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Bike - Bike activity mode on COROS watches is designed to record, track, and analyze data for your outdoor rides. When using Bike mode you will have the ability to use navigation (on watches equipped with navigation features), follow interval workouts, and set activity alerts.
- To use Bike mode, press the digital dial and select “Bike”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types during workouts and further information, please visit: Bike
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Flatwater - Flatwater activity mode on COROS watches is designed to record, track, and analyze data for activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, and more. Flatwater mode allows you to use navigation (on watches equipped with navigation features), set activity alerts, and view real-time data such as speed, distance, stroke rate, and more.
- To use Flatwater mode, press the digital dial and select “Flatwater”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types during workouts and further information, please visit: Flatwater
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GPS Cardio - GPS Cardio activity mode on COROS watches is designed to record any activity outdoors where viewing GPS data (distance, GPS track, etc.) is necessary, but the activity does not fit into any other available modes.
- To use GPS Cardio mode, press the digital dial and select “GPS Cardio”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: GPS Cardio
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Gym Cardio - Gym Cardio activity mode on COROS watches is designed to record and analyze data for indoor workouts such as weight training, indoor sports, etc.
- To use Gym Cardio mode, press the digital dial and select “Gym Cardio”. Please wait until the watch indicates that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types during workouts and further information, please visit: Gym Cardio
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Hike – Hike activity mode on COROS watches is designed to track, record, and analyze data for moderate or slow outdoor hiking on trails. Hike mode allows you to use navigation features in addition to activity alerts during an activity.
- To use Hike mode, press the digital dial and select “Hike”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Hike
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Indoor Bike – Indoor Bike activity mode is designed to record any indoor bike workout. We recommend pairing your COROS watch with external bike accessories/sensors for the best experience using Indoor Bike mode. Connecting to an external sensor will allow you to track additional data other than your heart rate and workout time. (How to get the correct speed and distance readings from a bike trainer) You will also have the option to set activity alerts in this activity mode.
- To use Indoor Bike mode, press the digital dial and select “Indoor Bike”. Please wait until the watch indicates that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Indoor Bike
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Indoor Rower – Indoor Rower activity mode is designed to record activities completed on an indoor rowing machine. We recommend pairing your COROS watch to the rowing machine to view data such as wattage, pace, etc. (Pair with Bluetooth Accessories) In this activity mode you will also be able to set activity alerts.
- To use Indoor Rower mode, press the digital dial and select “Indoor Rower”. Please wait until the watch indicates that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types during workouts and further information, please visit: Indoor Rower
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Indoor Run – Indoor Run activity mode is designed to use the sensors in your COROS watch to track treadmill runs. This activity mode automatically turns off GPS signal and relies on the internal sensors along with proper calibration and user input to measure your treadmill runs accurately. (How to ensure proper distance tracking for indoor runs) In this activity mode you will also have the option to set activity alerts.
- To use Indoor Run mode, press the digital dial and select “Indoor Run”. Please wait until the watch indicates that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Indoor Run/Treadmill
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Mountain Climb – Mountain Climb activity mode is designed for technical or multi-day mountaineering. Mountain Climb mode allows the option for “Resume Later” for multi-day trips in the event that you want to record activities on multiple days all as one. Mountain Climb mode also has the option to use 3D Distance which takes into account altitude changes to most accurately measure your activities. You will also be able to access activity alerts and navigation when using this mode.
- To use Mountain Climb mode, press the digital dial and select “Mtn Climb”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Mountain Climb/Mountaineering
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Multisport – Multisport activity mode is designed to be used when completing multiple different activities/exercises/workouts all in one session. Multisport mode allows you to specify up to five different workout types within the one activity mode (select “Settings → Workout” prior to starting). You will also be able to access activity alerts and navigation when using this mode.
- To use Multisport mode, press the digital dial and select “Multisport”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view further information, please visit: Multisport
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Open Water – Open Water activity mode is designed to be used for any outdoor/open water swims. This activity mode uses both GPS and the hardware in your watch to track distances, stroke rates, and more. Open Water activities will allow you to access activity alerts during your workout.
- COROS watches support freestyle stroke types in Open Water mode for accurate GPS tracking. Breaststroke, Backstroke, and Butterfly styles do not have guaranteed GPS tracking.
