Tabata timer

This Tabata timer runs the classic pattern: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 rounds, 4 minutes. There's nothing to set. Just press Start.

What is Tabata training?

Tabata is associated with demanding interval training using short efforts and short rests. The familiar clock is 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of recovery, repeated eight times. The activity and effort determine the training demand.

The original cycling research investigated aerobic and anaerobic capacity: abilities related to sustained exercise and short, intense efforts. Our Tabata introduction explains its findings and limits, and when another work/rest pattern may fit better.

What the four minutes include

Eight work periods of twenty seconds total 2:40. Eight rests of ten seconds add 1:20. The last effort ends at 3:50, and the final rest brings the session to 4:00.

Start begins round one immediately. Preparation, warm-up and any recovery between separate blocks are outside this clock. The session-duration guide shows how to budget the whole session.

Timing and training are different

The format is associated with Tabata and colleagues' 1996 cycling study . That research tested a specific programme and intensity. Using the same work/rest pattern does not guarantee the same results.

Choose activity and effort appropriate to your plan. The timer cannot assess technique or recovery. Read what the Tabata clock does and does not tell you for the distinction.

Other interval patterns

This page is fixed at 20/10 for eight rounds. Apart from the classic 20/10 preset, the variants below use editable interval settings. They are different schedules, not the original protocol.

For whole-minute work and rest, use Interval. For a planned set at each minute's start, use EMOM.

Check your cues

A rising tone marks work, a falling tone marks rest, and ticks mark the final three seconds of each phase. Test your volume and keep the page visible. Background sound and an awake screen depend on the browser and device.

Common questions

What is the Tabata protocol exactly?

The classic clock repeats 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest eight times, for four minutes. This page provides that timing; it does not prescribe the intensity or reproduce the full research programme.

Can I change the work and rest times?

Not on this page. It’s kept simple on purpose. Try a variant page such as 30/15 or 40/20, where you can change Work and Rest in seconds.

How does the timer tell work from rest?

By sound and by sight. A rising pair means work, a falling pair means rest, and ticks count down the last 3 seconds. The phase word and icon change too.