Wahoo Fitness has announced their first major addition to the TICKR X heart rate strap, which brings with it a gym workout functionality mode that automatically recognizes a slew of different strength workout routines. This new functionality allows you to use the TICKR X in conjunction with both Wahoo Fitness apps as well as 3rd party apps to walk you through workouts, automatically register and record reps, and then keep track of your best efforts in each category.
At the same time, the company has announced access to their API so that 3rd party apps can dig into and leverage much of this new functionality within their 3rd party app offerings.
I’ll go ahead and run through each of these new areas separately, so let’s dig into it!
Strength Workout Automatic Recognition:
First up is the new additions to the TICKR X. The goal of the TICKR X when first announced approximately 51 weeks ago was that it would be extended with new functionality over time. While things got off to a bit of a rough start in terms of getting to market, this would be the first major update for the unit since they started shipping back in early September.
To that end, I was surprised with how cool the functionality is (despite the fact that I generally despise gym workouts). In short, the new TICKR X workout tracker will automatically count reps and time for a variety of known strength motions and exercises.
To begin, you’ll use a dedicated Wahoo app that tracks these strength focused workouts. While down the road they’ll be integrated into a larger Wahoo run/gym/strength app, for the short term it’ll remain separate.
This app begins by having you pair to your TICKR X heart rate strap. Once that’s done, you’re basically ready to roll.
Next, you’ve got two options. You can do individual strength exercises, or you can do a whole slew of them as part of a full 7-minute workout. They anticipate being able to create more options for workout routines down the road, but for now this covers the main ones.
What’s cool about this list of exercises is that it’s not just a random Hans and Franz gym torture list; no, not at all; it has real science behind it.
Now, for the purposes of showing you how this works, I’ll just pick a few at random. To start, I went with pushups. I figured that had the lowest chance that I’d manage to die in the process. Plus, I vaguely remembered how to do them from high school PE.
When you select it on the phone, it gives you a few seconds to get ready. Once that’s complete you’ve got a preset timer (30 seconds in this case) to complete as many reps as possible. Where the magic comes in though is that it’ll automatically count the reps for you – which, is pretty darn cool.
At the end of each set it’ll give you your best numbers, as well as showing you your HR and calories burned real-time during those exercises.
Next, we move onto the wall sits, and planks. Both of these are more timed based efforts, but what’s interesting here is that if you move around too much – the screen will go crazy (like an earthquake) indicating you’re screwing things up. This is all leveraging the accelerometer inside the TICKR X (the heart rate strap), but is communicating it to you in real-time on your unit.
What’s cool though is that it clearly understands much of the movements – at least at a fundamentals level. For example, if while doing the wall sits I started to get up and leave – it knows I’m not doing it right. Similarly, if during the push ups I had started moving laterally, it would have gotten upset at me for doing those wrong too.
Now, at present the functionality is a bit more isolated than the rest of the Wahoo app components in that you can’t quite export any of your workouts out yet (either the HR or the reps). So it’s a bit isolated. Additionally, for this piece the Android app won’t be ready until the end of Q1 (aka March 2015). Though, the iOS app and this functionality will be available sometime in January.
Down the road they envision being able to have better tie-ins for endurance athletes who are normally heavy on cardio (i.e. runners/cyclists) to have a post-workout strength routine that fits that profile best. Many endurance athletes typically have some form of core routine, so the thinking is to develop the structure and automatic workout coaching and recognition into it.
(Again, all of the functionality noted here and the app are planned to be available in January)
Wahoo TICKR X & Total Motion API Access:
Next up we’ve got Wahoo opening up aspects of the TICKR X to 3rd party developers through an API (Application Programming Interface). This has really two components. The first is focused on all of the strength pieces that I’ve noted above, whereas the second is more for the running & cycling crowd.
Looking at the first piece, Wahoo is enabling developers to access what they call the ‘Total Motion API’, which can track all of the different exercises that Wahoo recognizes. They expect over time that they’ll increase these different strength exercises beyond what is shown above. The current plan is that an app developer would submit a list of exercises to Wahoo to include in the API, and then Wahoo would build out the algorithms required and add them to their API library.