- To use Open Water mode, press the digital dial and select “Open Water”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity. To ensure the GPS tracking accuracy, please wait until you receive a confirmation from the watch about GPS acquisition before jumping into the water. Make sure to provide a substantial amount of time for the watch to stay out of water during your strokes as GPS signals cannot travel underwater.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Open Water
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Pool Swim – Pool Swim activity mode is designed to be used for swims where the pool is a set distance and you will be completing multiple laps across the pool. Pool Swim supports and automatically detects 4 major stroke types in Pool Swim mode including Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly. You can easily change the pool length setting on the watch to meet your need. Distance is measured and detected when you make a turn. If you don’t use a flip turn, please make sure to include arm movements that are substantially different than stroke movements during the turn. You will also be able to access activity alerts in this mode.
- To use Pool Swim mode, press the digital dial and select “Pool Swim”. Next, select the length of the pool (25m, 50m, 25yd, 33.3m, 33.3yd, Custom). Please wait until the watch indicates that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen).
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Pool Swim
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Rowing – Rowing activity mode is designed to be used for outdoor/open-water rowing where GPS signals are available. Rowing mode will allow you to track your stroke rate, heart rate, distance, and more. You can also access activity alerts in this mode.
- To use Rowing mode, press the digital dial and select “Rowing”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Rowing
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Run - The standard "Run" activity was designed to be used when running on paved or hard-packed roads with minimal elevation gain/loss. The "Run" activity mode is designed to work seamlessly with any downloaded workouts, training plans, or basic interval runs. "Run" mode also allows for you to access "Navi Settings" to help you navigate routes, add checkpoints, navigate "Back to Start" and more. In "Run" mode, you can access activity alerts. "Run" mode does impact your EvoLab metrics such as Threshold Pace, VO2 Max, etc. "Run" will give you an analysis of your run with a "Running Performance" metric. To view more information about EvoLab please see "EvoLab Metrics".
- To use Run mode, press the digital dial and select “Run”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Run
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Ski – Ski activity mode is designed to track your downhill skiing activities and will display data such as: downhill laps, lift laps, and more. Ski mode will allow you to set activity alerts and enable Auto Ascent/Descent for the most accurate tracking. Ski mode automatically uses 3D distance which considers altitude changes to measure your activities most accurately.
- To use Ski mode, press the digital dial and select “Ski”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Ski
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Ski-Touring - Ski Touring mode is a multisport mode and consists of two workout modes - Mountain Climb and XC Ski. Please customize the data pages of these two workout modes for Ski Touring mode. During the ascent, Mountain Climb mode is utilized to track the workout. During the decent, XC Ski mode is utilized to track the workout. During the transition period, press the CONFIRM button during ascent and descent will skip to the transition. Press and hold the CONFIRM button during the transition to start the next session. Scroll down during the transition to view additional options including resume, finish, details, laps.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Ski Touring
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Snowboard - Snowboard activity mode is designed to track your downhill snowboarding activities and will display data such as: downhill laps, lift laps, and more. Snowboard mode will allow you to set activity alerts and enable Auto Ascent/Descent for the most accurate tracking. Snowboard mode automatically uses 3D distance which considers altitude changes to measure your activities most accurately.
- To use Snowboard mode, press the digital dial and select “Snowboard”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Snowboard
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Strength - Strength mode is designed to help athletes program and track their strength training workouts. These workouts can consist of body weight, dumbbells, barbells, circuits, and many more. Athletes can design strength workouts in the app by classifying what exercise, how many sets, how many reps, and what weight they are lifting. If a workout is designed beforehand, athletes will also see a heatmap of muscles they targeted in the app. Your watch will track reps based on the movements of your arm/wrist. Select strength workout for all of your strength training needs. Using strength mode will allow you to set rest alerts during your activity.
- To use Strength mode, press the digital dial and select “Strength”. Next choose what area(s) you will be training for the workout (Whole Body, Shoulders, Chest, Back, Core, Legs/Hips, Arms). To change what body part you are training during your workout, press the digital dial to pause the activity, then navigate to “Next Parts”.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Strength
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Track Run - Track Run activity mode is designed to accurately measure your laps and distance on tracks to give you the most accurate distance data and path. In this mode, you can specify which lane you are running in and your watch will automatically track your distance and laps on the track. This mode will use the first lap to identify that you are running on a track, and from the second lap on will use the track running algorithm to measure your activity. You can change the lane which you are running in during the workout and also will have the option to access interval mode, activity alerts, and this mode can be used in training plans.
