless of variations in cadence, power and cranks between bikes.

But where does the energy that powers your muscle contractions come from? It’s the result of breaking down adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules, a biological resource often called the fuel of life. 

Your body maintains a limited supply of ATP that’s consumed quickly during physical activity. To keep going, your ATP production rate needs to match the energy demand of your performance.

The ATP you use when cycling is mostly produced aerobically, meaning oxygen was available and used in the process. Aerobic creation of ATP is efficient but limited by the ability of your heart, lungs and circulatory system to import oxygen from the atmosphere and transport it to your muscles.

When you need more energy than can be produced with the available oxygen, the ATP needed to make up the difference comes from anaerobic energy pathways — and this can lead to fatigue.

When glucose molecules are broken down for fuel, anaerobic metabolism produces a byproduct called lactate (small amounts of which are always present in your blood supply). The concentration of lactate rises when you exercise and increase the intensity of your performance. Some lactate molecules become fuel for aerobic energy production, while your circulatory system clears other lactate molecules from your working muscles to be remade as glucose in your liver.

Continue to increase the intensity of your performance and eventually the rate of lactate production will eclipse your ability to clear it away, so it accumulates. This can result in reaching your lactate threshold, where you may notice fatigue setting in faster.

How to find your FTP

FTP tests can help estimate the point at which the energy demand results in more lactate production than your circulatory system can clear away. A traditional approach may require taking blood samples during exercise and analyzing them in a laboratory.

Experienced cyclists typically reach the lactate threshold at a higher percentage of VO2 max compared to untrained cyclists. This difference is generally the result of improved aerobic energy production achieved through training.

With Garmin’s auto FTP feature, you don’t have to worry about a 60-minute time trial, 20-minute test or a ramp with increasing intensity. Select Garmin cycling computers and multisport watches can estimate your FTP during any cycling activity you record that includes enough time spent at different intensities, above and below your FTP. This method uses a combination of heart rate, heart rate variability and power data, so you need to have a heart rate monitor and a Rally 110/210 power meter paired with your Garmin head unit or compatible smartwatch. Plus, this improves your recommendations from Garmin Cycling Coach and daily suggested workouts.

How can I improve my FTP?

Increasing your FTP means boosting your tolerance for high-intensity performance. After establishing your FTP, Garmin Cycling Coach will use it to fine-tune your workout intensity and target specific training outcomes.

To get the full benefit of more targeted specialty workouts, you’ll need to build a strong, well-balanced foundation. Long, low-intensity aerobic training sessions set the stage for FTP-focused workouts by building muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance. Anaerobic and sprint training sessions enhance neuromuscular coordination and grow absolute maximum power output capacity — both of which improve overall cycling efficiency.

How you challenge yourself determines your results. This is known as the specificity principle of training. Tackling a hard challenge tells your body that it’s time to adapt to make similar challenges easier in the future. These adaptations happen in the recovery period after a challenge. Then, rinse and repeat: Repeating this cycle of loading and recovery helps you improve performance over time.

To improve your ability to tolerate high-intensity efforts, you need to strain your body with high-intensity efforts. Interval workouts are widely used to target both VO2 max and FTP development. That’s because punctuating higher intensity segments with periods of lower intensity activity allows you to perform more high-intensity work than you would in a workout built around a single continuous exertion.

VO2 max level intensity can typically only be sustained for several minutes. As a result, VO2 max targeting interval workouts typically feature shorter, higher intensity intervals. Because VO2 max-focused workouts involve pushing yourself above and beyond FTP intensities, these rides can have a positive impact on your ability to tolerate high-intensity performance.

Workouts designed to target FTP improvement often involve pushing yourself at FTP-level intensity for longer intervals. The extended duration of these intervals means you’ll also need longer recovery periods, and you will perform fewer of them during a ride.

Training to improve your FTP is both mentally challenging and physically exhausting, so avoid scheduling high-intensity workouts on consecutive days and give yourself plenty of time to recover.

How Garmin can help you train

If you’re not sure what type of workout would be best for you today, you can always check the daily workout suggestion on your Garmin device for an ideal training session based on your current fitness level, recent training activities and recovery levels. Even daily stress levels and sleep quality are considered in your workout suggestion when using select Garmin devices with 24/7 lifestyle tracking capabilities.

If you train with Rally 110 and 210, you get a versatile power meter that easily transfers between bikes and pedal bodies and accurately tracks performance metrics to help you fine-tune your training on every bike and ride. Our single-sensing power meter pedals, Rally 110, and our dual-sensing power meter pedals, Rally 210, provide essential data such as power and cadence within 1% accuracy. With Rally 210, you can also access advanced cycling dynamics including seated/standing position, power phase, platform center offset (PCO), and right/left balance.

When paired with a compatible Garmin cycling computer or smartwatch, Rally 110 and 210 also feature force data measurements for greater insights on the relationship between your power and cadence,.

Start optimizing your rides today with a Garmin power meter.

The post Do I need a power meter? The case for functional threshold power appeared first on Garmin Blog.