In this scenario an app wouldn’t use the raw TICKR X data, but instead just the known exercises/movements. Additionally, a 3rd party app would request to count reps against one of the known exercises – such as a pushup. The TICKR X then responds as those reps are completed, but it doesn’t know what you’re doing free form. Meaning that you can’t just wander around the gym and mix it up all freestyle. Think of the TICKR X more as “Confirm or Deny” against a given prescribed movement.
That said, Wahoo will be opening up a raw data mode, for apps that want to build out their own algorithms. Obviously, that requires a lot more development effort for the 3rd party app – but also opens up more possibilities.
Now that takes care of the motion analysis for reps, but there’s still additional components that are enabled within the new TICKR X API as well. These additional metrics are aimed more towards traditional endurance athletic areas, and include the following:
– Running Metrics: Cadence, Ground Contact, and Vertical Oscillation
– Spinning Cadence: RPM’s while on a spin/indoor bike
– Heart Rate: Beats per minute
Additionally, they’ll also soon be adding:
– Running Metrics: Speed and distance for indoor (treadmill) running with calibration
Now, it’s worthwhile to note that they are not including access to their Running Smoothness algorithm, which is because this logic is currently processed within the Wahoo Fitness app itself – and not on the TICKR X transmitter pod. That said, they did note that if an app is interested in this, they’re willing to look at porting it over.
It’s also worthwhile nothing that none of this is compatible with devices like a Garmin watch which has its own Running Dynamics metrics by the same names. Those metrics are locked up by Garmin at present, so until Garmin allows 3rd parties to send data to it…you’ll be using the Garmin HRM-RUN strap instead if you want those Running Dynamics metrics.
Of course, the TICKR X can send regular HR to the Garmin products using ANT+, so even if you do have a Garmin device you can use the TICKR X and still get heart rate while training. And the same is true for Bluetooth Smart products like the Polar V800 or M400, or the Suunto Ambit3.
With all that noted, the TICKR X will get the updates and app functionality next month in January (so it’s not quite available yet), and at the same time they’ll be launching support of their first 3rd party app to use the platform, 7 Minute Workout, which will support the TICKR X using the API’s noted above.
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I was really excited by the first third of the review until it dawned on me: it looks like this only works for bodyweight workouts, not those performed with weights. An accelerometer-based tracker for barbell, dumbbell, and kettlebell workouts would be super useful (at least to me), and I know Atlas Wearables is working on one, but it looks like this isn’t quite it.
You mentioned the “earthquake” function for letting you know you’re doing something wrong– did you have any trouble keeping focus on your phone screen while exercising? Seems like for some exercises it’d be hard to keep the phone in a visible position.
No issues with focus as long as it wasn’t earthquaking. When it was shaking it’s pretty tough to see what it’s doing, but then again, that’s basically telling you to stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing.
Good questions Paul! The TICKR X Workout app in Ray’s review uses text-to-speech (ie, Siri) for audio prompting- ‘she’ will prompt you for the upcoming exercise, countdown to start, and count your reps. She will also let you know when you hit a PR. So you can do the entire workout without really watching the screen and then view the overall stats at the end of the workout.
Great review, Ray. And were you in Canada? I did not know Rogers was in Europe otherwise :)
Yup, I’m here now in Canada (Newfoundland).
Welcome back to Newfoundland! Fingers crossed for continued decent running weather. Warm wishes to you and yours for the holiday season, and thank you for all the work you put into this site – the depth and number of your reviews are impressive! Your reviews helped me to pick the watch to ask Santa for this year :-)
I can not find TICKR X app in appstore. Do you use beta version?
Correct, as noted it won’t be available until January.
The TICKR X Workout app was submitted to the App Store for review, so we’re just waiting for approval. It will be live as soon as it’s approved!
Dave from Wahoo
I agree, tracking of kettlebell workouts would be great.
Which app for that?
The app and related functionality will be available in January.
Were you sore after?
I’m pretty much sore after doing any core activity…
Any news regarding the Tickr X emulating a foot pod and transmitting cadence over ANT+ ?
Thanks for a great blog!
What will be the cost for the monitor and app?
The app is free (at least the Wahoo Apps anyway, 3rd party apps would be whatever they cost). As for the TICKR X strap, it started shipping back in September for $99US.
I was hoping this was the review of the Tickr X. Will you being a review? This sounds like a promosing update.
I just bought a Tickr X so this is great news. But are you sure it is ANT+ as well as Bluetooth? I see no indications of that anywhere on Wahoo’s web site or the box. I know the other Wahoo HRM, which I also have, does both but it’s news to me that this one does.
