Pixel Watch 5's strength training feature could replace my top lifting app - no phone needed
Tech Home Tech Wearables Smart Watches Pixel Watch 5's strength training feature could replace my top lifting app - no phone needed Strength training is all the buzz. Google built a special exercise experience into the Pixel Watch 5 to make it easier to get started. Written by Nina Raemont, Editor,…
Tech Home Tech Wearables Smart Watches Pixel Watch 5's strength training feature could replace my top lifting app - no phone needed Strength training is all the buzz. Google built a special exercise experience into the Pixel Watch 5 to make it easier to get started. Written by Nina Raemont, Editor, Wearables & Health TechEditor, Wearables & Health Tech Aug. 12, 2026 at 7:01 a.m. PT Nina Raemont/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET's key takeaways Google unveiled a new strength training experience on the Pixel Watch 5. It's one of the first I've seen built into a mainstream smartwatch. It could replace other strength-training apps. I've been strength training for over a year, and while I can confidently navigate the exercise equipment and heavy weights at my gym now, that wasn't always the case. When I started my weight-training journey, I was a complete novice. At the time, I did my own research to find a strength training app that could take my beginner status and feeble frame into account, track my reps, create exercise routines for upper body, lower body, and full body days, and encourage consistency through clear progress documentation. That ended up being Fitbod, an app I still use to this very day. Also: Pixel Watch 4 vs. Pixel Watch 5: Buy the old Android smartwatch or opt for the newest?Fitbod gave me consistent strength-training exercises that helped me make progress week over week. It made core strength-training exercises, like bench presses and squats, regular parts of each workout while incorporating some peripheral, nice-to-have exercises. The app helped me learn how to do so many new exercises that target different muscles. That not only allowed me to familiarize myself with the proper form for each exercise, but it also encouraged me to explore the machines and equipment in my gym, while building strength through a consistent routine. The app has a tab where I can see my overall strength through push, pull, and leg exercises, and I can review past workouts through the log tab. Fitbod builds rest time into each set: once I'm done with my first round of bench presses, I hit the "rest" button and a timer counts down to my next set. It's an essential app for beginners and advanced weight trainers alike. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETI haven't found many Fitbod alternatives built into mainstream smartwatches. While I can record a strength training workout through the Fitness app on my Apple Watch Series 11, it simply records my heart rate, calories burned, and duration. It doesn't give me a collection of strength training exercises or help me along my workout. The same goes for the Samsung Galaxy Watch series. Also: Are AI health coach subscriptions a scam? My verdict after testing Fitbit's for a monthThe Pixel Watch 5 arrives with more ways to strength-train, and this new feature is the one I look forward to testing most once I get my hands on the smartwatch. For a while now, Fitbit and Pixel users have been able to create their own strength-training workouts through the Google Health app, which has hundreds of exercises and pre- and post-workout stretches. With a Google Health Premium subscription, you can even take a photo of your workout equipment and ask Gemini to build you a quick workout routine that suits your strength level and needs. But, thus far, you've needed your phone to follow along with an exercise circuit like a weight training routine. Not anymore. Now, the Strength Training feature delivers that same custom workout generation on the Pixel Watch 5. You no longer need your phone to see the sets, reps, and weight of your exercises. Plus, the watch initiates rest times in between exercises, just like Fitbod. Also: Google Pixel 11 vs Pixel 9: Why the Pixel 11 is actually worth upgradingI got a demo of the Strength Training feature from the Google team ahead of Made By Google, and it had a similar interface to my Fitbod app. The feature was straightforward enough, taking me through each set of my exercise and initiating rest periods, all while recording my health metrics, including calories burned and heart rate. Meeting the moment The Strength Training feature arrives on the Pixel Watch 5 amid a growing public interest in building muscle, both for longevity and weight loss. A third of Americans are regularly strength training, and the exercise is growing in popularity online, where fitness influencers of all body types and genders (not just beefy men) are recommending lifting heavy and swapping treadmills for dumbbells. The Pixel Watch 5 feature should help beginners feel more comfortable in the gym by giving them workout recommendations and taking them through their exercises and rest periods. The feature is coming soon to the new watch, though Google hasn't specified a date yet. 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