Tabata timer 40/20 x 8
40 sec work, 20 sec rest, 8 rounds. 7 min 50 sec total. Starts with a 10 sec get-ready count.
Space start/pause R reset Esc stop
Settings
40 sec work, 20 sec rest, 8 rounds. 7 min 50 sec total. Starts with a 10 sec get-ready count.
01
What this one is for
Forty seconds is long enough to do 10 to 15 reps of most things with decent form, and 20 seconds is long enough to walk to the next station. That is why 40/20 is the default in a lot of group classes: it works as a circuit, not just as a sprint.
Eight rounds gives you eight minutes. Run it twice with a two-minute break between and you have a proper 18 minute session. The interval timer can do that with sets if you would rather not restart.
The beeps are different for work and rest so you do not need to look at the screen. A rising pair means go, a falling pair means stop.
02
Good for
- Group-class style circuits, one station per round
- Dumbbell complexes where reps matter
- Bike or treadmill sprints with a real recovery
- Beginners who find 20/10 too frantic
03
How it runs
40 sec work, 20 sec rest, 8 rounds. 7 min 50 sec total. Starts with a 10 sec get-ready count. Press Start, or hit Space. The digits turn green while a work block runs and grey on rest.
Sound is on by default: a rising pair for work, a falling pair for rest, a tick for the last three seconds and a three-note finish. Mute with the speaker button. The screen stays on while the timer runs and the tab title shows the time left.
Change anything in Settings under the timer. The last setup you used on this page is remembered in your browser.
Questions people ask
- Why 40/20 instead of 20/10?
- Time under tension. At 20 seconds you only get a handful of reps of a loaded movement. At 40 you can actually train the pattern, and the extra rest lets you keep the load up.
- Can I run two blocks with a break between?
- Yes. Use the interval timer, set 40/20, 8 rounds, 2 sets and a 2 minute rest between sets. This page is the single-block version.
- Does the timer beep at the halfway point?
- Not by default. It ticks for the last three seconds of every block, which is usually the cue people want. Halfway beeps are on the list.