EasyTimer

HIIT setup

40s work / 20s rest - 8 rounds

Customize in Interval Timer

HIIT Timer

A free HIIT timer for high-intensity interval training. The page opens ready to run the most common general-HIIT round: 40 seconds of hard work, 20 seconds of rest, repeated for 8 rounds — 8 minutes of intervals with a short prepare countdown before round 1. HIIT is the broad family of workouts that alternate near-maximal effort with short recovery; unlike Tabata (a specific 20/10x8 protocol), HIIT has no single fixed format, so the 40/20 round is a starting point, not a rule. The longer 40-second work window fits compound movements — burpees, kettlebell swings, rowing, sprints, circuits — that are hard to pace inside a 20-second Tabata interval. The timer counts each phase down with a full-screen color fill (orange draining for work, green filling for rest), plays audio cues on every phase change, and advances automatically so you never touch your phone mid-set.

What is a HIIT timer used for?

  • ✓General HIIT sessions - run the 40/20 round for bodyweight circuits, dumbbell complexes, kettlebell swings, or cardio machine sprints.
  • ✓EMOM-adjacent and bootcamp-style classes - project the timer on a screen and run the whole room off one shared work/rest countdown.
  • ✓Beginner-friendly intervals - if 2:1 work:rest is too aggressive, open the interval timer and flip the ratio (for example 30 seconds work, 60 seconds rest) while you build capacity.
  • ✓Advanced conditioning - shorten the rest or add rounds on the interval timer once 40/20x8 stops being challenging.
  • ✓Sprint and hill repeats - use the audio cues to start and stop efforts outdoors without watching the screen.
  • ✓Home workouts without equipment - squats, push-ups, mountain climbers, and planks slot cleanly into 40-second work windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HIIT?

HIIT (high-intensity interval training) alternates short bursts of near-maximal effort with short recovery periods. Sessions are typically 4 to 30 minutes of intervals. The structure — work hard, rest briefly, repeat — is what defines HIIT; the exact durations vary by protocol and fitness level.

What is the difference between HIIT and Tabata?

Tabata is one specific HIIT protocol: exactly 20 seconds of all-out work, 10 seconds of rest, 8 rounds (4 minutes), from Dr. Izumi Tabata's research. HIIT is the umbrella term covering Tabata and every other work/rest format — 40/20, 30/30, 45/15, 60/60, and more. Use the Tabata timer for the strict 20/10x8 protocol and this page for the broader 40/20 default.

Why 40 seconds work / 20 seconds rest?

The 40/20 round is the most common general-HIIT format in group classes and interval apps. The 40-second window is long enough for compound movements like burpees, swings, and rowing to accumulate meaningful work, while the 2:1 work:rest ratio keeps intensity high. Eight rounds gives an 8-minute block you can repeat 2-3 times with a longer break between blocks.

What work:rest ratio should I use for my fitness level?

A practical progression: beginners start near 1:2 (for example 30 seconds work, 60 seconds rest) so effort quality stays high; intermediate exercisers use 1:1 (30/30 or 45/45); advanced athletes push toward 2:1 or 3:1 (40/20, 45/15). All of these are configurable on the interval timer page — this page keeps the 40/20 default fixed so it is always one tap from starting.

How do I change the work, rest, or round settings?

This page is pre-configured to 40/20x8 so it starts instantly. For any other protocol, open the interval timer at https://easytimer.app/interval-timer - it accepts custom work, rest, round, and prepare values (also via URL parameters such as ?work=45&rest=15&rounds=6) and includes named presets from beginner to advanced.

How long should a HIIT workout be?

The default here is 8 minutes of intervals (8 x 40/20). Most complete HIIT sessions run 15-30 minutes including warm-up and rest between blocks. Because intensity is the point, longer is not automatically better — two or three quality 8-minute blocks with 1-2 minutes between them is a solid session.

What do the colors and sounds mean?

Work phases drain an orange fill across the screen; rest phases fill green. A high chime marks the start of work, a lower chime marks rest, a tick counts down the prepare phase, and a double chime plays when the session completes — so you can train with the phone propped up across the room.

Does the HIIT timer work offline and on mobile?

Once the page loads, the timer runs entirely in your browser with no server calls, so it keeps working if the gym network drops. The layout works in portrait and landscape, and the full-screen color fill stays readable from the floor mid-set.

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