Garmin Instinct: Stopping, Saving, and Managing Activities

How do I turn off exercise on my Garmin instinct?

To stop an exercise activity on your Garmin Instinct, press the GPS button during the activity, then select "Save" to record your workout, or "Discard" to erase it without saving.

Understanding Activity Tracking on Your Garmin Instinct

Your Garmin Instinct is designed to accurately track a wide range of physical activities, from running and cycling to strength training and hiking. When you "turn off exercise," you are essentially ending the current activity recording session, which then prompts you to either save the collected data, discard it, or resume the activity later. Properly managing your activity records is crucial for maintaining accurate fitness metrics, monitoring progress, and optimizing your device's battery life.

Step-by-Step Guide to Stopping and Saving an Activity

Ending an activity on your Garmin Instinct is a straightforward process, but understanding the options is key to managing your fitness data effectively.

• During an Activity: While an activity is actively being recorded (e.g., you're mid-run, and the timer is counting), press the GPS button (the top-right button, often labeled "GPS" or with an action icon).
• Accessing the Options Menu: Pressing the GPS button will pause the activity and bring up a menu with several options. These typically include:
  • Resume: To continue the activity from where you left off.
  • Save: To stop the activity, save all recorded data (time, distance, heart rate, GPS track, etc.) to your watch's history, and upload it to Garmin Connect upon syncing.
  • Discard: To stop the activity and permanently delete all recorded data for that session. This is useful if you accidentally started an activity or recorded erroneous data.
  • Back to Start: (For some activities like navigation) To guide you back to your starting point.
  • Laps: To manually mark a lap (if not set to auto-lap).
• To Save an Activity: From the options menu, scroll down using the DOWN button (bottom-left) and select "Save" by pressing the GPS button. Your watch will process the data, display a summary, and then return to the watch face.
• To Discard an Activity: From the options menu, scroll down and select "Discard" by pressing the GPS button. The watch will confirm if you want to discard; select "Yes" to confirm. The data will be permanently deleted.
• To Resume an Activity: If you paused the activity and wish to continue, simply select "Resume" from the options menu. The timer will restart, and recording will continue.

Common Scenarios and Troubleshooting

Understanding these scenarios can help you manage your activities more efficiently.

• Accidental Activity Start: If you accidentally start an activity, immediately press the GPS button to pause it, then select "Discard". This prevents erroneous data from cluttering your fitness history.
• Activity Not Stopping: Ensure you are pressing the correct button (GPS button, top-right). If the activity seems "stuck," it might be due to an auto-pause setting if you stopped moving. Check your activity settings for auto-pause preferences.
• Battery Considerations: Properly saving or discarding an activity is crucial for battery life. Leaving an activity running in the background, especially one using GPS, will rapidly drain your watch's battery. Always ensure you have properly ended your session.

Best Practices for Activity Management

Properly managing your recorded activities ensures the integrity of your fitness data and helps you gain accurate insights into your training.

• Always Review Before Saving: Briefly check the summary data (time, distance) before hitting "Save" to ensure it aligns with your perception of the workout.
• Understand Auto-Pause Settings: For activities like cycling or running, auto-pause can be useful, but be aware that it will pause the timer when you stop moving. This can sometimes lead to confusion if you expect the activity to continue recording. Adjust these settings in the activity profile on your watch if needed.
• Regular Syncing: After saving an activity, sync your Garmin Instinct with Garmin Connect (via the app on your phone or Garmin Express on your computer). This uploads your data to the cloud, allowing for detailed analysis, backup, and sharing.