Syncing to Garmin
Your race plan. Your splits. On your Garmin.
Phone-free training and race-day pacing starts here. This guide covers connecting your Garmin account, syncing your PaceMe splits and training workouts, running a session with no phone in sight using Free Train, and racing yourself, a friend, or your race plan with Race a Delta. If you're already a ROXFIT user, update your app first to get access to these features.
1. Connecting ROXFIT to Garmin
ROXFIT connects to Garmin via Garmin Connect using a secure OAuth link. A one-time setup, then it's done.
What you need
- A Garmin watch
- A Garmin Connect account
- ROXFIT installed on your phone
Steps
- Open ROXFIT on your iPhone.
- Tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
- Tap the settings cog in the top-right corner.
- Tap Connected apps and devices.
- Select Garmin.
- You'll be redirected to the Garmin Connect sign-in page.
- Log in with your Garmin Connect credentials.
- Make sure both permission toggles are switched to ON (both are needed).
- Tap Agree to authorise ROXFIT.
- You'll be redirected back to ROXFIT with a confirmation.
2. Installing the ROXFIT app on your Garmin
The ROXFIT app is a full Connect IQ app. It gives you a home screen, workout list, player, and Free Train mode on the watch itself.
Steps
- Open the Garmin Connect IQ app on your phone (or visit the Connect IQ Store).
- Search for ROXFIT.
- Tap Install.
- Wait for the app to sync to your Garmin over Bluetooth.
- On your watch, open the app list and confirm ROXFIT is there.
3. Sync options (read this before your first sync)
Get these wrong and your race day is worse than it needs to be - especially the lap button.
Sport Type
| Option | When to use |
|---|---|
| Auto (recommended) | Automatically detects sport type from your exercises. Works for most workouts on newer Garmin devices. |
| Manual | Pick the sport type yourself. Useful for older devices (Forerunner 935, Fenix 5 and older) or specific tracking needs. |
Running Auto-Lap
| Option | When to use |
|---|---|
| Enabled | Garmin auto-laps at each running distance. Good for per-km splits in outdoor training with GPS. |
| Disabled (recommended) | Manual lap only. Prevents auto-lap interruptions during transitions - essential for indoor races. |
Lap On (HYROX race workouts only)
This controls how many times you press the lap button at each station. On race day, fewer presses is better.
| Option | How it works |
|---|---|
| Run Only (recommended) | Lap at RUN IN and RUN OUT arches only. Average Roxzone time added automatically. 2 laps per station. Best for race day. |
| Run + Rox | Lap at all four arches. Separate Roxzone timing. 4 laps per station. Best for training when you want to analyse your Roxzone efficiency. |
4. Syncing a PaceMe workout
PaceMe is your race plan. When it's on your wrist, you see at every station whether you're ahead or behind your target, live.
Steps
- On the Race Calculator page, tap the event you want to race.
- Set up the race target you want to achieve. Your goal time, station splits, and run pace. This is the target your watch will race you against.
- Tap Add pacing to wearable.
- Select Garmin from the device list.
- Choose your sync options (see section 3). For race day: Auto sport type, Auto-Lap disabled, Lap On = Run Only.
- Tap Sync to Garmin.
- Wait for the confirmation: "Workout synced to [Device Name]!"
The workout goes straight to your Garmin over Bluetooth. Keep your watch within range of your phone during the sync.
5. Syncing a training workout
Any ROXFIT workout - training session, custom build, or plan workout - syncs to Garmin the same way.
Steps
- Open the workout in the ROXFIT app on your iPhone.
- Tap Add to Wearable at the top of the workout preview.
- Select Garmin from the device list.
- Choose your sync options (see section 3).
- Tap Sync to Garmin.
- Wait for the confirmation.
Synced workouts appear in your Garmin's ROXFIT workout list automatically. You can have multiple on the watch at once.
6. Free Train: starting a session from your Garmin
Free Train is the watch-native quick start. Use it when you don't have your phone, haven't synced a workout, or just want to get going. Structured workouts (Just Train, Race a Delta) still need to be set up on the phone and synced first - Free Train is the only session type you can start with the phone out of reach.
Steps
- Open the ROXFIT app on your Garmin.
- Scroll to Free Train using the DOWN button and select with START.
- Pick a preset block:
- For Time. Finish a target as fast as you can. Set a time cap.
- AMRAP. As many rounds as possible. Set total duration.
- EMOM. Every minute on the minute. Set interval length and number of intervals.
- On/off. Work and rest intervals. Set work, rest, and rounds.
- Configure the settings for your block using UP/DOWN to adjust and START to confirm. Defaults work for most sessions.
- Press START to begin.
The watch runs as a timer with block-specific haptics (interval, round, work/rest cues).
After Free Train, the effort syncs back to your phone as a timer-only activity. You can then:
- Match it to an existing ROXFIT workout so it counts toward streaks, AppIQ, and TrainIQ.
- Enter splits manually.
- Leave it as a generic Free Train effort.
7. Running your workout
Steps
- On your Garmin, open the ROXFIT app.