The right bike gear can help you practice responsible riding and feel more secure on your rides, whether you’re squeezing in post-work road rides as the sun sets or dedicating hours to your bike in peak sunshine on the trails.

No matter what type of cyclist you are, you should brush up on these five cycling safety tips — and consider adding Garmin bike computers, radars and lights before you start pedaling.

1. Make sure you can see other people.

With rearview radars and smart lights, you can help raise your awareness of drivers behind and in front of you.

The Varia Vue headlight camera records front-facing video in 4K (memory card required¹; sold separately) and automatically stores the video on the device if an incident is detected. Varia Vue offers five light modes and an auto brightness control that adjusts to your speed and surroundings, designed to help you see the road ahead — and to increase the chance that other drivers will see you². You can spend more time on the road with up to 7 hours of battery life in day flash mode with the camera recording, and up to 9 hours when not using the headlight.

Plus, you can get coverage from the back of your bike by adding the Varia RearVue 820 rearview radar tail light or Varia RCT715 rearview radar tail light and camera.

Our most powerful and precise radar yet, Varia RearVue 820 provides more reliable alerts than ever before. It can send visual and audible alerts while you ride when you connect it to the Varia smartphone app, compatible Edge® bike computers or select Garmin smartwatches — so you can easily get a heads-up that a car is approaching³. With advanced vehicle tracking, you’ll see alerts based on size, movement and threat level when you ride with compatible Edge cycling computers or the Varia app on your compatible smartphone.

If you want a radar tail light with a camera, consider Varia RCT715. Instead of advanced vehicle tracking, you’ll get essential visual and audible notifications on your paired Edge cycling computer, select Garmin smartwatches or the Varia app on your paired smartphone. Plus, Varia RCT715 adjusts the intensity of your tail light when it senses oncoming vehicles. You can adjust your light intensity and flash behavior to fit your ride. The easy-to-mount Varia RCT715 also features a built-in camera that will continuously record the surroundings behind you and, in the event of an incident, automatically save video footage from before, during and after the event. Plus, you’ll get up to 6 hours of battery life with radar, tail light in day flash and camera recording.

If you have an eBike, then Varia eRTL615 is the rearview radar for you. Varia eRTL615 features a battery-free design that is powered by your compatible eBike⁴, and it can help increase awareness between rider and driver.

While we hope most drivers are patient with cyclists, this isn’t always the case. The alerts from our rearview radars give you the opportunity to judge the car’s position and speed to determine if you need to pull over and give them a little more room to pass. 

2. Make sure other people can see you.

It’s always a good idea to wear reflective clothing when you ride, but thanks to the latest advancements in Garmin technology, you can take your visibility to a whole new level regardless of when the sun sets.

Our brightest tail light, Varia RearVue 820 , offers up to 1.24 miles (or 2 kilometers) of visibility and a brake light that shows when you’re slowing or stopping, while the Varia eRTL615 radar tail light can be seen up to a mile away. The Varia Vue headlight camera projects a steady blast of up to 600 lumens to help drivers coming from the other direction see you from up to 1 mile away. It also includes a cutoff beam, meaning the light intensity is reduced above the cutoff line to help preserve the vision of oncoming drivers.

3. Know exactly where you’re navigating.

No natural sense of direction? No problem. The latest Garmin Edge GPS cycling computers come equipped with multi-band GPS, which provides superior positioning accuracy.

Plus, thanks to the vivid display on the Edge 1050 premium cycling computer, and the more compact Edge 550 and 850 devices, you can see your maps in greater detail. With these Edge computers, you can get ride-specific routing, no matter if you’re on mountain, gravel or road rides. With Trendline popularity routing, your Edge cycling computer will find a route recommended for you based on the most traveled roads and trails by other Garmin cyclists. (You can learn more about choosing which Garmin bike computer is right for you here).

4. Stay connected in case of an emergency.

With the LiveTrack feature on a compatible Edge cycling computer (or your Garmin smartwatch), you can share your rides with contacts you have selected in the Garmin Connect app. This allows viewers to track your location and see where you are in real time. 

Plus, Garmin Edge cycling computers offer an incident detection feature that sends a message⁵ to your designated contacts with your live location if the device detects an incident. (Reminder: You need to set up emergency contacts in the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone before you can use the incident detection feature). You’ll receive a message on your Edge device and paired smartphone letting you know the message to your contacts will be sent within 30 seconds, giving you plenty of time to cancel the automated emergency message if you don’t need help.

You can also pair your compatible cycling computer to an inReach® satellite communicator⁶ to stay connected wherever you ride — even when you don’t have cell service. When you’re cycling through backcountry trails, you don’t need to swap back and forth between devices. Instead, you can use your Edge to control features such as sharing location data and viewing and replying to messages. However, your incident detection contacts are different from your inReach contacts, which can be set up through the Garmin Explore app or the Garmin Messenger app, depending on which device is being used. In an emergency, you can trigger an SOS message on your Edge to Garmin Response^℠, our 24/7-staffed international emergency coordination center, which will connect you to help if you need it.

