Interval Timer for HIIT, Tabata and Workouts
Set your work seconds, rest seconds, and total rounds. Get loud audio cues between intervals so you never have to glance at the timer mid-burpee.
About the interval timer
An interval timer is the workout app inside an app — it cycles between work and rest periods so you can focus on the movement, not the math. ClockAura's interval timer plays one sound to start work, a different sound for rest, and counts down each round on a giant display you can read across a gym. It supports any combination of seconds — classic Tabata at 20 seconds work and 10 seconds rest, EMOM rounds, custom HIIT splits, or the warm-up patterns physiotherapists give you. Once you've found a setup that works, save it as a preset and bring it back with one tap next time. It works as a HIIT timer, circuit timer, round timer or EMOM timer for any workout style.
When to use the interval timer
- Tabata — eight rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest. Devastatingly effective for cardio.
- HIIT classes at home — 30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest, 8 rounds.
- EMOM (every minute on the minute) — short bursts of strength every 60 seconds.
- Boxing rounds — 3-minute work, 1-minute rest, 3-12 rounds.
- Yoga and stretching — 60 seconds per pose, 10 seconds to switch.
- Physical-therapy circuits — multiple exercises in a fixed cadence.
- Sprint intervals on a treadmill or track — work fast, walk slow, repeat.
- Warm-ups and cool-downs that need a steady rhythm without checking a clock.
How to use the interval timer
- Set the work seconds, rest seconds and number of rounds.
- Optional: tap a preset — HIIT, Tabata or EMOM — to fill the fields instantly.
- Press Start. A chime kicks off each work block; a beep marks the start of every rest period.
- Watch the round counter — it tells you exactly which rep you're on.
- When all rounds finish, the screen shows Done. Save the configuration as a preset to bring it back next session.
Tips for interval training
- Pick a work-to-rest ratio that matches your goal: 1:1 for endurance, 2:1 for power, 1:2 for explosive sprint work.
- Start small. Eight rounds of Tabata sounds easy but is genuinely brutal — beginners should try four rounds first.
- Keep your phone or laptop in landscape mode and full-screen the timer so you can read it across the room.
- Cast the screen to your TV at home for group workouts — the giant display works perfectly.
- Save the configurations you use most as presets so you never have to re-enter the numbers.
Interval timer FAQ
What is Tabata?
Tabata is a specific HIIT protocol from Dr Izumi Tabata: 20 seconds of all-out effort, 10 seconds of rest, repeated for eight rounds — four minutes of pure work. The Tabata preset configures the timer in one tap.
Can I have rest as zero seconds?
Yes — set rest to 0 for an EMOM-style timer where each round runs straight into the next. The timer skips the rest phase entirely.
What's the difference between rounds and rest?
A round is one work + one rest cycle. The number of rounds is how many of those cycles to complete. Rest is the pause length inside each cycle.
Do you have a beep on the last three seconds?
Right now the cue plays at the start of each phase. A 'last three' countdown beep is on the roadmap — let us know if you'd like to vote it up.
Can I share a preset with a friend?
Saved presets stay in your browser. To share, just tell your friend the work, rest and rounds — entering them takes about ten seconds.