The exercise ring only gets bigger when you are doing an activity that is considered more intense than what you would normally do. That means a short, slow walk doesn’t count, but a brisk walk does. For wheelchair users, that’s the equivalent of a slow or fast push.
How to Track Your Activity with Your Apple Watch — Apple Support
The sensors on your Apple Watch periodically check your heart rate and movement. If the sensors detect an increase, the watch starts to track how long you’ve been performing that movement (or sequence of actions). If your Apple Watch detects that you’re performing a task quickly or with more intensity than usual, each minute you spend on it is added to the Exercise ring.
Keep your heart rate slightly elevated to ensure that Apple Watch is counting your movements as exercise rather than just part of your movement goal. Activities might include swinging your arms or walking quickly.
Simply put, yes. While the exercise ring can fill up even if you haven’t completed any workouts, it also keeps track of your workouts and assigns them to your exercise ring.