Yup, it’s dual. You’ll see the ANT+ logo on the front of the box, as well as on the back of the strap.
Never mind I found that it does. Funny that Wahoo only seems to mention Bluetooth. Maybe its a way to try to get people to buy their other bluetooth devices.
So – would the Tickr X in fact transmit the running dynamics data over ANT+, and potentially also allow for a Connect IQ app to do something with the raw data from the accelerometers? (Mayby down the road also using the raw data from a foot pod?).
I imagine that talented and clever people could do interesting things with this, so it would be interesting to know if it will be bluetooth only or also available over ANT+.
It’s not currently sending that data over ANT+.
If they decide to do so (would have to be private ANT, since no public ANT+ profile exists yet for it), then they could definitely do something with Connect IQ.
Any news on making the TickrX able to bridge Ant+ to BT? Thank you
What are they going to do when someone comes out with the 6 minute workout app?
From reading around online it appears the Tickr X has its own memory, so you can do your workout without having to have it paired to your phone, and then download the workout data later. Do you know what file format it downloads as? Could I download my run data as a TCX or FIT file and then upload it to Strava or Garmin Connect, or Golden Cheetah?
What I see looking at it, through the Wahoo Fitness app (Android), the TICKR X can export a TCX (via email (or Google Drive, or Android Beam) or upload directly to:
Strava
Garmin Connect
Nike+
RunKeeper
MapMyFitness
Training Peaks
Magellan Active
You can export your offline workout data from the wahoo app in .tcx .gpx .pwx .wf(wahoo) .pdf and .csv
The exportable data are and only are:
Time
Heartrate
On your iphone display, as blue pixels, you can see the markers set when you double tap the TICKR X. These are useful for cropping your workout but won’t export as laps or anything else.
Just to be clear, all of that exporting is for regular workouts – and not for these structured Strength workouts.
This is pretty exciting technology Ray! It would be great to get some kind of ability to track free weight / machine workouts as well, surely this could be achieved by pairing with a wrist band of some variety? this could provide the ability to track a whole host of free weight / machine workouts (such as flat / decline / incline bench press amongst others!) which I for one would be interested in for sure!
I’m not sure how comfortable it would be performing barbell bench presses wearing a heart rate strap though, especially since the unit would reside close to where the bar is lowered to.
Great info Ray, thanks for the update.
Can I push ticker x cadence from a mountain bike ride to a garmin edge 810?
(I have no cadence magnet on the mountain bike; only the road bike. This would be a “free” cadence meter, so theoretically I’d use garmin for speed/distance/elevation etc via gps, and cadence from ticker x.) is that possible on the same ride?
No, not at this time.
you could get the cadence if you had the app? maybe somehow combine the info later? no cadence display while riding
Indoors yes, but not outdoors. The challenge is just too much noise at this point once you add in road vibration, etc…
Hi Ray, this looks great except for the fact that I’m sick to death of heart rate spikes with my Garmin strap so unless you can tell me otherwise? I’m out!
Wahoo has a pretty long history of doing a good job at spike reduction.
I have a “3rd” heart beat that plays havoc with Garmin’s monitors. Old Polar Wind based HRM works perfectly and the TICKR as well…even on the Garmin straps. Garmin have a new strap in pre-production that deals with chafing, not sure what it will do for spikes…which aren’t a problem for me. The TickR is my go to HRM now as it solves my issue without needing a proprietary protocol to get the info off the unit.
Thanks for a review Ray. Great site!
I have posted similiar question on developers website but since you have access to the latest software and the device itself then maybe you could tell me if it is or will be possible to setup a vibration alert of TICKR X, so the device alone, without being paired to an iPhone or a sport watch, indicates with a vibration a moment when the HR is reaching a desired threshold level?
This could be useful for a minimal setup for a MAF training (HR based training).
I would like to use TICKR X without an iPhone or a sport watch to monitor my running HR on-the-go, and I would like to use the device to indicate reaching a desired HR level by a vibration alert, eg. short vibration for indicating too low HR, and a longer vibration for too high HR (out of desired HR zone) – again, as a minimal running setup without a phone or a sport watch.
Can the Tickr X be used with a cadence sensor but recording on itself? I want to use it on the track but currently not allowed to use a garmin from what I can see on the Velodrome website.
