What you do on the Watch

  • Start a routine from the list synced from your iPhone, or pick up a workout you started on the phone.
  • Log every set: weight, reps, time or distance, with your previous numbers shown, and mark it done with one tap.
  • Rest timer between sets with haptics and a completion screen. Adjust the rest time on the wrist.
  • Live metrics: heart rate and active calories from the Watch's own workout session, also shown in the Live Activity on the iPhone Lock Screen and Dynamic Island.
  • Finish the workout and get the summary on the iPhone: duration, volume, sets, average and maximum heart rate, calories and new records.

How the Watch and iPhone stay in sync

SetGrip keeps one database, on the iPhone. The Watch app sends each action (start, log set, rest, finish) to the phone over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and shows the phone's answer. That is why the two never disagree, and why the iPhone has to be reachable during the workout.

If the connection drops, the Watch keeps your routine on screen and queues everything you log. As soon as the iPhone is back in range the queue is applied in order and the workout continues. Nothing is lost, but a workout cannot be completed with the phone left at home.

Honest limits: routines are created and edited on the iPhone. The Watch shows the exercises in your routines rather than the full 1,151-exercise catalog, and history and statistics live on the phone.

Apple Health and heart rate

Starting a workout on the Watch runs a Traditional Strength Training session through Apple Health, which is what gives you live heart rate and active energy. When you finish, the workout is saved to Apple Health once, with its heart-rate data. The iPhone does not save a duplicate.

Health access is optional. Without it the Watch still logs sets and rest. You only lose the live metrics.

Requirements

  • Apple Watch on watchOS 26 or later, paired with an iPhone on iOS 26 or later running SetGrip.
  • The Watch app installs with the iPhone app. Everything in SetGrip also works on the iPhone alone. The Watch is optional.