Blog
How the protocols work and how to run them with a timer. No fluff intros.
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How long to meditate, honestly
How long to meditate depends more on whether you keep doing it than on the number. Here is what the research and the traditions actually suggest.
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Meditation timer with interval bells: how to use them
A meditation timer with interval bells splits a sit into phases and re-anchors your attention. Here are the common structures and what to do at the bell.
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Plank timer: how long to hold a plank, and why 2 min is plenty
How long to hold a plank: 20-30s to start, 60s as a target, 2 minutes is strong. Past that, add difficulty instead of time. Plus plank interval sets.
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Best pomodoro length: 25/5, 50/10, 52/17 or 90/20
The best pomodoro length depends on the task, not on a study. Here is what the evidence for 25/5, 52/17 and 90/20 actually is, and how to choose.
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Interval timer for running: run/walk, repeats and fartlek
An interval timer for running frees you from staring at a watch. Run/walk progressions, 400m repeats by time, fartlek sets and how to hear the beep.
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Timer that beeps every 10 minutes (and keeps beeping)
A timer that beeps every 10 minutes is an interval with the rest set to zero. Here is how to set one up and why phone timers are bad at repeating.
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How many rounds in a boxing match? Pro, title and amateur
How many rounds in a boxing match: 12 for professional titles, 4 to 10 on club shows, 3 for amateurs. Plus how to set a round timer for each.
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How long is a Tabata workout? 4 minutes, or 20 with rest
How long is a tabata workout depends on rounds. One block is exactly 4 minutes; most classes run four or five blocks for 20 to 25 minutes total.
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Study timer vs Pomodoro: which interval actually helps focus
A study timer and a pomodoro are not the same tool. How to pick an interval length for revision, problem sets, and reading that actually sticks.
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7-minute workout timer: the full circuit with timing
The 7 minute workout timer runs 12 exercises, 30 seconds each, 10 seconds rest. Here is the full circuit, the source paper, and how to run it.
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Boxing round timer: 3 minute rounds, 1 minute rest
A boxing round timer runs 3 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest. Round counts for amateur and pro, and how to build a real training session.
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Free online timer that works offline (and how PWAs work)
An online timer that works offline sounds like a contradiction. Here is how service workers cache a page so it runs with no connection at all.
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How to keep your phone screen on during a workout timer
Keep phone screen on during a workout without changing settings. How Screen Wake Lock works, why browsers block it, and what to do on older phones.
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Best way to use a stopwatch for running splits and lap times
Using a stopwatch for running is about laps, not the total. How to take splits, what to record, and which numbers actually tell you something.
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Pomodoro technique: why 25/5 works and how to tweak it
The pomodoro technique is 25 minutes of work and a 5 minute break. Here is where it came from, why the length matters, and when to change it.
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EMOM workouts: what it means and 5 templates to start with
An EMOM workout means every minute on the minute: do the work, rest with what is left. Five templates and how to pick your rep count.
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HIIT interval timer: how to structure work and rest for beginners
A HIIT interval timer is only useful if the ratio is right. Here is how to pick work and rest as a beginner, with ratios that actually work.
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What is a Tabata timer and how to use it (20/10 explained)
A tabata timer runs 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest, eight times. Here is where the protocol came from and how to actually run it.