No, it can’t pickup other sensors.
What about the swim capabilities… Maybe I overlooked but seemed very promising to me.
No, not at this time.
MERRY CHRISTMAS Ray & Bertie Thanks for all of the work going into the reviews and sharing your travels
Thanks KS – and Merry Christmas to you as well!
Interesting device and awesome review. Just one doubt, I’m an avid user of the old wahoo HR monitor with the ANT+ dongle. I’m about to retire my IPhone 4,but until I do that, would it be possible using this new device with my iPhone 4 with the ant+ capability using the old ANT+ dongle?
Yes, you will be able to use Wahoo ticker x HR monitor with iPhone 4/dongle. Ant+ protocol requires all its devices to be certified according to certain profiles that are pre-defined by its maker Dynastream. Profiles include HR, PWR and so many others. Bluetooth doesn’t have pre-defined profiles by SIG (protocol inventor). The communication between Bluetooth devices are written by developers which are not required any follow profiles nor to the devices to be profile certified. No need to retire old iphone 4 unless you want to use Bluetooth Smart devices. Hope that helps.
Sure, it helps a lot. Thanks so much and merry Xmas.
Sorta.
You can use the basic HR portion of the device with the ANT+ adapter as noted above (extra). However, that won’t work with the workout pieces noted here, nor any of the other special TICKR X functions. Said differently: You can save about half your money and just get the regular TICKR.
Additionally, the Bluetooth SIG has plenty of standardized profiles, many of them for the same classes of devices as the ANT+ sig (i.e. heart rate).
Thanks for another great review Ray. Maybe the market is small but it would be great if a developer used accelerometer functionality to analyze XC ski-specific metrics. An app using the TICKR X, for example, should be able to distinguish between skate and classic ski styles. It should also be able to detect the different ski modes like diagonal stride, double polling, herringbone and gliding. The app could compare the terrain to the ski mode and also tell the user the glide time between strides etc… Anyway, I don’t see anything out there that’s designed to measure ski specific movement. Have you seen anything? I get basic data now like distance, elevation, speed etc. using the same equipment that I use for running, hiking, cycling etc, in the summer but I’m missing the extra geek factor for analyzing my favourite winter activity. Thx, Glen in Canmore.
Hmm, I haven’t see anything yet there.
It might indeed be possible. I suspect one of the challenges though will be that you’ll have vibrations from the track that will have to be cancelled out (not an issue in a gym setting). Additionally, I wonder if the chest is the best place for tracking ski movements, or if perhaps something more foot-region mounted is better. Either way, I suspect over the next 1-2 years we’ll see plenty in this area, as accelerometer based data is becoming the thing that everyone is getting into.
This is as good a place to post this question as any. Are there any other watches out there that support more of a gym mode (e.g. weight lifting, pushups, etc) similar to what the new Wahoo app offers? The only one that comes to mind is the Adidas watch, but it’s pretty expensive. The other one which could potentially support something like this would be the Magellan Echo, but I’m not holding my breath that it’ll get developed as they’ve seemed pretty slow on that side.
I spend about 5 days a week lifting as I have a gym at work, and I do my running on the weekend because I can’t bring myself to use a treadmill. So, it looks like my only option is the Adidas watch at this point unless you have another suggestion.
Thank you for all of the great reviews!
Yeah, with the Adidas it doesn’t actually recognize movements – just tells you what to do. Which, is probably the key difference.
I’m not aware of any others currently on the market that do it. I do suspect once you get to an Apple Watch world with apps there will be certainly others.
For Gym use would be useful the legacy/”old school” frequency of 5Khz, who works with most treadmills and other gym equipment.
is it possible to use TICKR X with garmin and polar strip. I like the closed design of those two, but TICKR X is so far much more reliable
Will an Android app be available in Jan. as well? Or will this only be IOS initially?
The Android app won’t be ready until the end of Q1 (aka March 2015).
So I’m real excited about the TickrX. I got it during the holiday’s and have now used it about a dozen times. Other then pairing with my Garmin 310XT, I can’t get this device to work other then an expensive heart rate monitor. I have followed the steps in the box and paired with my android note 3 phone. I have the wahoo app installed. I dont like running with my phone so i started the wahoo app and hit start. i went for my run and i know the tickrx was working since the garmin was showing my heart rate. when i came back, i followed the instructions and much to my displeasure, i was not able to get this export the data from the tickrx to the android.