5. Follow the rules of the road.

Traffic laws are put in place to help keep people safe on the road, and they apply to cyclists as well. It’s critical to obey all traffic signs and signals. Use bike lanes when available and be aware of your surroundings.

Part of that awareness should also include awareness of hazards. With a compatible Edge computer, you — and other Garmin cyclists — can report five types of community-generated road hazards: animals, obstructions, potholes, slippery surfaces and general hazards. You can also see hazards as an alert on your Edge, allowing you to be more aware of potential hazards ahead based on what other riders reported.

By following these five simple tips, you will be on your way to becoming a more responsible cyclist. Ready to hit the road? Be sure to outfit your bike with the latest Garmin technology for superior, bike-specific navigation and a host of performance features for cyclists at any level.

¹_{See Garmin.com/variavuememorycard}

²_{When paired with your Edge cycling computer}

³_{Requires a compatible Garmin cable (sold separately)}

⁴_{When riding with your compatible Edge cycling computer or the Varia app on your paired smartphone}

⁵_{When paired with your compatible smartphone. For safety and tracking feature requirements and limitations, see Garmin.com/safety.}

⁶_{Jurisdiction restrictions may apply; requires active inReach subscription and paired smartphone. Photo and voice messaging requires use of the Garmin Messenger app on your compatible smartphone.}

The post How Garmin cycling gear can help give you peace of mind appeared first on Garmin Blog.

You’re focused on improving your health and fitness. You want a Garmin smartwatch that can track your journey.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for a watch to monitor your health metrics and a variety of workouts. Maybe you’ve already been considering the Garmin Venu® 3 smartwatch, but now you’re wondering if the advanced health and fitness features on Venu 4 are worth it.

Both deliver Garmin health and wellness monitoring¹, smart features and dozens of built-in activity profiles that you rely on. You’ll still have music storage as well as a built-in speaker and microphone to make and take calls from the watch and even respond to text messages when your watch is paired with your smartphone.

But which wellness smartwatch is best for your needs? We’ll help you figure that out by breaking down four key upgrades in the design, health and fitness offerings, and accessibility features.

Let’s get into it.

Updated and stylish design adds an LED flashlight

Garmin smartwatches are known for their durable build. Venu 3 and Venu 4 offer a Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 lens and a 5 ATM water rating, meaning they’re suitable for splashes, rain or snow, showering, swimming and snorkeling. Both also offer AMOLED displays and two size options.

• Better: Venu 3 features a fiber-reinforced polymer case and stainless-steel bezel.
• Best: Venu 4 delivers a sophisticated metal design as well as a built-in LED flashlight on both sizes — the feature you never knew you needed.

Advanced health features right on the watch

Both Garmin smartwatches offer a full lineup of 24/7 health and wellness features, but Venu 4 adds even more capability.

• Better: Venu 3 provides wrist-based heart rate, Body Battery energy monitoring, Garmin sleep coach, heart rate variability (HRV) status, stress tracking, women’s health tracking¹ and more.
• Best: In addition to the health features available on Venu 3, Venu 4 adds health status, lifestyle logging and sleep alignment directly on your watch to help you track your health trends and lifestyle changes.

Offering a glimpse into your overall health and wellness, the health status feature will assess your heart rate, HRV, respiration, skin temperature and Pulse Ox² and let you know if your averages are within your typical range.

With lifestyle logging, you can log custom or preset behaviors — such as late caffeine or alcohol consumption — and view reports on how those choices affect your sleep, stress and HRV in the Garmin Connect app.

You’ll get even more personalized sleep guidance with Venu 4, including sleep alignment — which shows how aligned your body is to its inner sleep cycle using circadian rhythm. Plus, sleep consistency provides a look at your average bedtime over the past 7 days.

Advanced performance features to track your fitness

Both smartwatches offer a plethora of built-in sports apps to help you track the way you move, but Venu 4 builds on Venu 3’s existing training features.

• Better: With Venu 3, you can follow preloaded animated workouts for strength, high intensity interval training (HIIT), Pilates, yoga and more right from the watch — or create your own step-by-step workout in the Garmin Connect app. Venu 3 is also compatible with free Garmin Coach running plans from three experienced coaches who can serve as your on-demand running guide.
• Best: In addition to daily suggested workouts for different fitness activities and even a mixed session activity profile to track multiple activities, Venu 4 adds advanced performance features such as heat and altitude acclimation, training load and training effect – plus premium running features such as lactate threshold, PacePro pacing strategies, hill score and race predictor. And this smartwatch is compatible with Garmin Coach training plans for running, cycling, strength and fitness. Some smart training plans adapt based on your recovery and performance metrics so you can improve your fitness, train for an event or reach a personal milestone. Garmin Fitness Coach provides personalized heart rate and duration-based workouts for more than 25 fitness activities.

New audible and visual accessibility features

While Venu 3 and Venu 4 are both purpose-built for wheelchair users, Venu 4 adds new accessibility features.

• Better: Venu 3 offers wheelchair mode, so you can track daily pushes and receive weight shift alerts, as well as wheelchair-specific sports apps and workouts.
• Best: With Venu 4, you’ll have access to a spoken watch face so you can hear time of day, health data and more spoken directly from the watch. You can also get alerts at the top of every hour. Users with color blindness can choose different color display options, including gray scale, red/green, green/red or blue/yellow.

