Can’t Find Workout Type to Track? Here’s What to Do

If you can’t find the workout type you want to track in your fitness app or spreadsheet, the solution is to either use a generic “Other” or “Custom” category, or to manually create a custom activity that matches your exercise. Most tracking platforms include a broad “Other” option that lets you log duration, distance, and effort even when the specific activity isn’t listed. This article explains how to handle missing workout types, how to choose the best workaround, and how to keep your data consistent and useful.

Formula

The calculator above computes your average pace and speed from a workout’s finish time and distance. The formulas are:

• Pace = Time (minutes) ÷ Distance (km) — result in minutes per kilometer.
• Speed = Distance (km) ÷ (Time (minutes) ÷ 60) — result in kilometers per hour.

Variables: t = finish time in minutes, d = distance in kilometers. If you use miles, convert distance to kilometers (1 mile = 1.60934 km) or use a pace calculator that supports miles.

Worked Example

Using the default values: time = 50 minutes, distance = 10 km.

1. Pace = 50 ÷ 10 = 5.00 min/km
2. Speed = 10 ÷ (50 ÷ 60) = 10 ÷ 0.8333 = 12.00 km/h

So the average pace is 5:00 per kilometer, and the average speed is 12.0 km/h. This matches the calculator output.

Why Fitness Apps Have Limited Workout Lists

Most fitness trackers and apps (like Apple Fitness, Garmin Connect, Strava, Fitbit, and Google Fit) offer a preset list of common activities: running, walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, strength training, and a few others. The list is based on what the majority of users log, not on every possible exercise. New or niche activities—like pickleball, roller skating, rock climbing, rowing on a machine, or martial arts—often aren’t included. This is because adding every possible activity would clutter the interface and require specific data fields (e.g., stroke rate for swimming) that don’t apply to all sports. The apps also rely on activity recognition algorithms that are trained on popular workouts, so niche activities may not be automatically detected.

How to Track a Missing Workout Type

When your exact activity isn’t in the list, you have several practical options. The best choice depends on your device and what data you care about.

• Use the “Other” or “Custom” option. Most apps have a generic activity that lets you record time, distance (if applicable), and calories. For example, on Apple Watch you can choose “Other” during a workout, and on Garmin you can select “Other” or “Cardio.” This captures the basics without a specific label.
• Pick the closest match. If you’re doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT), choose “Cross Training” or “Functional Strength Training” instead of “Running.” For a dance class, use “Dance” if available, otherwise “Aerobics.” This gives you a more accurate calorie estimate than “Other” because the app uses metabolic equivalents (METs) for that activity.
• Create a custom activity. Some platforms (like Garmin Connect and TrainingPeaks) allow you to define a custom sport name and assign a MET value. You can then select it from your list in future workouts. This is ideal if you do the same niche activity regularly.
• Use a third-party logging app. Apps like MyFitnessPal, Strong, or Hevy have extensive exercise databases and allow you to add custom exercises. You can log the workout there and sync it to your main tracker if supported.
• Track manually in a spreadsheet. If you don’t need automatic heart rate or GPS, create your own template with columns for date, activity, duration, distance, and perceived effort. This gives you full control and consistency.

How to Choose the Best Workaround

Your choice should depend on what you want to get out of tracking. If you care about calorie burn, choose the closest match with a similar MET value. For example, if you play squash, “Racquetball” or “Tennis” is closer than “Other.” If you care about heart rate zones and duration, “Other” works fine because it still records your heart rate and time. If you care about long-term trends, consistency matters more than the exact label—pick one option and stick with it. If you’re training for a specific event, you may want a dedicated app that supports that sport (e.g., a rowing app for rowing).

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

One common issue is that using “Other” may not calculate calories accurately, because the app doesn’t know the activity’s intensity. To fix this, you can manually adjust the calorie count after the workout if you know the MET value. Another problem is that your workout might not sync across platforms if it’s labeled “Other”—some apps only share standard activities. Also, if you pick a close match, the app might apply the wrong heart rate zones or training load. For example, logging a yoga session as “Walking” will overestimate your effort. To avoid these issues, always review the workout details after logging and correct any obvious errors.

Comparison of Common Workarounds

Here’s a quick comparison of the main options:

• “Other” option: Easy, available everywhere, but may not estimate calories well and won’t show specific metrics like stroke rate or reps.
• Closest match: Better calorie estimate, but may skew training load or heart rate zones.
• Custom activity: Most accurate if you set the MET value correctly, but requires setup and is only available on some platforms.
• Third-party app: Great for niche sports, but adds another app to manage and may not sync perfectly.
• Manual spreadsheet: Full control, but no automatic heart rate or GPS integration.

Safety and Accuracy Considerations

When tracking a workout that isn’t in the list, be careful not to overestimate calorie burn. MET values vary by intensity—a casual yoga session has a MET of about 2.5, while vigorous vinyasa can be 4.0. If you use a generic “Other” that assumes a MET of 5.0, you’ll overestimate. Also, if you’re using a heart rate monitor, the calorie estimate is based on your heart rate, so it’s more accurate than MET-based estimates. Always listen to your body—if you’re new to a sport, start slow and consult a professional for proper form. For tracking, the main safety concern is not the tracking itself but ensuring you don’t push too hard based on inaccurate data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a custom workout type on Apple Watch?

Yes, on Apple Watch you can choose “Other” and then name the workout. After you finish, you can edit the workout in the Fitness app and rename it to something like “Pickleball.” However, this doesn’t change the calorie algorithm—it still uses the “Other” MET value unless you manually adjust the calories.

Will using “Other” affect my training load or VO2 max estimates?

It depends on the platform. Garmin and Apple use heart rate data to estimate training load, so “Other” workouts still contribute to your load. However, VO2 max estimates are usually only calculated for running or cycling because they rely on GPS speed and heart rate. So a “Other” workout won’t update your VO2 max.

Why doesn’t my app have rowing or rock climbing?

Apps prioritize activities that are most common among their user base. Rowing and rock climbing have smaller user bases, so they may not be included. You can request features from the app developers, but the quickest solution is to use a dedicated app for that sport or use the “Other” option.

How do I track a workout that has no distance, like yoga?

For activities without distance, simply log duration and perceived effort. Most apps allow you to start a workout without GPS. You can also add notes about the type of yoga or intensity. The calorie estimate will be based on your heart rate or the MET value of the selected activity.

Is it better to log a workout as “Other” or as a close match?

If you want a more accurate calorie estimate, choose the closest match with a similar MET value. If you want to keep your data clean and avoid misclassification, use “Other” and manually edit the calories if needed. For training load, the difference is usually small, but for calorie tracking, the MET value matters.

Can I sync custom workouts from one app to another?

Usually, only standard activity types sync between platforms. Custom activities may sync as “Other” or may not sync at all. For example, if you create a custom “Pickleball” activity in Garmin Connect, it may appear as “Other” in Strava. To avoid data loss, stick to standard activities when syncing.

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in t | Finish time | min | 50 | 0
in d | Distance | km | 10 | 0
out pace | Average pace | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Average speed | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2