I also tried with my new ipad and same thing. i was not able to go for a run or spin on the kickr and then transfer the data from the tickrx to any of my devices that was paired to.
Any advice/directions on how to get this device to export to any of my devices that have the wahoo app on it?
Thanks
Greg
What I often do (though, also often forget to do), is a couch dry-run. That is, I sit on my coach and pretend I’m going for a run. Instead, I watch a TV show…or even just a commercial. But, I leave the device to record during that time. It allows me to quickly validate things like saving an activity and ensuring that’s working. It also allows me to forgo having to run.
I asked the Wahoo folks last week, and they noted that the Android app with the most recent updates should be providing equal functionality there. If it’s not, I’d definitely reach out to their support time.
I’d love to see tracking added for rowing. Should be pretty easy addition given everything else it is capable of. The most important bit is rowing cadence.
Here’s hoping that Wahoo is hard at work learning WatchKit and bringing a TICKR X Apple Watch app at launch :)
Will this chest strap interface with the Garmin 620’s ability to estimate recovery and VO max?
Hi Ray, great post as usual.
As always we are always looking for the “perfect” device, but never seem to get there… I had good hopes for the fitbit surge, but apparently, as the basis peak, HR on workouts so far reported are far from accurate, I run, weigh lift and crossfit, (more harm movement in these last 2).
I know there are activity monitors, with strap, garmin vivofit, vivosmart, polar loop. Mio Fuse as a better HR sensor, but doesn’t have sleep information. I would like to have the permanent HR, for calorie burn, resting HR, automatic sleep recording, from Fitbit Surge, but getting the workouts info on HR from a HR strap (I honestly don’t find them that unconformable, you put them on like you put your shoes on, for a couple of hours). Do you think one could use the TICKR X to overlap the HR workout info on the surge? Maybe using another platform(ex; map my fitness) to push the workout to the Fitbit , platform? That would work for me, plus maybe as the TICKR X develops, also get more info from the movement, exercise recognition part.
Or, as you are more on the inside with this companies, do you think any of these new wrist HR activity monitors will connect to a strap for an accurate workout HR?
Thank you for you feedback
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Carolina
Any idea when the app will be released
They noted sometime January.
Ok, this may seem like a dumb question but can I use my Tickr X chest strap and transmit data via Blue tooth smart to my iphone, while also working out with Bluetooth wireless headphones? I can’t wait to use this for gym workouts paired with my iphone, but also boot camps alone(rip data later) and for stand up paddles paired with my NK Speedcoach. Stoked! Thanks again for your awesomeness!
No problems there at all. Enjoy!
Ray/Dave-
Will the Wahoo app also allow the flexibility of manually entering weightlifting exercises and data for exercises that aren’t compatible with the TICKR X?
I have a TICKR X which I use with a magellan Echo for outdoor running. I don’t use either for recording treadmill or indoor cycling data and just track it separately. For tracking weightlifting workouts, I use the GymGoal app.
I’m interested in the TICKR X and Wahoo’s app, but won’t use it until I can manually enter custom exercise reps free weight reps, such as bicep curls, lat pull downs, etc.
I’m in the market for a HR monitor that will do both ANT+ and Bluetooth. I was about to order a Tickr Run, which would be primarily for cycling, but the treadmill feature looks intriguing for times when I travel and don’t have access to a bike or trainer. Probably 95% bike and 5% treadmill.
My question is if the Tickr X has all the Tîckr Run features plus the core workout features, or each device has its own unique feature set?
I hope the Android version of app has been completed as well….
Hey Ray,
I finally got to use my TICKR X and I’m happy to report it paired easily with my Iphone and was pretty intuitive. I used it for a treadmill run and a indoor bike(although I had it on cycling). However, when I loaded the cardio workout and the gym workout I did not get heart rate data. I think the problem is that you have to basically tun on(not sure if that’s the correct term the HR for that specific workout. I’ll get a chance to use just the Chest strap alone tomorrow for boot camp. Thanks again!
Is today’s firmware update enabling the rep counting feature? Not seeing the “Tickr X Workout” app in the (iOS) app store, or any other new Wahoo offering. So maybe it’s waiting to be approved. But the firmware update mentioned something about “Count X”, if I’m not mistaken.
