Despite smartwatches offering advanced features like custom workout loading and VO2 max tracking, Garmin's strength training mode for sets and reps is widely described as a 'hot mess' due to its consistent failure to record correct numbers. This unreliable performance forces serious lifters to manually track progress, negating a core advertised benefit for performance analysis.
Smartwatches are marketed with advanced strength training features, but their critical rep counting function remains consistently unreliable. This creates a disconnect for athletes seeking precise data for progressive overload, suggesting a gap between advertised capability and real-world performance. We investigated how specific Garmin models perform.
1. Garmin Venu 3
Best for: Athletes seeking custom workout integration and basic rep tracking.
The Garmin Venu 3 tracks sets and reps during weightlifting and supports custom workouts from the Garmin Connect app, including specific sets, reps, and exercises, according to Forbes.
Strengths: Comprehensive custom workout capabilities; explicit set and rep tracking.
Limitations: Despite these features, its advanced tracking is hampered by Garmin's unreliable rep counter, which TechRadar calls a 'hot mess.' This inconsistency undermines the Venu 3's utility for precise strength training data.
Price: Not provided in sources.
2. Garmin Vivoactive 6
Best for: Individuals prioritizing detailed physiological metrics during strength and cardio.
The Vivoactive 6 provides detailed metrics on VO2 max, aerobic and anaerobic output, and exercise load for both running and strength training, as reported by Men's Health. This offers a deeper understanding of workout intensity.
Strengths: Robust physiological data tracking; comprehensive exercise load analysis.
Limitations: It shares the core flaw of other Garmin watches: unreliable rep counting. This hinders its utility for precise in-workout performance tracking, despite its other advanced metrics.
Price: $299.
3. Garmin Fenix 8
Best for: Serious athletes focused on advanced performance analysis and recovery optimization.
The Fenix 8 analyzes performance with features like training readiness, recovery time, and PacePro technology, according to Men's Health. Its capabilities prioritize overall athletic preparation and post-exercise recovery over immediate workout tracking.
Strengths: Superior recovery and readiness metrics; advanced pacing technology.
Limitations: Its strength training features emphasize post-workout analysis, not direct in-workout tracking like sets and reps. Its advanced tracking is also compromised by Garmin's documented rep counter issues, limiting its value for real-time strength data.
Price: Not provided in sources.
Key Specifications and Practical Considerations
While these features promise a data-driven approach to strength training, practical considerations like battery life and display size impact daily usability. The table below outlines key specifications:
| Model | Battery Life (Days) | Display Size (inches) | Primary Strength Training Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Venu 3 | 14 | 1.4 | Sets, Reps, Custom Workouts |
| Garmin Vivoactive 6 | 11 | Not specified | VO2 Max, Exercise Load |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (AMOLED) | 29 | Not specified | Training Readiness, Recovery |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (Solar) | 48 | Not specified | Training Readiness, Recovery |
The Reality: A 'Hot Mess' for Rep Counting
Advanced features and practical considerations become secondary when core functionalities fail. Garmin's strength training mode, particularly its sets and reps tool, is consistently described as a 'hot mess' by TechRadar. The in-built technology routinely fails to record correct reps, undermining the purpose of automated tracking for serious lifters. TechRadar suggests Garmin should consider removing these unreliable functions, as they detract from the user experience.
Garmin continues to market 'advanced' strength training features like custom workout loading, as noted by Forbes, despite its core rep counting remaining unreliable. This discrepancy between advertised capabilities and actual performance severely limits the practical utility of these smartwatches for advanced strength training, where precision is paramount. Garmin risks alienating dedicated strength athletes who rely on accurate data for progressive overload, making their premium devices less valuable than manual logging.
What Smartwatches Can (and Can't) Do for Strength Training
Users should approach smartwatch strength tracking with realistic expectations, prioritizing general trends and supplementary data over precise, automated rep counting for critical performance metrics.
What smartwatch is best for tracking gym workouts?
For general gym workouts, smartwatches like the Garmin Vivoactive 6 track overall exercise load, heart rate zones, and calorie burn effectively. They offer valuable insights into workout intensity and duration for general fitness monitoring. However, precise rep counting remains a significant challenge.
Can smartwatches accurately track weightlifting?
Smartwatches track aspects like heart rate, workout duration, and estimated calorie expenditure with reasonable accuracy. Yet, for automatic and accurate counting of individual reps and sets, current Garmin models show consistent unreliability. This often requires manual correction, diminishing the "smart" feature's value.
Which smartwatch has the best rep counter?
As of 2026, no single smartwatch consistently delivers highly accurate automatic rep counting for all strength training exercises. The technology struggles with variations in form, speed, and exercise type. For critical progressive overload tracking, manual logging or dedicated apps with manual input often provide more reliable data than current smartwatch automation.
By Q3 2026, Garmin faces a critical juncture regarding its strength training features. The company must either improve its rep counting accuracy or adjust its marketing to reflect the current limitations, or it risks further eroding trust with dedicated strength athletes.
