Pixel Watch 3 and newer can now guide workouts and log weights from your wrist
Pixel Watch owners will soon have an easier way to keep a workout plan in sight without checking their phone after every exercise. Google has started rolling out step-by-step workout guidance to the Pixel Watch 3 and newer models, with controls for logging reps and weights on the watch.
The feature follows a routine through the session and keeps the watch and phone in sync. Once a workout is finished, its stats can be viewed on either device, according to Google.
There are two routes into a routine: build one yourself in the Google Health app, or follow a personalized workout from Google Health Coach. The latter requires a separately sold Google Health Premium subscription, the Google Health app and an internet connection; availability can vary.
Follow a routine without putting your phone on the bench
Google says the instructions appear on the watch or phone during each exercise, and live metrics are visible on either screen. If you are lifting weights, you can enter the load and reps on your wrist instead of keeping a separate note for each set.
Google first announced the experience alongside the Pixel Watch 5. Its arrival on Pixel Watch 3 and newer means owners of older supported watches are included too. The rollout began on November 10, so an eligible watch may not show the feature immediately.
When it introduced the Watch 5, Google described the on-wrist strength training experience as guiding people through sets and rest periods. A custom routine and the subscription-based Health Coach option are distinct: Google does not say that creating your own routine requires Premium.
Another watch shortcut is on the way
The November Pixel Drop also includes a planned way to unlock a watch using a nearby phone. Google says that feature is coming in the next few weeks, rather than rolling out with the workouts immediately.
Phone-to-watch unlock is limited to supported Pixel Watch 3, 4 and 5 devices with ultra-wideband and compatible Pixel phones, in regions where UWB is supported. The watch must be on the wearer's wrist and the nearby phone unlocked.