Which should you choose?

It all comes down to what you need in a watch.

If you’re looking for essential wellness and fitness features, consider Venu 3.

But if you need advanced fitness and wellness features to take your understanding of your health to the next level, new accessibility options and a built-in LED flashlight, Venu 4 might be right for you. Start your journey to a healthier lifestyle today with Venu 4.

¹_{See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

²_{This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.}

The post The difference between Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 4 appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Whether you’re training for your next time trial or looking to build your endurance, you can bring power data and more to your rides with a Garmin power meter.

When you train with Rally 110 and 210, you get a versatile power meter that easily transfers between bikes and pedal bodies and accurately tracks performance metrics to help you fine-tune your training on every bike and ride. Plus, the durable design, long-lasting and rechargeable battery, Pedal IQ smart calibration and force data all help you take your rides to the next level.

Here’s why you should ride with Rally.

1: Versatility

With Rally, swapping between bikes is seamless — so you can get power data on every ride.

You can easily transfer your Rally 110 or 210 power meter from bike to bike and between other Rally 110 or 210 road and off-road pedal bodies.

Whether you ride on road or singletrack, you can still track your power data thanks to the road and off-road bundle option, which includes everything you need for your various ride types and bikes. Plus, Rally 110 and 210 are compatible with SHIMANO SPD, SHIMANO SPD-SL and LOOK KEO cleats.

2: Responsive and accurate performance data

Rally 110, our single-sensing power meter pedals, and 210, our dual-sensing power meter pedals, provide essential data such as power and cadence within 1% accuracy — so you can maximize your training. 

In addition to that accuracy, you get advanced cycling dynamics with Rally 210. These dynamics, listed below, measure how and where you apply power throughout the pedaling movement with the dual-sensing models:

• Seated/standing position: Your pedals can tell when you are in a seated or standing position and for how long. You can learn how a specific position changes your power when analyzing climbs, sprints and more. 
• Power phase: This metric tells you how you produce power when pedaling, allowing you to see where in your stroke most of your power is produced. 
• Platform center offset (PCO): This data, based on how force is distributed across the pedal, can help you find your bike fit and cleat position. 
• Right/left balance: This dynamic tells you the difference in power generation between your left and right legs. (Hint: The more symmetric these are, the better). 

Monitor your data with precision in real time on your ride when you pair your Rally power meter with a compatible Edge® cycling computer. Plus, you can see even greater detail after your ride in the Garmin Connect app.

Tip:You can also use the power guide feature to create a plan for a course on compatible Edge cycling computers. Once set up, you can get real-time power targets, which can help you achieve your goal for the course. 

3: Durable design

Designed to endure a variety of cycling conditions, carbon-based road pedal bodies and all-metal off-road pedal bodies are purpose-built for wherever your rides take you. That all-metal build is lighter than our previous Rally series with a slimmer stack height so you get additional clearance from bumpy rocks and roots.

4: Rechargeable battery with long battery life

The rechargeable battery provides up to 90 hours of ride time and quick-charging capabilities (with only a 15-minute charge, you can get up to 12 hours of ride time), so you can spend more time in the saddle. If you need to save battery life while traveling, just put the power meters in travel mode.

5: Pedal IQ smart calibration

With Pedal IQ smart calibration, you can be notified when it’s time to calibrate so you always have precise data — without the hassle of remembering to calibrate before every ride¹. This could be based on factors including temperatures changes, time since last calibration and whether the pedals have been swapped to a different bike.

6: Force data

For another way to monitor and track your performance, Rally 110 and 210 feature force data measurements.These can provide greater insights on the relationship between your power and cadence, when paired with a compatible Garmin cycling computer or smartwatch. Rally power meters can determine the force you’re producing right at the pedals, allowing you to compare the force generated between different bikes — regardless of variations in cadence, power and cranks between bikes.

Don’t forget to link your power meter to the Garmin Connect app for software updates and easy data uploads². You can also connect your power data to third-party apps.

It’s time to bring power metrics to your pedals. And while you’re at it, browse our other cycling products to help take your rides to the next level.

_{¹ When paired with a compatible Garmin cycling computer or smartwatch}

²_{Requires app on your compatible smartphone paired to the Rally device}

The post 6 reasons to ride with Garmin transferable power meter pedals appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Ever wondered how you can lower your resting heart rate? The answer lies in getting active.

Vigorous exercise strengthens the heart muscle, which means it’s more effective at pumping blood through your body. In general, stronger hearts can pump the same amount of blood in fewer heartbeats, while weaker hearts need to pump more times to achieve the same volume. As a result, athletic individuals — such as runners — tend to have lower resting heart rates.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. We’ve got data from tens of millions of Garmin watches worn all over the world that helps makes the correlation clearer. The more active you are, the healthier your heart typically becomes — and the easier it is to do its job. Users who spend more time being active tend to have lower resting heart rates. Plus, studies show that consistent exercise can reduce your resting heart rate, a trend that is positively related to your health and longevity.

