How to set an interval and repeat timer for workouts

Interval timer vs repeat timer

An interval timer usually means one that alternates between work and rest. A repeat timer runs the same length of time for a set number of rounds, back to back.

They overlap more than you'd think. If work and rest are the same length, one repeat timer is an interval timer. If they differ, the simplest setup is two timers side by side. Both are covered below.

The basic: plank 1 minute × 5

The simplest setup. Give a 1-minute timer 5 repeats: each time a minute ends, a short alert sounds and the next round starts straight away. When the fifth round ends, the full alarm rings.

• Create a new timer, name it "Plank" and enter 1:00.
• Set Repeat to 5. The card shows the current round as 1/5, 2/5 and so on.
• Pick a 10-second start delay — time to put the phone down and get into position after you tap Start.
• Save and tap Start. A short alert marks each new round; the full alarm marks the end.

How long should the start delay be?

The start delay is the get-ready time between tapping Start and the countdown actually beginning. It only applies before the first round; after that, rounds run back to back.

Five seconds works when you're already in position and just tapping the phone. Ten seconds is right for putting the phone down and getting on the mat. Thirty seconds suits picking up dumbbells or moving to a machine, and one minute is for catching your breath after a warm-up.

Equal work and rest: odd rounds work, even rounds rest

For 1 minute on and 1 minute off, five times, give a 1-minute timer 10 repeats. The round counter goes 1/10, 2/10, 3/10 — make odd rounds work and even rounds rest.

A short alert sounds at every round change, so each alert is your cue to switch. Thirty seconds on and thirty off works the same way: 0:30 with 10 repeats.

Different work and rest: two timers side by side

When the lengths differ — say 1 minute of work and 30 seconds of rest — two timers side by side is the simplest and most reliable setup. Make "Plank 1:00" and "Rest 0:30", and tap one when the other ends.

The bonus is that you can adjust rest on the fly. Still out of breath? Tap +1 min on the rest timer. Feeling good? Start the next set right away.

EMOM: every minute on the minute

In an EMOM (every minute on the minute), you start a set at the top of each minute and rest for whatever time is left. For example, 15 squats at the start of every minute.

A 1-minute timer with 10 repeats is a 10-minute EMOM. The short alert each minute is your cue for the next set, and the full alarm rings after round 10. For an open-ended session, set Repeat to forever and stop when you're done.

What's easy to miss mid-workout

During a workout your phone is usually out of reach and you may be listening to music. Check beforehand that round alerts and the final alarm play at alarm volume, and where the sound goes when earbuds are connected.

A long session with the screen off can also run into battery saving that delays alarms. If your alarm stays quiet with the screen off, the guide on why timer alarms don't ring goes through the causes one by one.

Doing it with Timerdeck

Timerdeck timers repeat 2–20 times or forever, with the current round (2/5) shown next to the name on the card. A short alert sounds at the end of each round, and a full-screen alarm over the lock screen rings at the end. Start delay can be 5, 10 or 30 seconds or 1 minute.

Keep named timers like "Plank" and "Rest" side by side on the deck and start each with one tap — no ad gets in the way when you tap Start. When the alarm rings, snooze with +1 or +5 minutes or restart in one tap. To time work sections instead, the Stopwatch tab records laps and highlights the fastest and slowest.