- To use Track Run mode, press the digital dial and select “Track Run”. Next, specify which lane you will be running in on the track. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Track Run
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Trail Run - Trail Run activity mode is designed to be used on technical trails, trails with significant elevation gain/loss, or any extended/multi-day runs. Trail Run will default to using 3D Distance instead of standard Distance (to change go to Trail Run → Settings → 3D Distance). 3D distance utilizes elevation gain to calibrate the distance compared to 2D distance. Trail Run mode features a Resume Later option in case you take long breaks between runs but want to capture it all as one activity (stage races for instance). To use this feature, pause your run, select "Resume Later" in the options. Trail Run mode also allows for you to access "Navi Settings" to help you navigate routes, add checkpoints, navigate "Back to Start" and more. At this time, training plans and interval training are not included in "Trail Run". "Trail Run" activities do not impact EvoLab data at this time. In "Trail Run" mode, you can also access activity alerts.
- To use Trail Run mode, press the digital dial and select “Trail Run”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Trail Run
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Training (Structured Programs) - Training mode is an easy shortcut to access your pre-designed training for the day. If an athlete has created a training plan or workout for a specific day, this task can be accessed through the training shortcut. When selecting "training" be sure to select the pre-designed workout and then hit start. Your training plan will automatically begin and lead you through your predesigned workout.
- To view more information about training, please visit: Training
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Training Plans - In Training Plan mode, athletes can access their future workouts through the watch. By selecting this mode, athletes will pull up a calendar that highlights future workouts. Scrolling through these days, athletes can see what workouts are on what day. This helps athletes plan their workouts to fit into their normal day-to-day lives. If you are unsure of your upcoming schedule, select training plan to get a birds eye view.
- To view more information about training plans, please visit: How to create and follow a training plan
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Triathlon - Triathlon mode is designed to be used for any workout or race that consists of 3 activities with 2 transitions. Simply press your watch's CONFIRM button to progress from one part of the triathlon to the next. By default, Triathlon mode is set to Open Water, Bike, and Run, but you can customize these three activity types and their order by choosing from Run, Bike, Open Water, or Pool Swim. To choose from other activity types, please use Multisport mode.
- Activity alerts in Triathlon mode can only be customized by modifying the activity alerts on the individual activity modes themselves. For example, to change the alert for the Bike portion of the triathlon, please go to Bike mode on your watch and set the activity alert there.
- Triathlon mode includes a transition between the first and second activities, and another transition between the second and third activities. If at any time you accidentally progress past the current activity and start the next transition prematurely, you can use your watch's BACK button to return to the activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: Triathlon
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XC Ski – XC or “Cross Country” Ski mode is designed to track any skiing (mostly on flat terrain) where you are completely self-propelled. XC Ski mode will allow you to access both navigation and activity alerts during your activities.
- To use XC Ski mode, press the digital dial and select “XC Ski”. Please wait until the watch indicates that you have a strong GPS signal (indicated by an “Acquired” message at the top of the screen) and that heart rate is being measured (indicated by a heart icon at the bottom of the screen) before starting an activity.
- To view supported data types and further information, please visit: XC Ski
Running Power (provided directly from all COROS watches)
- Power is the rate of effort used in running. Running uses more power than walking if the distance remains the same because the duration is shorter and speed increased. The power calculation is related to weight, speed, and other metrics. Running uphill with the same pace requires more power than running flat. Power data can help evaluate real-time workout intensity. Running power is a great tool to measure your training in addition to heart rate and other metrics.
Form Power
- The amount of power wasted due to inefficiencies in your running form. The lower this number, the better and more efficient the runner. This is similar to the previous Running Efficiency metrics (now removed) in terms of running form insights.
- Available only in the post-workout analysis when paired with COROS POD.
Ground Time
- Excellent: <210ms
- Better: 210-240ms
- Good: 240-270ms
- Average: 270-300ms
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Poor: >300ms
- Ground time measures the amount of time each of your feet are in contact with the ground. Advanced runners tend to have shorter ground time. Elite runners’ ground time can be as low as 180ms.
Left/Right Balance
- Orange: >L 51.5 Far more time on left foot
- Yellow: L 50.6-L 51.5 Slightly longer time on left foot
- Green: L 50.5—R 50.5 Good left/right foot balance
- Yellow: R 50.6-R 51.5 Slightly longer time on right foot
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Orange: >R 51.5 Far more time on right foot
- L/R balance measures the percentage of ground time spent on each foot. Track running and trail running may cause the reading to drift away from the desired green zone. If the reading exceeds 55, your risk of injury may increase.
Stride Ratio
- Excellent: <6%
- Better: 6-8%
- Good: 8-10%
- Average: 10-12%
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Poor: >12%
- Stride ratio can help measure running efficiency. It is the ratio of stride height to stride length. When stride length is longer and stride height is lower, the amount of energy wasted going up and down is reduced and the running is considered more efficient. The stride ratio for advanced running form can be lower than 6%.