When you wear a Garmin smartwatch, you can track many health and wellness metrics to help you better understand your health — including your resting heart rate¹. If you work out regularly, and your resting heart rate is low, it might be the result of your cardio. However, if you are worried about your resting heart rate, please speak to your doctor.

What is resting heart rate?

Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute (bpm) while your body is in a state of rest — typically when you are sleeping or lying in bed after waking up. A “normal” resting heart rate for healthy adults should be somewhere between 60-100 bpm, depending on factors such as fitness level and age.

How to calculate your resting heart rate

Your Garmin smartwatch will calculate your resting heart rate for you. You can see your average resting heart rate over a 7-day period directly on your wrist, but it’s important to open your Garmin Connect app to get the bigger picture. Looking at one day or one week at a time doesn’t always give the full story. Factors such as illnesses, infections, or abnormally active or inactive weeks can skew the data, so examine your averages over the course of a month or a year for a more accurate number.

Dive deeper into your resting heart rate with the performance dashboard available through a Garmin Connect+ plan. You can overlay health and wellness metrics with sports and performance data for a comprehensive view of your training.

Cardio activities and resting heart rate

It’s not shocking that regular, vigorous cardiovascular exercise can be good for you. Garmin users love to run, bike, swim and more — all activities that provide an abundance of health benefits. Because of the popularity of these activities and the enormous value added to your heart health specifically by performing cardio, we decided to look at the number of cumulative hours per week spent running, biking and swimming as they correlated to the user’s average resting heart rate. Here are the results: Up to 10 hours, the more time a user spent doing these activities, the lower their average resting heart rate measured.

Total activity hours and resting heart rate

But what about people who like to perform activities outside of (or in addition to) running, swimming and biking? Don’t worry — we looked at those too. No matter which activity is your go-to with your Garmin smartwatch — from kayaking to yoga, golfing to strength training — we still noticed a correlation. Typically, the more time you spend being active, the lower your resting heart rate should be.

Daily step count and resting heart rate

Are you a fanatic about meeting your daily step goal? Or do you prefer to silence your move alerts throughout the day? You might want to look at the data below if you aren’t putting up decent daily step counts on average. Generally, the more steps you can get per day, the stronger your heart is. Consider this a reminder to take that lap around the office — it may be more beneficial than you thought.  

Resting heart rate across age groups

In our 2025 Garmin Connect data report, we found that different generations preferred different activities (such as outdoor running for 18- to 29-year-olds or golfing for those over age 70). As you age, that activity remains key. But no matter the activity, staying active — at all ages — may lead to a lower resting heart rate.

How can I improve my average resting heart rate?

The answer here could be simple: Get moving! The above charts show that, typically, for the average healthy adult, a more active lifestyle leads to a healthier heart. If you haven’t found an activity you’re passionate about yet, that’s OK. Garmin smartwatches offer more than 100 built-in activity apps to try, whether you’re seeking out that one hobby that’s going to define you moving forward or you just feel like mixing it up.

Please keep in mind, though, that everyone is different. If after reading this article you still feel like your resting heart rate is unusual, it’s important to consult your doctor because they will be able to work with you to determine if something is wrong.

Don’t have a Garmin smartwatch yet? That’s an easier fix — our range of smartwatches are all designed to help you beat yesterday.

¹_{See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

The post How cardio affects the resting heart rate of Garmin users appeared first on Garmin Blog.

That’s where Garmin comes in.

Garmin has the devices you need to help you achieve your goals. With the Index S2 smart scale, you’ll be able to record and see details about your body composition as you work toward those health goals. Add a Garmin smartwatch and sync to the Garmin Connect app to access the data you need to monitor your health — and your progress — 24/7.

Smart scale features

The Index S2 smart scale is jam-packed with features that make all the difference for your health and fitness journey. This digital smart scale tracks your weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, bone mass, body water percentage and more.

For the most accurate results, step on the scale barefoot first thing in the morning before you eat, drink or exercise — because Garmin believes that accurate data is important when it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals.

• Weight/weight trend: Developing a healthier, more active lifestyle can lead to tangible results on the scale. Depending on your preference, you can track your weight in either pounds, kilograms, or both stones and pounds. If you want to see how your weight has fluctuated over the last 30 days, you can use the weight trend setting and see a line graph of your recorded weigh-ins. If you use the scale multiple times a day, your last weigh-in will be used as your recorded weight for the day.
• Body mass index (BMI): If one of your health goals is to lose weight, having a scale that can determine your BMI is a must. BMI is used to estimate overall body mass and whether someone is overweight or underweight. BMI is also helpful in understanding your risk for diseases depending on your body fat. The smart scale calculates your BMI by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in meters squared.
• Body fat percentage: This smart scale allows you to keep track of your body fat percentage. While striving to feel your best, it is also important to note that part of that process is having healthy fat, which plays a vital role in the overall functioning of your body, including digestion and metabolism. To keep your temperature regulated and have maximum energy for continuous training and exercising, having essential and stored fat is vital.
• Skeletal muscle mass: For any athlete, building muscle is an exciting part of the process. Unfortunately, we often mistake our newfound muscles as fat when we hop on the scale and see the number go up. Keep in mind that muscle is denser than fat. With the skeletal muscle mass feature, you will be able to track how much weight is just your growing muscles.
• Bone mass: To grow stronger and protect ourselves against injury, our bones must be filled with calcium. In order for that to happen, vitamin D must become an essential part of our diet. To see the strength of our bones, the smart scale has a bone mass feature that will tell you how much of your weight is attributed to bone mass.
• Body water percentage: While hydration is important year-round, it is even more important when the weather heats up or when we frequent hot workout classes. To see how hydrated you are, the body water percentage calculates how much of your weight can be attributed to fluids.
• Weight options: If your goal is to just keep track of your weight and not your body composition, you have the option to disable those settings so you just see your weight. If you want to see how your body fluctuates throughout the day, you can weigh in multiple times and keep track of it on the scale and in the Garmin Connect app.

