Step Challenges Where Your Garmin Fenix Friend Doesn't Always Win
Motion creates fair step and activity challenges for Garmin users of all levels. Compete on effort, not just raw numbers - so walkers, runners, and cyclists all have a real shot at victory.
The Step Challenge Problem for Garmin Users
You've Been Here Before
Your friend group decides to do a weekly step challenge. Great idea! Everyone wears their Garmin, tracks their activity, and at the end of the week you compare totals.
Monday: You walk 8,000 steps. Your ultra-runner friend logs 25,000. Tuesday: You hit 10,000 feeling accomplished. They casually do 30,000. Wednesday: You realize you've already lost and it's only midweek.
By Thursday, you've stopped trying. By next week, you've stopped participating.
Why Traditional Step Challenges Fail
Different Activity Levels Garmin users range from casual walkers (5,000 steps/day) to ultra-marathoners (40,000+ steps/day). Comparing raw totals means the most active person always wins and everyone else is just participating.
Different Activity Types Your Fenix-wearing friend cycles 50 miles. Your Venu-wearing coworker swims for an hour. You walk 12,000 steps. Who "won"? Raw step counts don't tell the story when Garmin users do completely different activities.
Discouragement Kills Motivation The beginner gives up because they can't compete. The casual exerciser stops trying because they feel outclassed. Eventually, only the most athletic person stays engaged - which defeats the entire purpose of a motivational challenge.
There's a Better Way
Motion's step challenges use effort-based goals to level the playing field. Your Garmin tracks the data. Motion makes the competition actually fair.
How Motion Makes Garmin Challenges Fair
Effort-Based Step Challenges
Motion doesn't just compare raw step counts or activity totals. Instead, we give each Garmin user a personalized weekly goal based on their historical activity data, then we compare how well everyone achieved their own goal.
Example: Three Garmin Users, One Fair Challenge
Sarah (Forerunner 955, ultra-runner) Normally averages 28,000 steps/day → Motion sets her goal at 190,000 steps/week
Mike (Vivoactive 5, gym enthusiast) Normally averages 8,000 steps/day + strength training → Motion sets his goal at 900 activity points/week (mixing steps and workouts)
You (Venu 3, daily walker) Normally average 6,000 steps/day → Motion sets your goal at 45,000 steps/week
Week Results
Sarah: Logs 171,000 steps (her watch accurately tracked several long runs) → Achieved 90% of her personalized goal
Mike: Hits 7,500 steps/day + 4 gym sessions → Achieved 95% of his personalized goal
You: Push yourself to 58,000 steps (over 8,000/day average!) → Achieved 129% of your personalized goal
You win! 🏆
Even though Sarah logged triple your steps, YOU put in the most effort relative to your normal activity. That's what Motion celebrates - personal growth and effort, not who was already the most athletic.
How Motion Works With Your Garmin
Automatic Sync, Zero Extra Effort
Motion syncs with every Garmin device through Apple Health, Google Fit, or direct Garmin Connect integration. Once connected:
- Wear your Garmin normally - Run, walk, cycle, swim, whatever you do
- Your data syncs automatically - Steps, workouts, heart rate all flow into Motion
- Motion calculates your personal goal - Based on your 12-week rolling average
- Compete fairly with friends - Everyone works toward their own calibrated target
- Win based on effort - Pushing yourself 120% beats someone coasting at 95%, regardless of absolute numbers
Works With All Garmin Activities
Motion doesn't just count steps. We track and value everything your Garmin records:
- Running - Road runs, trail runs, ultra distances
- Cycling - Indoor, outdoor, bikepacking
- Swimming - Pool laps, open water
- Strength Training - Gym sessions, bodyweight workouts
- Walking & Hiking - Urban walking, mountain hiking
- Multi-Sport - Triathlons, adventure racing
- Steps - Daily movement and activity
All activities contribute to your personalized activity score, creating truly fair challenges across diverse Garmin users and workout types.