- Select your synced workout, or start a Free Train block.
- Press START to begin.
Button controls during the session
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| START/STOP | Pause and resume the workout |
| LAP (back button on most models) | Advance to the next exercise or mark a split |
| BACK | Long-press to end the session, then choose Save, Discard, or Resume |
| UP / DOWN | Cycle between the ROXFIT screen and other data screens |
Lap button guide (HYROX workouts)
| Sync mode | When to press lap |
|---|---|
| Run Only | At RUN IN and RUN OUT arches |
| Run + Rox | At RUN IN, Station IN, Station OUT, and RUN OUT arches |
| Standard workouts | When each exercise is complete |
Important: you cannot edit splits after the workout is complete. If you forget to lap, that split is gone. Practise the button rhythm in training.
8. Race a Delta: race yourself, a friend, or PaceMe
Race a Delta runs you against a target. Three options, set on your phone before you sync:
- Yourself. Race your own previous result. The watch shows whether you're ahead or behind your last attempt at every station.
- A friend. Race a friend's published workout. Same logic, against their splits.
- PaceMe. Race your PaceMe race plan. The watch shows the live delta against your station-by-station targets.
During the workout, the delta appears as a live readout and as haptic cues. A pattern when you're ahead, a different pattern when you're behind - you can pace yourself without looking at the screen.
If you don't pick an opponent, the player runs in Just Train mode. Same workout, no delta. Use Just Train when you want to train the session without racing.
9. In-workout: metrics, transitions, music, and haptics
Overview metrics: total time, heart rate, pace, target pace, pace delta, current exercise, next up. Cycle screens with UP/DOWN.
Run to station transitions: the player handles the switch between running and station work, including Roxzone transitions, so your splits are recorded correctly (based on your Lap On setting).
Music: on Garmin devices with on-watch music (some Fenix, Forerunner, and Venu models), ROXFIT hands off to the Garmin music player. Devices without on-watch music will still play from your paired phone.
Haptics
- Ahead/behind. Distinct vibration patterns let you pace by feel.
- Splits and segments. Vibration when you hit a split or move into the next segment.
- Free Train blocks. Interval, round, and work/rest cues for AMRAP, EMOM, and on/off.
10. Viewing your results
When you finish, the watch shows your total time, average heart rate, splits, and (for Race a Delta) your final delta against the target.
Save your workout on the watch. Do not tap Discard - that permanently deletes the session, and that data is what syncs back to ROXFIT.
Note: you cannot edit splits after completion. If you missed a lap during the session, it can't be added retrospectively.
11. Sync back to ROXFIT
Results sync from your Garmin back to ROXFIT over Bluetooth. Nothing manual.
The activity also lands in Garmin Connect as normal (standard Garmin behaviour), so your Garmin history stays intact. ROXFIT doesn't depend on the Garmin Connect sync for your ROXFIT feed.
Sync Queue
Completed workouts are kept on your watch until they've successfully synced. Check status in the ROXFIT Garmin app under Sync Queue:
- Pending. Waiting for a sync window.
- Syncing. In progress.
- Synced. Delivered to your phone.
- Failed. Retry as many times as needed - nothing is deleted until it's synced.
Everything is kept for up to 7 days, so even if you're without your phone on race day, your data is safe.
What syncs to ROXFIT
- Exercise splits and lap times per station
- Running pace per segment
- Heart rate throughout
- Total workout duration
- Roxzone times (HYROX workouts)
- Delta vs target (Race a Delta workouts)
- Garmin device info (e.g. "Garmin Fenix 7")
12. Connection and sensor states
If the watch shows one of these, the workout keeps running but some data may be missing until it recovers.
| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| GPS searching | Outdoor location not yet locked. Pace and distance use cadence until GPS catches. |
| Heart rate lost | The wrist sensor lost contact. Tighten the strap. |
| Phone disconnected | The watch is out of Bluetooth range. The workout keeps running; results sync via the Sync Queue next time you're in range. |
13. Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Can't connect Garmin | Make sure you're logged into the correct Garmin Connect account and both permission toggles are ON. Try disconnecting and reconnecting from Connected apps and devices. |
| ROXFIT app not on watch | Open Garmin Connect IQ, confirm ROXFIT is installed, and sync your watch. |
| Workout not appearing on watch | Keep your watch within Bluetooth range. ROXFIT queues and delivers when it reconnects. |
| Results not syncing back | Open the ROXFIT app on your watch, check Sync Queue, and make sure Bluetooth is on. |
| Free Train effort not matched to a workout | Open the effort on your phone, tap Match, and select the ROXFIT workout it belongs to. |
| Delta not showing in Race a Delta | Make sure the opponent (yourself, friend, or PaceMe) is selected on the phone before syncing. |
| "Sport type not supported" | Switch to Manual sport type in sync options and select Running or Cardio. Older devices may not support auto-detection. |
| Auto-lap interrupting transitions | Re-sync with Running Auto-Lap set to Disabled. |
| Missed a lap mid-workout | Splits can't be edited after completion. Practise the button rhythm in training. |