Many people are excited about the upcoming release of Apple Fitness+, but it's not Apple's only helpful excercise program. If you're an athlete who keeps careful track of your workouts, you might be interested in GymKit for the Apple Watch. Today, I'll tell you everything you need to know about Apple GymKit!
What Is Apple GymKit?
Apple collaborated with several exercise gear manufacturers to create GymKit. Together, they set out to create a system for Apple Watches and workout equipment to exchange information wirelessly.
The Apple Watch is excellent at keeping track of information like its user's heart rate and blood pressure. Many ellipticals, treadmills, and similar machines also track this data, but not as accurately. In turn, Apple Watches don't to a great job tracking distance on a stationary cardio machine, while those machines measure that information automatically.
By syncing your Apple Watch to a GymKit machine, you can align your Apple Watch's measurements to the exercise equipment's. This connection automatically organizes the most reliable information in a user friendly format.
It appears that currently, only machines designed for stationary cardiovascular exercise are compatible with GymKit. This includes select bicycles, ellipticals, treadmills, and stair climbers.
Where Can I Find GymKit Equipment?
It is surprisingly difficult to find information about GymKit online. Despite the fact that Apple released GymKit in 2017, they have not made any major announcements about it since. In fact, we couldn't find a single direct mention of GymKit anywhere on Apple's website.
However, this doesn't mean that GymKit is completely extinct. GymKit is primarily available in commercial gyms, though a few companies do make GymKit equipment for home studios as well. Some companies that work with GymKit include Schwinn, Cybex, Life Fitness, and Stairmaster.
If you'd like to know if a certain machine at your local gym features GymKit, search for the label “Connect To Apple Watch” or “Connects To Apple Watch”.
How Do I Connect My Apple Watch To GymKit Gear?
If you find a piece of equipment that can sync to your Apple Watch, you can have your GymKit connection up and running almost instantly.
You'll first want to check that your Apple Watch has GymKit enabled. To do this, open the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap Workout and make sure the switch next to Detect Gym Equipment is turned on.
Once Detect Gym Equipment is turned on, bring your Apple Watch within a few inches of the equipment's scanner. Face your Apple Watch's screen toward the scanner. When the equipment connects to your device, you'll feel a tap and hear a beep from your Apple Watch.
From there, begin your workout with the exercise machine's controls. Once you end the workout, the machine will upload its data to your Apple Watch automatically.
What's In Store For GymKit?
While it's been a few years since GymKit came out, there's a lot of potential for it to get a serious makeover in the coming months. Earlier this fall, Apple announced Apple Fitness+, another exercise program that integrates the Apple Watch.
It's possible that GymKit will grow in popularity and accessibility once Apple Fitness+ becomes available to the public. Be sure to come back to this article in a few months for all the latest GymKit updates!