Hi Alex,
The firmware update is indeed a necessary piece of the puzzle, but the app itself has not yet been approved by Apple. We submitted it on Dec 20th, but are still waiting for it to get approved and go live. Hopefully soon!
Dave at Wahoo
Can this transmit in real time using Ant+ To a garmin watch and also record the run for later transmission using Bluetooth to the wahoo app? Thanks
I’m sure it’s not possible but any chance this could ever replace a garmin strap for running dynamics on a garmin watch?
If Garmin and Wahoo worked together on it. Wahoo has stated their more than willing to…Garmin, not so much.
I aready have a HR run strap so not really losing any money by buying both but I (my wife) would rather have less straps laying around
I’m confused now. I’ve seen a new wahoo fitness app “7-minute workout” in the app store but there is no mention of tickr X support in there.
Also, this app seems to have an update history since 2013, so it’s not new.
Was this something purchased by Wahoo that will have another app (tickr X) based on this in the future?
Or does this 7-minute app work with the tickr X somehow? (Tickr X is updated)
I think 7 minutes has been around for a while and is not linked to Wahoo.
I don’t believe the Wahoo app has been released yet even if it should have for a week or so from what I understood
Rafael,
These are great questions. First, the app Ray was able to test is our own app, called TICKR X Workout. It has been submitted to Apple and we are awaiting approval and release (there was a hiccup in the review process and it’s taking longer than anticipated to get through, but hopefully it will be live soon). In addition, we acquired the 7 Minute Workout app from ByteSizeApps and we are working on adding TICKR X rep counting to that app as well in the near future.
Lastly, the firmware update you saw go live was something needed by both of these apps to support the rep counting feature on the device.
Hope this helps!
– Dave from Wahoo Fitness
Bummer, i thought I got the real Wahoo app and paid $5… Is the Tickr X going to be a paid app too?
When should I expect support for Tckr X in the 7 minute Workout app?
Thanks
Bummer, i thought I got the real Wahoo app and paid $5… Is the Tickr X going to be a paid app too?
When should I expect support for Tckr X in the 7 minute Workout app?
Thanks
Darn, I thought I got the real Wahoo app and paid $5… Is the Tickr X going to be a paid app too?
When should I expect support for Tckr X in the 7 minute Workout app?
Thanks
Darn, I thought I got the real Wahoo app and paid $5. Is the Tickr X going to be a paid app too?
When should I expect support for Tckr X in the 7 minute Workout app?
Thanks
Please remove the rest of my comments, I keep getting “Publication failed check you details” messages.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Hi again,
The TICKR X Workout is a free app and only works when you have a TICKR X. The 7 Minute Workout app is a free app that has several workouts and options that are in app purchases to unlock, but using it with the TICKR X (when available) won’t cost you additional money. So looking at it from a positive, you now have the deluxe options for the 7 minute workout and when our TICKR X support version is approved (can’t say when, it’s mainly up to the reviewers at Apple!) you’ll be able to use the TICKR X with that app.
This app is available now. I haven’t used it yeat, but from overview I can say that there is some lack of functionality: application does not get information about your age and height from health app, but you have to put it manually. Except that, there is no possibility to put exact weight, only integers. I will try it in the evening.
A pint of water is more then a pound. Your sight varies by more then a pound during the day
Hi,
Thanks for your comment. Remember this app is really a demo of the rep counting feature to show you what’s possible. We’ll be using this tech in other apps in the future.
We decided against asking for HealthKit permission for this app just yet for these reasons:
– the process of getting the app approved by Apple is a bit slower when HealthKit is involved at the current moment
– The process within the app of asking you for healthkit permission isn’t much easier than just getting the DOB and weight right here. Considering many people don’t yet fill out this information in HealthKit, it would be more steps for them to do so there and then enable permission.
– Lastly, the weight and age are used only for the caloric burn calculation. With a short 7 minute workout, you can’t expect too much of a calorie burn to where the precision will make a huge difference. Most of the testers have been burning around 100 calories per workout, so the difference between your weight being 165 lbs and 165.4 lbs will make a very negligible difference!
Hope this helps!
– Dave from Wahoo
I don’t need such accuracy, but I believe that some people did. E.g. when they have some habits, and they measure their weight just after the morning toilet, it will be important even 0,5 kg.