Motion's Garmin Challenge Features
Effort-based scoring
Compete on personal improvement, not absolute performance. Garmin walkers can beat Garmin runners.
One-on-one activity battles
Challenge a friend to a week-long battle. First to win three battles claims the series trophy.
Pod challenges
Join or create pods of Garmin users. Compete in group challenges where everyone's effort matters.
Step counter games
Your Garmin steps power Fit Bingo, seasonal quests, and daily challenges.
Challenge chat
Every battle and challenge includes group chat for motivation, accountability, or friendly trash talk.
Track your progress
See your trends, goal achievement, and how you stack up over time - all pulling from your Garmin data.
Real Garmin Challenge Scenarios
The Multi-Sport Friends
The Setup: Three friends with different Garmin devices and different activities want to compete fairly.
- Alex: Fenix 7, mountain trail running and hiking
- Jordan: Venu 3, gym workouts and casual walking
- Casey: Forerunner 265, road cycling and swimming
Without Motion: Impossible to compare. How do you compare trail miles to gym sessions to cycling distance?
With Motion: Everyone gets a personalized activity point goal. Alex's 50-mile week, Jordan's gym + walking routine, and Casey's cycling all convert to effort percentages. Fair competition despite completely different activities.
The Office Step Challenge
The Setup: Your office wants a monthly step challenge to encourage wellness.
- Half the office walks 4,000-6,000 steps normally
- A few fitness enthusiasts hit 12,000-15,000 daily
- One ultra-runner consistently logs 25,000+
Without Motion: The ultra-runner wins every week. The walkers quit after week one. Challenge fails.
With Motion: Everyone competes against their own baseline. The person who improves most wins. Suddenly the walker who goes from 5,000 to 8,000 beats the runner who phones in 20,000 when they normally do 25,000.
The Family Fitness Challenge
The Setup: Multi-generational family wants to stay active together.
- Grandparents with Venu Sq (daily walking)
- Parents with Forerunners (running and cycling)
- Teenage kids with Vivoactive (sports and general activity)
Without Motion: Impossible to create a fair challenge across generations and fitness levels.
With Motion: Everyone has age-appropriate, fitness-level-appropriate goals. Grandma's daily walk counts just as much as dad's marathon training - when both push themselves relative to their own baselines.
Curious about converting steps to distance and calories? Use our walking calculator to understand what your Garmin step counts really mean.
Frequently asked questions
If you have anything else you want to ask, reach out to us.
Do both people need a Garmin for fair challenges?
No! Motion works with all fitness trackers - Apple Watch, Fitbit, Whoop, Oura, even just your phone's step counter. The effort-based system makes challenges fair regardless of what device people wear.
How does Motion set my personalized goal?
Motion analyzes your last 12 weeks of Garmin data to understand your baseline activity level. Your goal is calibrated to be challenging but achievable for YOU specifically. As your fitness improves, your goal adapts gradually.
Can I challenge someone who's way more fit than me?
Absolutely - that's the whole point! You could be a casual walker challenging an ultra-marathoner. Because you're each working toward your own goal, it's a fair competition. If you push to 120% of your goal and they coast at 95%, you win.
What if I have a bad week or get sick?
Motion's adaptive AI accounts for this. If your activity drops, your goal adjusts downward gradually. You won't be punished for a bad week or injury recovery. The system understands that life happens.
Do strength workouts count in step challenges?
Yes! Motion converts all Garmin activities (strength training, cycling, swimming, etc.) into a unified activity point system. 'Step challenges' in Motion are really 'activity challenges' that value all movement equally.
How do Garmin Connect challenges compare to Motion?
Garmin Connect challenges are typically raw number comparisons (total steps, total miles) which favor the most athletic participants. Motion uses effort-based scoring so challenges stay competitive and motivating for all fitness levels.
Your Fitness Journey Starts Here
Download Motion free and discover why this is the fitness app you'll actually keep using. Your future self (and your Motmot) will thank you.
