Garmin Rumored to Add Guided Swimming and Walking Workouts

Garmin’s suite of workout and fitness software is legendary, having sprung up to power its lineup of fitness-focused smartwatches that occupy space as among the best in the business.

Now there’s a rumor that nature walks, mindfulness exercises, and swimming workouts are next on the features list to appear in Garmin’s app.

the rumored new features

“I assume these are for Garmin Coach and/or Garmin Daily Suggested Workouts,” writes the5Krunner in a post describing a rumor they were handed by a source.

The5Krunner’s source is only listed as “JohnW,” and without any context as to how JohnW would have insight into Garmin’s plans. Whether he works in a company that partners with Garmin or sells Garmin (or is a literal, anthropomorphic fly on the wall at Garmin headquarters), I have no idea, and so I take the rumor with a grain of salt.

But hey, now that I’ve buzzkilled the rumor a bit, let’s set aside our slight skepticism and dig into the details of the alleged leak. For swimming workouts, the leaker says they’re “structured to cover technique development, endurance building, pacing, and recovery, targeting swimmers of varying levels with different training objectives.”

There are, according to the leak, swim workouts designed to enhance endurance and stamina with a focus on developing aerobic capacity. Then there are also high-intensity workouts to grow speed and strength.

On the gentler side, low-intensity workouts for recovery sessions seem perfect for cooldown laps and beginners alike. “Several sessions target freestyle mechanics, including pull technique, kick efficiency, and tools like pull buoys and drills to refine form,” says the5krunner.

Open water swims are also supposedly part of the lineup, along with timed workouts to help people train for races.

Then there are walking exercises, which “emphasize brisk intervals, long-duration walking, recovery, and stress management. They seem to combine fitness goals with wellness and mindfulness,” according to the5Krunner.

“Many sessions involve long, brisk intervals or sustained efforts to raise heart rate and boost metabolism.” That includes moderate- and high-intensity interval training to boost cardiovascular fitness, as well as low-intensity workouts ideal for beginners and as cooldowns after intense exercises. The latter are also said to be recommended as handy for low-intensity workouts after poor sleep or jet lag.

And then rounding out the walking exercises, there are said to be walks designed around mindfulness and mood, with “some walks incorporate breathing awareness, nature exposure, and stress relief, highlighting a holistic approach to fitness.”

It sounds like a natural progression for Garmin, as mental health and wellness apps are growing more popular every year. Depending on how this rumor hashes out and how good these features are, you may not even need a separate mindfulness app taking up room on your phone alongside the Garmin app.