To see your data, connect the Garmin smart scale to the Garmin Connect app via Bluetooth^® technology. Once you do this, you can add your home Wi-Fi^® for quicker syncing.

The Index S2 smart scale encourages you to accomplish your health goals, and your family and friends can join you. The smart scale can add up to 16 profiles and allows each user to see their own profile on their Garmin Connect account. It’s also eligible for health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) dollars.

The holistic view of your health that you get from the Index S2 smart scale can help you maintain your weight goals while you track your overall fitness and health metrics — from VO2 max to sleep¹ — with a Garmin smartwatch.

If you’re dedicated to keeping your goals, Garmin is here to support your journey. Start yours today with the Index S2 smart scale.

_{¹See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

_{The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license.}

The post How can I use a Garmin smart scale to achieve my goals? appeared first on Garmin Blog.

If you’re reading this, you’ve likely been asking yourself this question for a while: Which Garmin watch should I get?

The answer depends on how you’re planning on using it. But luckily for you, whether you’re looking for a smartwatch with essential wellness tracking features, advanced running metrics, rich mapping details for your outdoor adventures, premium golf features or even a smartwatch with SOS messaging¹, you’ll find what you need with Garmin.

That said, we know we have a lot of options. If you can’t decide which Garmin watch is best for you, look no further. We’re going to explain each of our watch options.

Perfect for essential wellness tracking

Lily® 2 Active: This small and stylish smartwatch has a metal case with a hidden display (just tap it to reveal the bright display) and essential wellness features — including heart rate, Body Battery energy monitoring, sleep tracking and women’s health features — to give you a more complete picture of your health².

• Battery life: Up to 9 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 38 mm
• Display type: Liquid crystal hidden behind a patterned lens that blends in with the watch colors

Perfect for wellness tracking and hitting the gym

vívoactive® 6: This smartwatch offers a bright AMOLED display and a variety of health and fitness features — so you can monitor your health in and out of the gym. vívoactive 6 includes more than 80 preloaded sports apps, so you can stay on top of your fitness. You can also use Garmin Coach running and strength training plans — some of which adapt based on performance, recovery and health metrics.

• Battery life: Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 42 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for tracking your wellness, workouts and fitness metrics

Venu® 4: With detailed health and fitness insights, the ECG app³, a bright AMOLED display, a built-in speaker and microphone (to make and take calls from the watch when paired with a smartphone and connected to the phone’s voice assistant), Garmin Coach and dozens of sports apps, Venu 4 is ready to help you serve looks — or serve at the pickleball court. Plus, light your way with the built-in LED flashlight. The advanced health and fitness features — including skin temperature tracking² for more accurate period predictions and past ovulation estimates⁴ — can help you better understand your body and make healthier decisions. It also offers a sophisticated metal design and two size options.

• Battery life: Up to 12 days on the 45 mm size in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 41 mm or 45 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for wellness-minded runners, multisport athletes and gym rats

Venu X1: This premium GPS smartwatch features an easy-to-read 2” AMOLED display with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens — and our thinnest watch case. Venu X1 offers detailed health and fitness insights as well as advanced running features and mapping. It includes a built-in LED flashlight as well as a built-in speaker and microphone. Whether you’re training with Garmin Coach, recovering on off days or navigating a new running route, you can trust Venu X1.

• Battery life: Up to 8 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 41 x 46 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for new runners

Forerunner® 165 Music: When you’re getting started as a runner, you need a watch with the essential features: built-in GPS, long battery life, sleep monitoring, wrist-based heart rate, recovery time, free adaptive training plans with Garmin Coach in the Garmin Connect app and more. You’ll find it all with Forerunner 165 Music. Time to sign up for that 5K.

• Battery life: Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 43 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for advanced runners

Forerunner 570: Let’s step up your running game. You need training status, training readiness, multi-band GPS support and adaptive training plans from Garmin Run Coach. Forerunner 570 includes a built-in speaker and microphone, an aluminum bezel and advanced running features.

