Export the original file
Download a FIT or TCX file from your training platform. A ZIP is also suitable for multiple FIT files.
Practical FIT and TCX guide
Import, check and troubleshoot FIT and TCX files
A practical guide to choosing the right workout file, importing it into AI Athlete, checking the result and resolving common FIT, TCX and ZIP issues.
Start in three steps
Use the original file exported by your training platform when possible and check the core workout data after import.
Import it in workouts
Sign in, open the workouts view and choose a FIT, TCX or ZIP file to upload.
Check the result
Review sport, date, duration, distance, heart rate and laps, then add your own feedback.
What are FIT and TCX files, and which should you choose?
A TCX (Training Center XML) file is an XML file for exchanging workout data. A FIT file stores device and sensor data in a compact binary format, and an original FIT file often preserves more detail. Available routes, heart rate and laps depend on what the device recorded and the platform exported.
| Format | When to choose it and what to check |
|---|---|
| FIT | FIT: prefer it when the platform offers an original workout-file export. |
| TCX | TCX: suitable for route, time, distance, heart-rate and lap data when present in the file. |
| ZIP | ZIP: use it as a bundle of supported FIT files; do not rename file extensions manually. |
Export a Garmin Connect activity: step by step
Use the Garmin Connect website for a completed timed activity. Planned workouts, daily wellness exports and whole-account archives are different exports. Menu labels may vary by language.
Step-by-step export guide
- Open Garmin Connect in a desktop browser. Go to connect.garmin.com and sign in to the account that holds your activity. These instructions use the website, not the mobile app.
- Find the completed workout. In the left navigation, choose Activities, then All Activities. Locate the session by its date and sport.
- Open the activity details. Select the activity name to open that individual session. Stay out of the list's CSV export: it provides a summary, not the original activity file.
- Open the export menu. Use the settings gear at the top right of the activity detail page to reveal its export choices.
- Download the activity file. Choose Export File for the original format, usually FIT. Some menus call this Export Original. Export to TCX is an alternative when needed. Save the download without renaming its extension.
- Check the download, then import. Use a FIT or TCX file. A ZIP is suitable only when it contains supported FIT files; otherwise extract a supported activity file. In your AI Athlete account, open workouts and upload it, then check date, sport, duration, distance, heart rate and laps.
- Only seeing Export CSV? Open the activity name first, then look for its settings gear.
- Exporting a file does not convert it: changing CSV or GPX to a .fit filename will not make it a supported upload.
- Keep the original until import succeeds. An AI Athlete account with access is required to upload; a Garmin automatic connection is not required for manual file import.
- For Polar, Suunto or COROS, use that platform's own activity export and choose a supported format. The Garmin steps above do not describe those services.
Check the result
Review sport, date, duration, distance, heart rate and laps, then add your own feedback.
- Sport and dateDo they match the imported session?
- Duration and distanceCompare them with the source platform.
- Heart rate and lapsCheck them when they are present in the source data.
- Your feedbackAdd how you felt and the training context.
If the file will not import
First rule out an incorrect file type, a broken export and unsupported ZIP contents.
The file cannot be imported
- Check that the file ends in `.fit`, `.tcx` or `.zip` and was not renamed manually.
- Export the same workout again and retry with the original file.
The ZIP file is not supported
A ZIP must contain a supported FIT file; renaming another archive does not help.
Metrics are missing or data is incomplete
If data is missing, check whether it was present on the source platform.
Privacy and safe review
A workout file may contain routes, location, heart rate and other sensitive training data. Upload only your own file or a file you are authorized to process.
- Check what data the file contains before uploading.
- AI analysis uses relevant context to create the output you request.
- AI Athlete is a training support tool, not a medical device.
Questions and answers
Short answers before importing your first file.
Is FIT always better than TCX?
Not always, but an original FIT file often contains more device and sensor detail. When FIT is unavailable, a valid TCX file may still provide sufficient core workout data.
Is an automatic connection required for import?
No. Manual import of FIT, TCX and supported ZIP files works separately from automatic connections. Connection availability depends on the service and account configuration.