When organizing a fitness challenge, one of the many decisions you need to make is whether you want to include step conversions. Step conversions—counting other activities like yoga or cycling as equivalent steps—can boost engagement, but they’re not always the best fit for every event. In this article, we’ll break down the pros and cons of including step conversions and help you decide which approach is right for your fitness challenge.

What Are Step Conversions?

Step conversions assign a step-equivalent value to non-step-based activities, such as yoga, cycling, or swimming. For example, 15 minutes of yoga might count as 850 steps, while 15 minutes of cycling might count as 2,000 steps. This feature ensures that all types of movement can contribute to a participant’s progress.

While step conversions are supported in our app for large organizations and events, we often recommend skipping them for smaller events. This post will focus on helping smaller event organizers choose between two options: no step conversions and auto step conversions.

Option 1: No Step Conversions

What It Means:

Each step equals one point. Non-step activities like yoga or cycling don’t contribute to participants’ scores.

Benefits:

• Simplicity: Easy to explain and understand. “A step is a step” is straightforward for participants.
• Clear Focus: Encourages participants to engage in accessible, step-based activities.

Potential Drawbacks:

• Excludes Other Activities: Participants who prefer other activities like yoga, cycling, or swimming may feel left out.
• Less Inclusive: Non-step-based activities won’t count, which could limit engagement for participants with mobility issues or aids.

Option 2: Auto Step Conversions

What It Means:

Non-step activities are automatically converted into steps using predefined formulas. For example, cycling, gym workouts, yoga, and swimming, among others, will automatically be converted to steps and in turn contribute to participants’ point scores. It’s important to note that our step conversions are based on the available scientific literature and conversion is based on the estimated effort exerted for each activity type.

Benefits:

• Inclusivity: Rewards participants for all types of movement, ensuring everyone’s activity is recognized.
• Broader Appeal: Encourages participation from individuals who prefer non-step-based exercises. This includes people uncomfortable or unable to participate in step-based activities
• Automated Convenience: Eliminates the need for manual conversions—the app handles it all.

Potential Drawbacks:

• Complexity: Participants may need help understanding how their activities convert into steps. Please note that we have documentation and a step calculator available to simplify communication around the step conversion.
• Perceived Unfairness: Despite being based on scientific literature, some may feel that certain activities may seem unfairly advantaged due to higher step conversion rates.
• Plan Restrictions: Auto conversions are only available on the Pro plan, which may not be accessible for all event organizers.

Are Step Conversions Right for Your Challenge?

The key question to ask is: **Do you want non-step activities to count toward participants’ scores? **

If your answer is NO, stick to no step conversions for a simple and focused event.

If your answer is YES, auto conversions are a great way to make your event more inclusive and engaging. Consider the following factors:

• Event Size and Audience: For smaller, simpler events, no conversions are often sufficient. For larger, more diverse events, auto conversions add value by accommodating various activities.
• Engagement Goals: If your event focuses on walking or running, no conversions keep the spotlight there. If you want to encourage all types of movement, auto conversions broaden participation.
• Budget: Auto conversions require our Pro plan, so consider whether this aligns with your event budget.

If you consider these factors and still find yourself not sure which option is best, try our Step Calculator. The calculator allows you to test how different activities would convert into steps for your event. This tool can help you visualize the impact of auto conversions before committing.

Conclusion

Step conversions can make your fitness challenge more inclusive, but they also introduce complexity. For smaller events, we recommend keeping it simple with no conversions. For larger or more diverse events, auto conversions can enhance engagement and accommodate broader activity preferences.

Whatever you choose, align your approach with your event goals and audience needs. Ready to set up your challenge? Contact us today to schedule a call or demo.