How to Set a Pedometer

Hiking and walking are an effective and low-cost ways to stay in shape, and a pedometer can help you monitor your steps and progress each day. But because everyone has a different stride and step length, you need set up a pedometer to accurately match your specific gait. You can achieve an accurate reading in minutes by studying the user's manual, calibrating the pedometer and checking your results for accuracy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Read the manual that came with your pedometer to determine how to record your unit of measurement, average stride length and step length.

Step 2

Choose a unit of measurement for your pedometer using the instructions in its manual.

Step 3

Keep your pedometer vertical or clip it to your waistband for the most accurate reading available.

Step 4

Walk on a flat surface while setting your pedometer to maintain accuracy.

Step 5

Your pedometer will ask for your average stride length. Measure it by determining the distance between where your heel touched the ground and where your foot touched the ground.

Step 6

The pedometer will also record your step length. Calculate this by recording the distance between the heel of your first foot and the heel of your second foot. This will record the distance traveled by a single leg.

Step 7

You can also set your pedometer by measuring a distance of 40 feet across your driveway or another flat surface. Walk normally for about 20 steps and measure the distance. Try it four or five times and take the average of your results.

Step 8

Record your averaged results into your pedometer.

Step 9

Clear your pedometer reading until it registers zero and walk 40 steps. Check to see how accurately it resembles your own measurements.

Step 10

Test your pedometer with two or three separate walks around the block and study how accurately it calibrates.

Tips & Warnings

You can plug in your walking or hiking information into a Google map pedometer and compare results to your own pedometer. If you lose your manual, you can google the name of the pedometer and download the instructions onto your desktop.

You can plug in your walking or hiking information into a Google map pedometer and compare results to your own pedometer.

If you lose your manual, you can google the name of the pedometer and download the instructions onto your desktop.

Read your pedometer's manual carefully. Recording your stride length and step length can be easily confused.

Article Written By Contributing Writer

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