Recording Other Activities in the Step Log

The moderate and vigorous activity sections in your 10,000 Steps Step Log are designed for the entry of activities that a pedometer does not accurately record (e.g. swimming).

Conversion of Activity Minutes to Steps

The entry of minutes into these sections converts time into an estimated step count, which is added to your total step count for the day.

For example, if you do 10 minutes of moderate intensity activity, it will add 1,000 steps to your daily total.

10 minutes of moderate intensity activity = 1,000 steps
10 minutes of high intensity activity = 2,000 steps

What is Moderate Intensity Activity?

Moderate Intensity Activity causes a slight but noticeable increase in breathing and heart rate. You should be able to maintain a conversation. Examples of moderate intensity activity includes swimming, cycling, horse riding, weight training, active gardening, and dancing.

What is Vigorous Intensity Activity?

High intensity (or vigorous) activity makes you “huff and puff” and is where talking full sentences between breaths is difficult. Examples of high intensity activity include high intensity circuit training, running, netball, football and other competitive sports.

How to Log Your Steps and Activity

Logging Activity Accurately

With the wide spread availability and use of wrist worn activity trackers, concern can arise over the tracking of steps in addition to time spent participating in moderate and vigorous activities, especially during 10,000 Steps team Tournaments.

Activity trackers vary in the mechanisms and algorithms used to calculate activity and its intensity. The wide variation in different types of exercises performed, the intensity, and individual fitness level all impact how extra activities are recorded on the 10,000 Steps website.

There is no simple, one size fits all method of logging with such a large variation in contributing factors. It is up to each participant to enter their steps and time in moderate and vigorous columns to most accurately reflect the activity.

Tournament Coordinators may also find this page helpful:

How can Tournament participants accurately log their steps and other activities?

Without a Tracker

If a hip worn pedometer or mobile pedometer application is being used to track steps, we would recommend taking the device off or leaving your phone in a bag, in the car, or at home if possible while engaging in activities other than walking. Time spent participating in activities can be entered into the moderate and/or vigorous activity columns in the Step Log, reflecting the intensity of the activity. By adding the minutes (see below the + xx min) into our Step Log, we will convert them to steps like in the following examples.

Examples - without a tracker:

This 30 min run is equal to 4000 steps:

+ 20 min in moderate (2000 steps)
+ 10 min in vigorous (2000 steps)

This 45 min HITT class (including 5 min rest time) is equal to 6000 steps:

+ 20 min in moderate (2000 steps)
+ 20 min in vigorous (4000 steps)

This 45 mins of weight training (including 10 min rest time) is equal to 4500 steps:

+ 25 min in moderate (2500 steps)
+ 10 min in vigorous (2000 steps)

Using a Tracker

If you are wearing an activity tracker during an activity other than walking, your 'number' may not be accurately reflecting the energy expenditure to steps. So while most workout sessions or exercise classes will add some steps, we recommend looking at how many steps the workout is worth and then logging a mixture of steps (from your tracker) and time in the intensity columns of the Step Log to make up the difference. Here are some examples where we show an estimate of what may be recorded by your tracker as well as the + xx min that you can add to make up the difference.

Examples - using a tracker:

This 30 min run which was about 20 min moderate and 10 min vigorous is equal to 4000 steps:

includes ~3000 steps added to the daily step count from your tracker
+ 10 min in moderate (1000 steps)

This 45 min HITT class (including 5 min rest time) which was about 20 min moderate and 20 min vigorous is equal to 6000 steps:

includes ~2000 steps added to daily step count from your tracker
+ 20 min in vigorous (4000 steps)

This 45 min of weight training (including 10 min rest time) which was about 25 min moderate and 10 min vigorous is equal to 4500 steps:

includes ~1000 steps on tracker
+ 15 min in moderate (1500 steps)
+ 10 min in vigorous (2000 steps)

Keep the big picture in mind

The aim of the 10,000 Steps program is to encourage an increase in the accumulation of incidental activity every day by moving more.

We encourage you to be mindful of how your entries may impact individuals in your own and other teams if you are participating in a Tournament. Incorrect logging or over-exaggeration of time entered in the moderate and vigorous activity sections of the Step Log can lead to high step totals and may contribute to discouragement and a lack of participation among other participants. Thank you for choosing to log your activity with the 10,000 Steps Program, and we applaud your effort to make movement a priority during your day.