Stride Height
- Excellent: <5cm or <2in
- Better: 5-8cm or 2-3.2in
- Good: 8-12cm or 3.2-4.7in
- Average: 12-15cm or 4.7-5.9in
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Poor: >15cm or > 6in
- Stride height is the amount your body bounces vertically with each step. Lower stride height indicates that less energy is wasted bouncing up and down. Fatigue and incorrect running form may cause higher stride height.
Stride Length
- Stride length measures the distance from heel to heel when you take two steps. It is an important factor to evaluate running form and techniques. On average, an adult’s stride length is 65 cm / 2.13 ft during walking and between 90-150 cm / 2.95-4.92 ft when running. Many runners overstride believing this will increase the speed. However, this will increase the risk of injury on muscles and knees. It is critical to find the stride length that suits you the best for training and races with the help of advanced running metrics from the COROS POD.
To change the background color on your COROS watch (during workouts), hold the BACK/LAP button to open the Toolbox → System → Workout Interface → Background Color
To customize data pages on your COROS watch, please follow the steps below:
- Open the COROS app and navigate to the Profile page (4th tab on the bottom) and tap on the watch icon.
- Select “Activity Data Screens” under the device which you wish to customize.
- Next, choose the workout mode that you wish to customize from the library of activities. You can customize the data fields which are displayed during your workouts to be specific to each workout. For example, if running around your neighborhood or on a track, you may not care about elevation or vertical gain/loss, but you may want to see this data while doing a "Trail Run".
- You can customize up to six different pages with multiple data fields to curate the specific data that you need during a workout. Dependent upon your watch model and activity mode, there are different data fields for you to choose from. Open the Customize Activity Data option in the COROS app to view these fields.
- Open the selected file on the COROS app
- Choose the arrow in the upper right-hand corner, then select "Export Data"
- Choose ".FIT" file, then use email, AirDrop, etc. to send the file from your phone to a computer
- Log in to the 3rd party application (using Strava as an example) on desktop, select "Upload Activity"
- Choose "File" do upload the ".FIT" file from the COROS app to upload
- Back-to-start, Checkpoints, Elevation Details, Hybrid Map Layer, Landscape Map Layer, Topo Map Layer, Deviate Course Alert, Touchscreen-enabled Breadcrumb Navigation
- Basic Navigation Features
- Advanced Navigation Features
- Strava Route Sync
To enable notifications during activities, please follow the steps below:
- Main watch face → System → Workout Interface → Msg. & Call Alerts → ON
- You can’t expand or manage the notifications during activities.
NOTE: Receiving notifications increases the battery consumption on your COROS watch.
During select activity modes (Bike, Trail Run, Mtn Climb and Hike) on COROS watches you have the option to use the "Resume Later" feature to help support Multi-Day activities and extend battery life on your watch.
To use this feature, start any of the mentioned activities as normal. Once you want to use the Resume Later option, with the watch unlocked, press the digital dial to pause the activity. Next, scroll to the "Resume Later" option. Press the digital dial once to confirm that you want to exit the activity using the resume later option.
To restart your activity, from the main watch face, press the digital dial. You will be prompted with the message "Resuming unfinished activity mode", press the digital dial to reopen the activity and resume.
During the activity on your phone: COROS app → Profile → tap on watch icon → My Routes → Select Route → Sync with your watch
During the activity on your watch: Press and hold the BACK/LAP button → Navigation → Select Courses → Choose the route → Start Course
Auto-Scroll
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Select to automatically scroll the data pages at a certain interval (not available when displaying the navigation pages).
- 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10s | OFF
Touch Scroll
- Select to swipe up and down to change data pages without unlocking the screen.
- ON | OFF
After a workout is finished, the watch will sync data automatically to your COROS account on your phone if Bluetooth connection is established. If you don’t see the updated data on the COROS app, please tap on the Today page, pull down, and release the page until the top section shows syncing progress.
To edit which GPS mode you are using, hold the back button to open the Toolbox → System → More Settings → GPS → Mode
The APEX supports the following combinations of GNSS systems (see this article for a full explanation of each system):
- GPS, QZSS
- GPS, Glonass, Galileo, QZSS
- GPS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS
Depending on your location in the world, there may be different satellite systems that provide better accuracy for you. To decide what satellite setting to use, we recommend opening the Toolbox on your watch and changing between different satellite settings, then checking the satellite signal to find which is best. To do so, long press/hold the back button → System → More Settings → GPS → Satellite Signal. You can use the digital dial to scroll and see further details.