FitBit stride 5'7"

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SCoil123
SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello if you use Fitbit and are around 5'7" what do you have your walking and running stride set to?

The other day Fitbit gave me more than a quarter mile shorter distance than the treadmill during my warm up. My trainer thinks my stride is off on Fitbit and that the treadmill distance is more accurate so looking for others experience.

I thought my Fitbit was pretty accurate prior to this and had never compared this distance measurements this way before.

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  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    At any time were you holding the treadmill? With wrist worn trackers, accuracy can be off if you're not moving your arm naturally. I take mine off when I go grocery shopping, for instance as pushing a cart means my steps don't count. Same with pushing a stroller or holding hands with your kid.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    Also, a treadmill moves consistently and "forces" you to follow the belt. You HAVE to keep up with it's speed whereas on ground the speed is dictated by you. It's "easier" to walk a mile on a treadmill than on a road.

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  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    Treadmills aren't typically the world's most precise distance measurement either (neither is a Fitbit). I know there's a digital display on the treadmill-but if you were to actually calibrate the distance (e.g. putting a marker on the belt and watching it/measuring it as it moves), it's not likely to match the display exactly.

    If you're worried about stride length, go to a track and walk/run laps of the track where the distance is actually precisely measured. Even then, it may not always be 100% correct because your stride length is going to vary some based on terrain, conditions, etc.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    capaul42 wrote: »
    At any time were you holding the treadmill? With wrist worn trackers, accuracy can be off if you're not moving your arm naturally. I take mine off when I go grocery shopping, for instance as pushing a cart means my steps don't count. Same with pushing a stroller or holding hands with your kid.

    No not at all. I was running 6.0-7.0 intervals and the difference was just over a quarter mile between treadmill and Fitbit. If it wasn't a substantial difference I wouldn't have given it a second thought
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    Treadmills aren't typically the world's most precise distance measurement either (neither is a Fitbit). I know there's a digital display on the treadmill-but if you were to actually calibrate the distance (e.g. putting a marker on the belt and watching it/measuring it as it moves), it's not likely to match the display exactly.

    If you're worried about stride length, go to a track and walk/run laps of the track where the distance is actually precisely measured. Even then, it may not always be 100% correct because your stride length is going to vary some based on terrain, conditions, etc.

    Thanks. I am wanting the most accurate stride data.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Fitbit gives you instructions on how to measure your stride then you can enter it into the app. You can just do it over 20 ft or so, don't have to go to a track.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Fitbit gives you instructions on how to measure your stride then you can enter it into the app. You can just do it over 20 ft or so, don't have to go to a track.

    Thank you so much! This is what I'll do tomorrow. I had no idea they had a way to measure, just adjust manually

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