• Battery life: Up to 11 days on the 47 mm size
• Case size: 42 mm or 47 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for runners and multisport athletes who want a premium watch

Forerunner 970: With a sapphire crystal lens, titanium bezel and longer battery life for intense training, Forerunner 970 is ready for your next long run or bike ride. Train for your next race — whether that’s a marathon, half-marathon or even triathlon — or improve your fitness with adaptive training plans from Garmin Coach. It also adds a wealth of advanced running features, such as running tolerance, which can recommend weekly maximum mileage. When you also train with your heart rate monitor such as HRM 600, the running economy feature will show your overall energy efficiency while running. This feature also includes data such as step speed loss, which shows how much you slow down when your foot hits the ground. There is a built-in LED flashlight, speaker and microphone, and more upgrades to help you take your sport to the next level. (You can compare all of our running smartwatches here).

• Battery life: Up to 15 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 47 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for multisport athletes who love outdoor adventures

fēnix® 8: This is our premium GPS multisport smartwatch. The purpose-built design includes a dive-rated build with leakproof metal buttons, a metal sensor guard, a titanium bezel, a built-in LED flashlight, and speaker and microphone. You’ll get all the health and wellness monitoring features you already love as well as training, planning and analysis features you can rely on. The fēnix 8 Series offers a bright AMOLED display or a solar charging display.

• Battery life: Up to 29 days in smartwatch mode on the AMOLED 51 mm size or up to 48 days of battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging⁵ on the 51 mm size
• Case size: 43 mm, 47 mm and 51 mm
• Display type: AMOLED or solar charging with a sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display

Perfect for athletes and explorers who want to stay connected on the go

fēnix 8 Pro: This smartwatch with SOS messaging takes everything you love about fēnix 8 and adds inReach® technology for satellite and cellular connectivity¹. When connected to the LTE network, you can use LiveTrack to share your location with loved ones. You can also use fēnix 8 Pro to send 30-second voice messages as well as make and take phone calls from other fēnix 8 Pro users or those using the Garmin Messenger app on their smartphone¹. With inReach connectivity, you can send and receive text messages with friends and family using the Garmin Messenger app on their smartphone or compatible Garmin smartwatch. When you trigger an SOS message on your fēnix 8 Pro, it sends a message with satellite or cellular connectivity to Garmin Response℠, our 24/7-staffed international emergency coordination center that connects you to help if you need it. Plus, you’ll have the option of a MicroLED display that delivers up to 4,500 nits, making it the brightest smartwatch display ever built. (Learn more about the differences between fēnix 8 and fēnix 8 Pro here.)

• Battery life: Up to 27 days in smartwatch mode on the AMOLED 51 mm size or up to 10 days in smartwatch mode with the MicroLED display
• Case size: 47 mm and 51 mm
• Display type: AMOLED or MicroLED

Perfect for runners who want the ultimate endurance watch

Enduro 3: Built for the longest runs on earth, Enduro 3 is the ultraperformance GPS smartwatch you’ve been looking for. It features a built-in LED flashlight, preloaded TopoActive maps, point-to-point navigation and solar power for extreme battery life. You’ll also get up to 320 hours of battery life in GPS mode with solar charging⁶.

• Battery life: Up to 36 days in smartwatch mode or up to 90 days with solar charging⁵
• Case size: 51 mm
• Display type: Solar charging with a sunlight-visible, transflective MIP display

Perfect for outdoor adventurers who want a rugged watch

Instinct® 3: With a metal-reinforced bezel, fiber-reinforced polymer case and a scratch-resistant display for extreme durability, Instinct 3 is purpose-built for adventurers who love enjoying the great outdoors. It also features a built-in LED flashlight, multiple sizes and a solar option that can bring you up to unlimited battery life⁵. Plus, you can get this watch packed with tactical features, including night vision capability, rucking activity, stealth mode (which collects distances and biometrics without recording location data), projected waypoints and many more.

• Battery life: Up to 24 days in smartwatch mode on the 50 mm size or up to unlimited battery life with solar charging⁵
• Case size: 45 mm and 50 mm
• Display type: AMOLED or a solar charging, monochrome, sunlight-visible and transflective MIP display

Perfect for those who need a tactical watch built for the mission

tactix® 8: This next-gen tactical smartwatch offers leakproof buttons, a sensor guard, a titanium bezel and a scratch-resistant sapphire lens for extreme durability. tactix 8 features a built-in LED flashlight with a white (disabled in night vision mode) or green beam (which becomes dimmable in night vision mode). It also includes tactical features such as rucking, jumpmaster activity, waypoint project, dual-position GPS format, stealth mode, kill switch, Applied Ballistics® solver, compatibility with night vision goggles, a dedicated tactical activity and more.

• Battery life: Up to 29 days in smartwatch mode on the 51 mm size or up to 48 days with solar charging⁵
• Case size: 47 mm or 51 mm
• Display type: AMOLED or solar charging with a sunlight-visible, transflective MIP display

Perfect for golfers looking for essentials

Approach® S44: You’ll get all the golfing essentials — and then some — with the Approach S44 GPS golf smartwatch, including the green view feature to see each green’s shape from anywhere on the course and AutoShot game tracking to automatically track where your shots land⁷. Plus, with a Garmin Golf membership, you can get premium features such as Premium CourseView maps, touch targeting and green contour data.

