Finding Strength Workouts in Garmin Connect
Before creating your own workouts, you can explore pre‑made options in Garmin Connect. On the app or website, go to Training & Planning, then Workouts, and select Find a Workout. You can choose from a variety of workouts, including weights, yoga, and bodyweight cardio. While these workouts are basic, they’re a good starting point.
Garmin also offers a coach feature similar to its adaptive running coach. You set your goals and schedule, and the app generates daily workouts. For example, you can choose a Push/Pull/Legs routine, set your max lifts, and even edit the exercises.
Creating Strength Workouts in Garmin Connect
If you prefer custom workouts, follow these steps:
- Go to the “More” menu on your phone or the sidebar on the web, select Training & Planning, then Workouts, and choose Create a Workout.
- Select Strength, and you’ll see a basic workout structure with a warm‑up, cooldown, and one exercise slot.
- Tap Add Round to add exercises and rest periods. For example, for four sets of five deadlifts at 200 pounds:
- Tap the workout card, select deadlift, set the weight and reps, and return to the main screen.
- Change the recovery card to Rest and set the time (e.g., three minutes).
- Set the number of sets to four and choose Skip Last Recovery if your watch supports it.
- Add a rest step outside the repeat and set it to Lap Button Press for flexibility between exercises.
- Save your workout.
Sending Workouts to Your Watch
After creating a workout, it won’t automatically appear on your watch. Tap the “send to watch” icon in the top right corner of the workout screen. You can also schedule workouts, which will automatically send them to your watch for the scheduled day.
Using Strength Workouts from Your Watch
To start a strength workout on your watch:
- Press the button to start an activity.
- Scroll down to Workouts and select the desired workout.
- Confirm and start the workout.
During the workout, use the top‑right button to start/stop and the bottom‑right button as the lap button. You can skip rest periods or sets if needed and add skipped sets back later.
Why the Author Likes the Strength Training Feature
The author appreciates the customizable timed rests, which help maximize gym time. By setting rest periods, you avoid long breaks and stay on track. The suggestion is to set the rest timer for the longest time you might need and use the lap button to skip the remainder if you’re ready earlier.
You can also program exercises in different ways, such as time‑based density sets or EMOMs (every‑minute‑on‑the‑minute intervals).
Features the Author Doesn’t Use
The author doesn’t use the app to track weights or reps, preferring a notebook for that. They also find the automatic set detection and rep‑counting features unreliable and not useful for their workouts.
