Interval timer
Work and rest rounds with a big, clear display.
Ready
00:20
- Tabata and HIIT presets
- Warm-up and cool-down built in
- Big display changes color by phase
How to use the interval timer
- Pick a preset or set your own warm-up, work, rest, rounds and cool-down.
- Click Start.
- Follow the color-coded phases until Done.
Tabata vs HIIT, side by side
| Preset | Work | Rest | Rounds | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tabata | 20 sec | 10 sec | 8 | 4 minutes |
| HIIT | 40 sec | 20 sec | 8 | 8 minutes |
HIIT here uses longer work and rest windows than Tabata, which suits exercises that take a few seconds to ramp up to full effort, like sprints or heavier lifts, rather than the all-out pace Tabata was designed for.
Building your own interval
- Add a warm-up of 30 to 60 seconds before the first work round if your exercise needs it.
- Keep work and rest roughly balanced for endurance-style intervals, or make rest shorter than work for a harder, faster-paced session.
- A cool-down phase at the end gives you a signal to stop and recover instead of just watching the timer hit zero.
- Round count times the total of work and rest tells you the workout length before you even start, so you can plan around it.
Interval timer FAQ
What is the Tabata preset?
Tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of rest, a 4 minute protocol from a 1996 Japanese study.
What is the difference between Tabata and HIIT here?
The HIIT preset uses longer 40 second work and 20 second rest periods over 8 rounds, better suited to exercises that need more time to reach full effort.
Can I skip the warm-up or cool-down?
Yes, set either one to 0 seconds and that phase is skipped entirely.
Does it make a sound between phases?
Yes, a beep plays every time the phase changes, so you can keep your eyes off the screen during a workout.
How long does a full Tabata round take?
8 rounds of 20 seconds work and 10 seconds rest add up to exactly 4 minutes, not counting any warm-up or cool-down you add on top.
Can I set my own work and rest lengths?
Yes. Ignore the presets and type any warm-up, work, rest, rounds and cool-down values you want, up to 600 seconds (10 minutes) for each phase and up to 50 rounds.
Why does the display change color?
Each phase, warm-up, work, rest and cool-down, gets its own color, so you can tell which one you are in from across the room without reading the text.
What is EMOM and can I build it here?
EMOM means "every minute on the minute", a workout where you do an exercise at the start of every minute then rest for what is left of it. Set work and rest to add up to 60 seconds, for example 40 seconds work and 20 seconds rest, to approximate it.