• Battery life: Up to 15 hours in GPS mode
• Case size: 43 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for on and off the golf course

Approach S50: This advanced GPS smartwatch helps you easily see key yardages to the green, hazards and layups on more than 43,000 courses. Thanks to the PlaysLike Distance feature, you can see how far each shot is playing with yardage adjusted for elevation changes. (Don’t forget to add on a Garmin Golf membership for access to even more features). You’ll also get essential health and wellness features as well as preloaded activities to help you improve your strength and mobility.

• Battery life: Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 43 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Perfect for golfers who want premium features

Approach S70: This premium GPS golf smartwatch comes in two sizes and can help you improve your game on and off the course. With the virtual caddie feature (which includes a dispersion chart that displays hazards in play, depending on club choice), enhanced PlaysLike Distance (which accounts for changes in elevation and environmental conditions), club suggestions based on performance and wind⁸, and preloaded fitness apps for strength, running and more, golfers will have everything they need. (Need to dive deeper on our golf watches? Learn more about your golf smartwatch options).

• Battery life: Up to 16 days in smartwatch mode
• Case size: 42 mm or 47 mm
• Display type: AMOLED

Now that you’ve got a better idea of our options, it’s time to choose which Garmin watch is best for your needs. You can browse our full selection of smartwatches.

¹_{Active subscription required; LTE network coverage and satellite connectivity are not available in all countries. Check Garmin.com/fenix8ProCoverage to see which services are accessible in your area — or in countries to where you may be traveling; some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.}

²_{See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

³_{The ECG app is only available on select Garmin smartwatches with the latest version of the Garmin Connect smartphone app and watch software. The ECG app is not available in all regions; see Garmin.com/ecg for availability. The ECG app is only intended for adults aged 22 years and over. The ECG app is capable of recording an ECG similar to a Lead I ECG and detecting the presence of atrial fibrillation or normal sinus rhythm.}

⁴_{The menstrual cycle tracking feature should not be used in support of conception, contraception or birth control. This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition.}

⁵_{Assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions}

⁶_{Assumes continuous use for entire period in 50,000 lux conditions}

⁷_{Lie and ball contact may affect shot tracking. Putts are not tracked. Some shots, particularly chip shots around the green, may not be tracked.}

⁸_{When paired with your smartphone}

The post Which Garmin smartwatch is right for me? appeared first on Garmin Blog.

If you’re interested in adding breathwork and meditation into your daily routine but not sure where to start, we’re here to help. Read on to learn more about these well-being practices and how you can make the most of both features on your compatible Garmin smartwatch.

As you will see, there are many breathwork and meditation benefits.

Breathwork

Practicing breathwork involves intentionally controlling your breathing pattern with the goal of calming your body. The normal respiration rate for a resting adult is 12 to 20 breaths per minute, but stressful life events and changes in overall health can cause your respiration rate to fall above or below the normal rate. While you generally breathe in and out without having to think about it, spending time consciously controlling your breath can bring your respiration rate back to normal as well as increase awareness, improve mental sharpness, boost work performance and decrease stress.

With the breathwork feature on your compatible Garmin smartwatch, you’ll be able to practice different breathwork techniques and track changes in stress and average heart rate after the activity¹.

• Tranquility: If you can’t turn off the racing thoughts or tend to ruminate about everyday stressors while trying to sleep, the tranquility activity might be for you. This 10-minute activity sets you up for a great night’s sleep by clearing your mind and helping you relax. By the end of the activity, you’ll be able to inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and exhale for 8.
• Coherence: The coherence technique is a great way to balance the nervous system by connecting your breath and heart rate. To feel balanced and calm, focus on slowing down your breath in 15 minutes. By the end of the activity, you’ll be about to complete a 6-second inhale and 6-second exhale.
• Relax and Focus: No matter where you are, the Relax and Focus activity is a great way to regain concentration without stress. Using the “Fourfold Breath” technique, you’ll work toward a “4:4:4:4” breath pattern — that is, 4-second inhale, 4-second hold, 4-second exhale, 4-second hold. If your smartwatch detects an unusual spike in stress, it will suggest the 5-minute version.

Meditation

By achieving mental clarity and taking deep, relaxing breathes, meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Whether you prefer mindfulness meditation or self-scanning meditation, focusing on the present moment and acknowledging bodily sensations can lead to improved emotion processing and overall mental health, according to Cleveland Clinic.

With a compatible Garmin smartwatch, you’ll have your choice of free, session or custom meditation modes, as well as guided meditations with soothing ocean sounds that you can hear via connected headphones or the built-in speaker on select smartwatches. No matter which activity you choose, you’ll be shown your average and max heart rate as well as average respiration and stress.

To start working meditation and/or breathwork into your everyday routine, browse our collection of compatible Garmin smartwatches.  

_{¹See Garmin.com/ataccuracy}

The post Benefits of Garmin breathwork and meditation features appeared first on Garmin Blog.