Thanks for letting us know it has been approved.
It does look fairly limited, with the automatic rep count as the most interesting feature. Got a bug, right now, won’t go through the whole workout just yet. Tried a few push-ups and it looks like the app only counts the reps when I do the push-up quickly. Will try later but it sounds like more of a challenge to get the app to recognize our activity than just counting reps.
Alex, what do you mean by ‘won’t go through the whole workout’? Did you choose the “Perform All Exercises” option or just a single exercise?
Regarding the super slow reps for pushups, indeed there is a minimum threshold for detecting movement/acceleration so all exercises require a fairly standard rep speed.
Thanks for giving the app a try!
-Dave from Wahoo
So I did four exercises, some a few times.
* Ab crunches (on ball and on floor)
* Pushups (on ball and on floor)
* Wall sits (with ball)
* Planks
Ab crunches work well, either on ball or on floor. Wish I could customize to do a number of reps instead of time-based, but it’s also a challenge to take on, doing as many reps as possible in a short amount of time.
Pushups on ball work well. I’d also like a customized version, but it’s ok. Regular Pushups on floor didn’t work at all. I must be doing them wrong, but I’m surprised that they weren’t registering at all.
For wall sits and planks, the timer is convenient (though not that different from any other counter). The sensitivity to movement (warning when you’re not holding the position) seems to be a bit low. Had to move quite a bit to get the counter to shake.
The voiceover is useful as a feature. My iPad was on mute, at first, and the effect of having a visual rep counter wasn’t that useful. But hearing the number works well.
Funnily enough, it does count in French, but it speaks the rest (“get ready”, “workout done”) as though it were in French too. Couldn’t understand what the voice was saying. ;-)
What I wish an app like this could do is allow for counting and recording diverse exercises based on an individual’s movements. So I could do a few reps of an exercise and get the app to find the pattern. Then, it could count reps. A bit like calibrating (which I tend not to do with my devices), but based on a motion pattern. That’d be quite impressive but, more importantly, very useful.
Regarding to last paragraph – I had similar consideration. It would be really amazing:)
P.S. For me regular pushups works ok.
Fake pushups (on my knees) work very well. So I guess my chest needs to move more quickly. Not sure it’d be an improvement on form, though.
I meant that, since I’m sick, I won’t do the whole routine today (at least, I wasn’t going to, at that time). But I tried the push-up exercise on its own.
Will have to play with the rep recognition a bit. Maybe it’s useful to have such a rigid pattern, as my pushups might be better form. But it means I’ll have to adapt.
(Contrary to most of Ray’s readers, I assume, I’m not athletic. Just trying to get in better shape.)
Hey,
So far I’ve used the Tickr X in several different applications. Without my iPhone for bootcamp. With my iPhone for indoor rowing and today without iPhone stand up paddling. It worked really well in each. However I did notice that when I went to synch data from workout Tdy with chest strap still on, it took forever. Once I took strap off and turned my car Bluetooth off it synced. Dave or Ray is there any best way or proceedure to sync workout data after workout when using chest strap alone? Oh and I finally set my Burn and Burst numbers and love how the heart rate graph incorporates these metrics into the graph! Great work Wahoo!
After whole training some thoughts:
1)it is extremely funny (it is not possible to understand) when app (siri) try to read english commands using language that I have set in iPhone (Polish-not supported by Siri). I don’t know if Siri’s API have possibility to set language, but now if somebody has similar situation, using app is possible only when you look at the screen.
2)There is no possibility to check previous trainings information.
3)It would be great to have similar information as in Wahoo Fitness App
4)Without connection with Health App it is now very limited. I am e.g. MyFitnessPal and have to put all workout information manually. It can be difficult without p.2
Besides it is interesting application. Stop counting when I stop doing push-ups is great.
And last but not least – there is some problem with double tapping on Tickr X – when I make jumps really fast, it recognise them sometimes as double tapping.
HI Ray,
Since you live in Europe now, you can help me with this one.
I can’t find Wahoo TICKR X in Europe. Amazon.uk has only TICKR, and TICKR RUN, so does ebay (Europe).
I have contacted Wahoo and they told me that they do not deliver in Croatia at the moment, and i should try using amazon.com. I would like to avoid that, because as you know, there is no import tax in EU.
