Cool I hope that you find it helpful, I have.
I have Smoothing and Intensity both at +4. Just took a bit of tweaking over the first few weeks of use to find a setting that represented a number somewhere close to how I was feeling.
I’ve not bought into the AW hype yet. I have automatic watches and a few GShocks for more robust activities. Don’t like wearing anything for cycling (watches that is) since I would feel it on my wrist the whole time, and friends of mine who ride with Apple watches have some of the worst looking HR data I have ever laid eyes upon
Really happy with my 530 bike computer and chest strap, so I didn’t buy into “AW hype” whatever that is in your mind, I bought into using it as an unobtrusive productivity tool. The AW is not giving me huge productivity gains, but it is a welcome companion in my life.
My original (“series 0”) watch didn’t have a great HR monitor, but my series 4 has recorded a few cycling workouts and weight lifting sessions, and HR activity is very close to chest strap. AW is a smartwatch that has basic fitness tracking, and fitness gets a little better with the right apps.
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I had a Series 2 and replaced with a Series 5. The 5 is substantially faster than the 2, and I like the slightly larger size of the watch face.
I use it for all my swims (App MySwimPro) that tracks yardage - its not perfect - but I like to see my annual swim yardage.
I currently use it for 100% of my running (App WorkOutdoors & App HealthFit) as that has all the features that I need for training runs. It autolaps every mile giving me pace and heartrate. When I run its just my watch and by Bose earpods, I don’t have to carry my phone. The accuracy of the GPS is average - I find that its a bit off during running races (generally short) - for races I use Strava’s GPS correction after the fact to clean it up. For an every day type run, its generally close enough to keep a pretty accurate mileage total on my shoes, tell me a pretty close estimate of distance and time.
I do not use if for cycling, other than the standard features
I use it most of the day either listening to music, podcasts, replying to texts, I also like the health metrics. The GPS accuracy is the only thing that is frustrating.
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I use mine for these reasons
(1) So that I don’t have to carry phone in the back pocket of my jersey. Seriously, Iphones are getting to be the size of big screen TV’s and I pay a lot of money to save weight on my bike, avoiding to carry that stupid brick around is a win, lol.
(2) When I lose my Iphone around the house, I use the feature that pings the phone so that I can find it
(3) Recording bike rides and hikes with my kids.
(4) Changing the song when I’m riding on the trainer.
(5) Checking to see what time it is, and what today’s date is, lol.
By far the most important use so far is #2.
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Thanks for the suggestion for Training Today - my Whoop membership is expiring towards the end of the year and was wondering if a similar solution was available for the Apple Watch. I don’t have an AW, but I am looking to justify a purchase 
. The Whoop strap has decoded positive and negative sleep habits, but I’m not thrilled with the costly subscription model.
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seriously that is biggie LOL. Way too easy to set phone down and forget where it is, that feature alone has saved my sanity.
I’ve got a new SE so it fits nicely in jersey. Work all day in front of two big monitors and a laptop screen, I don’t understand huge phones 
Haha, I have always run the largest phone that Apple has released. And just today I thought to myself that I can’t wait to get the smallest one possible just so I don’t need to have the iPad sized iPhone 11 Pro Max in my jersey anymore…
Shame that the best cameras are always on the largest phones…
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Love the Training Today watch app, ditched HRV4Training and rely on this instead. Much simpler without inputting all the extra data points. I’ve been using it for a couple weeks now and so far it ain’t wrong.
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I started with an Apple Watch Series 2 when they came out, but found it really slow and limited compared for my Garmin Forerunner at the time. After a few years of Garmin warranty replacements I got fed up and bought an Apple Watch Series 4 cellular. Software and hardware was vastly improved and, bar using my Garmin Edge 530 for the bike leg of a tri, I use the Watch for (almost) everything.
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Breathe session upon waking then view Training Today to check performance levels https://trainingtodayapp.com
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I made an iOS 14 Shortcut called “Trainer Time” which when triggered will open up TR on my iPhone, start an “Indoor Cycling Workout” on my Watch, and texts my wife that I’m on the trainer (so she leaves me alone)
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For swimming I have some FORM Googles which sync with Health. The googles display the pace, distance and splits right in your eye, and does drills, so I can confidently do the TR swim sessions. For OWS they have an Apple Watch app that will use the GPS from the Watch in conjunction with the googles. https://www.formswim.com
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Running is done with Intervals Pro (paid for the upgrade as totally worth £5). I programme all my TR run workouts in and it can notify you throughout the workout on intervals/pace/distance/hr. My favourite workout app - https://www.intervalspro.com
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Seconds Pro for strength/mobility/stretching - http://www.intervaltimer.com
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HealthFit app to sync everything together and send to Strava. HealthFit on the App Store
Besides doing day-to-day stuff like messaging/emails/controlling the lights in my house, the cellular model allows me to do phone-free days at work. I run into work several times a week and don’t bring my phone with me, much less of a distraction.
Just upgraded to a Series 6 (birthday present) so appreciate the always-on display, but the Series 4 totally rocked.
HealthFit
Intervals Pro
Trainer Time Shortcut
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That shortcut idea is brilliant!
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+1 awesome idea on the shortcut…
This is why I created this post, I was struggling to find ways on how to fit my AW into my lifestyle…and now thanks to some of these replies (especially the training today one) I dont think I could not own one.
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I am going to have to try the Training Today app, but I am currently using the AutoSleep app and it does have a Readiness feature as well.
for all long time Training Today users, how does the app work outside of the AW native work out app.
Say I jumped on the turbo, TR synced to Strava then Strava synced to the iPhone health app…but I never touched the native AW workout app.
Since it only actually lists workouts recorded natively, and it seems to rely on a HRV recording after a workout
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I can’t answer that one. I record all my workouts on the AW.
On a side note, I often have to force TrainingToday to recognize the workout by doing a minute on Breathe after a workout. It’s definitely frustrating to lose that data if you forget to do the Breathe.
A lot of folks are looking at TrainingToday after this conversation. It does give you a “Readiness” readout, but it’s not really a “tool”. It doesn’t give you different views or slices of data. It simply gives you “Readiness” a few times a day. I just want to be sure expectations aren’t too high. It’s a pretty simple app.
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agree I have never used a whoop so can’t compare, I am now just using this as an extra indication on how I am feeling on the day.
Apple should just buy whoop lol
My experience with the reliability and customer service for Whoop was very poor. I definitely don’t see that happening.
AW 4 user here. Had it since that model launched and was a toss up between a proper Tri focussed watch from the likes of garmin or this. Given how shoddy garmin has been in latter years I’m pleased I went for AW. (Felt very smug on a long multi sport day last year where the AW outlasted all my friends garmins…)
I find with the the health fit app the native workout app is good enough to sync data into training peaks and Strava. I tend to discard the trainer and bike workouts as favour the power metrics but like ‘credit’ I get in closing my rings.
Just installed training today after reading about it here. The HRV is a nice bonus.
It’s obviously not a complete training tool but I find the functionality pretty good considering the additional benefit of being handling music and all that jazz during workouts.
Might have to look at a few more of the apps available after reading about them here.
