Garmin Forerunner 265 Just Logged My Personal Best Indoor Walk 🏆
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So I think I may have discovered a feature in my Garmin that the engineers definitely did not put in the brochure.
I own a Garmin Forerunner 265. Great watch. Tracks runs, heart rate, sleep, training readiness, my disappointment after checking VO₂ max... the usual.
A few weeks ago, I noticed something strange.
After a particularly enthusiastic solo "cardio recovery session," I looked at my watch and saw that my step count had jumped by almost 1,000 steps.
Now, as far as I know, I had not gone anywhere.
Concerned scientist that I am, I began investigating.
Hypothesis 1: Elevated heart rate confused the watch.
Nope.
Hypothesis 2: Maybe Garmin detected "vigorous activity."
Also nope.
Hypothesis 3: Ghosts.
Unlikely, but still more plausible than what I eventually discovered.
After several carefully controlled experiments (for science, obviously), I realized the increase in steps was almost perfectly correlated with... arm movement.
Specifically, the repetitive motion of my left hand.
Apparently, Garmin's algorithm had decided I was taking a very determined walk to absolutely nowhere.
At this point my watch thinks:
Distance: 0 km
GPS Track: None
Location: Bedroom
Cadence: Elite
Steps: +1000
Achievement Unlocked: "Beat Yesterday's Stroke Count"
The funniest part is that my Garmin Connect weekly report probably thinks I've become incredibly active.
"Congratulations! You moved more this week than last week!"
Yes, Garmin. Technically true.
I've attached a short video as evidence for fellow scientists and Garmin engineers.
If this post suddenly disappears, I assume Garmin has sent a team to silence me before people start completing step challenges from under a blanket.
TL;DR: Discovered that my Forerunner 265 occasionally interprets enthusiastic one-handed indoor cardio as walking. Accidentally became the fastest walker who never left his room.
Has anyone else accidentally farmed steps this way, or am I pioneering a whole new fitness discipline? 😂📈⌚