Do you know where can I buy one in EU? It seemes funny that UK Amazon doesn’t have the X but has all others
Thanks
link to bike-components.de
i bought mine in apple online store.
Wahoo has an European site where one could shop, but it only ships to select European countries – http://www.eu.wahoofitness.com
Have I read this thread yesterday and would have known about the German site I would have bought it from them. On Wahoo web site I had to ship to my brother in Spain and wait for him to send it to me to Romania :-)
link to wiggle.co.uk
This ws discounted but normal price now
Ps is there any update on swim function?
I recently bought the tickr x. Overall I like it. But I am having issues with finding out. Information on setting up my tickr x. What I am referring to is the page set up. That records stats of your workout . I am finding . That The only ways . I have found to use it. Is time , heart rate , Cal . Some of the other features . are not recording. Such as swimming . What Data can I expect while swimming? What pages are required to collect it.? also how do I get motion analysis. I am sure it is a user issue . So a little help would be appreciated. I have been looking for community type forums on these issues. But to no avail.
7 minute workout is out for android link to play.google.com
Just purchased the Tickrx from REi…tested it on the treadmill to log my miles. Question: in order for it to work properly, do I need the phone strapped to my arm? When I tried running and placed the phone on the treadmill, I got zero cadence. In the ismoothrun app and rei product description both stated that the wahoo tickrx would work on the treadmill. Now when I had the phone in my hand and ran with it, it showed a cadence…So the other question is…what is the strap actually picking up? meaning movement? bounce from the run?
I’m not sure if cadence comes through to the iSmoothRun app (haven’t tried). Have you tried the default Wahoo App first?
Do you think the Tickr X would work to track your heart rate as you sleep?
Occasionally I would like that ability.
Thanks
You can do that, but it’d just look like any other workout – there’s no special sleep functionality.
I have a Tickr X and tried to record a night of sleep with just the band on. I got a series of around 10min recordings throughout the night at different times. I think it goes to sleep if you don’t move enough. I’ll have to try again with the app open.
I don’t care too much for the rep counting, all I care about is does it accurately track heart rate and calories burned for the duration my gym session, wether it be HIIT, cross fit, regular strength training. Do I have to specifically tell it which activity I am doing? Or can I just turn it on, work out, and see my results during/after. That’s all I really care for.
Hi
Can you link the TICKR X w/ Garmin 235 for cadence etc when on stationary bike or for gym workouts?
Thanks
No, it won’t. The two don’t talk together in that manner, only for basic ANT+ HR.
Thanks Ray is there any other sensor you can recommend that would pair and record data? Or is it no feasible?
Thanks again!
The Wahoo RPM will provide cadence that way, and is compatible with the FR235.
Any new developments with the Tickr X or anything new in the pipeline for it from Wahoo? or has this device been abandoned?
Well I went out and bought a Tickr X.
I’m afraid that so far I’m really underwhelmed by it.
All of the metrics are only transmitted with Bluetooth of course – but that’s not really a problem but I’m surprised because as it has been around for almost 2 years, I expect it to have become rather more mature in line with all of the expectations which have been created for it.
I seem to be getting quite a lot of Ant + dropouts – but the real disappointment is the apparent accuracy.
Using the sensor with the fitness app, I find that the cadence rate is extremely accurate. It is always too high – probably about 12% or 15% too high.
Heart rate is sometimes bang on the nail, but is often out by two or 3%, but most importantly it seems to lag substantially behind the heart rate as reported by a polar or by Garmin.
I haven’t tried it out for anything else yet.
It tells me that apparently I have firmware version 1.7.6 installed.
Is anyone able to tell me if this is the latest version?
I find the WAHOO website pretty uninformative. I know that they are apparently far more proactive than Garmin, but their website seems to be at about the same standard – very poor.
And now I’m sitting at my desk with the fitness app in “walking” mode.
It showing heart rate of – 47 – which is about right.
It’s showing cadence – number of steps per minute – at 112. This is while I’m sitting at my desk with my feet up on it. The number of steps per minute have been banging round between 57 and 120 for at least the last five minutes while I have been sitting here, feet up, going nowhere.
This is a great way to get fit.
Sorry to dig up old thread but wanted to know if the TICKR or TICKR X is Polar /5mhz compatible so will work with matrix treadmills / bikes etc. Thanks
Any wahoo people on here able to comment on whether a firmware update to transmit ant+ running cadence will happen?