Undo step for structured workouts + safer Back/Lap (Forerunner 970)

4096363 1 month ago

During a structured workout, an accidental BACK/LAP press immediately advances to the next step. Unlike manual laps, Lap Undo isn’t available in workouts, so there’s no way to revert and resume the previous step. This often occurs when opening/closing Music controls; due to slight UI lag, the key press lands on the workout screen and unintentionally advances the step.

Steps to reproduce

Start a structured workout (warm-up → intervals → recoveries).
Open and use Music controls.
Return to the workout screen.
Press BACK/LAP by mistake → step advances; no undo available.

Expected behavior

Ability to Undo step and return exactly to the previous step (restore timer/targets/alerts).

Why it matters

Preserves data integrity (step duration, pace/HR averages, time in zones, Training Load/VO₂max estimates) and reduces user frustration (rain, sweat, gloves, quick interactions).

Proposed solutions (any/all)

Add Undo step for 5–10 s after a step advance in structured workouts.
Optional confirmation to advance step (double-press or long-press).
Option to disable/remap BACK/LAP during workouts or when the Music screen is active / right after exiting it (anti-ghost press window).

Thanks for considering—this would meaningfully improve workout reliability and UX.

0 4096363 1 month ago

Additional technical context (no .FIT attached):

Device: Forerunner 970
Firmware: current public
Activity: Running
Workout type: structured (warm-up → intervals → recoveries)
Step advance: by BACK/LAP (not auto)
Music controls: used via long-press DOWN to open

Repro timeline:
- t=0: interval step running
- t=1: long-press DOWN → Music controls
- t=2: skip track / adjust volume
- t=3: exit Music; UI returns to workout screen ~0.5–1.0 s later
- t=4: unintended BACK/LAP press is registered → step advances; no undo UI available

Impact:
- Corrupts step durations/averages, time in zones, Training Load/VO2max; breaks session flow.

Workarounds tried (limitations):
- Auto Lock During Activity = ON → prevents errors but slows every music interaction.
- Lap Key = OFF in Run profile → workouts still advance on BACK/LAP.
- Touch During Activity = OFF → irrelevant.
- Auto-advance workouts → not always viable (fartlek/free-form/coached cues).

Requested (any/all):
1) **Undo step** available for 5–10 s after step advance in structured workouts (toast + “Press DOWN to undo”).
2) Optional confirmation to advance step (double-press or long-press).
3) Option to disable/remap BACK/LAP during workouts, or ignore BACK/LAP for ~800 ms right after leaving Music (anti-ghost window).

Happy to provide more details/screens if helpful. Thanks for considering—this would meaningfully improve workout reliability and UX.

0 flowstate 1 month ago

I agree that the user experience is bad here. If you are willing to enable touch during your running workouts, another workaround could be to use right swipe to exit the music controls instead of pressing BACK/LAP.

Another workaround could be to just let the music controls time out by not pressing any buttons (I'm guessing this isn't acceptable).

Yet another workaround could be to assign a hot key (like hold BACK, or better yet, any combo not involving the BACK key) to return to the watchface. When you want to exit music controls, use the hot key (with little or no chance of accidentally triggering a lap). Once you're at the watchface, press START to return to the activity in progress.

Ofc a related complaint is that it's impossible to disable BACK/LAP during workouts, even if your workout contains no steps that end on LAP press. I think it's a huge irony that at the same time, if your final step is "end on LAP press", Garmin actually makes it so it's *impossible* to end that step on LAP press (instead, pressing LAP takes a manual lap.)