Tabata Timer
This Tabata timer runs the classic protocol: 20 seconds of all-out work, 10 seconds of rest, eight rounds — about four minutes of intervals, plus a 10-second Get Ready countdown before round 1. Open this page, check the protocol preview, and press Start. You are not setting one duration; the clock walks you through each phase.
While the session runs, the large display shows time left in the current phase and a label — Get Ready, Work, or Rest — with a background shift at each change. Work and rest alternate on their own. There is no Skip: once you start, the round structure stays locked until you pause, hold Stop, or finish.
The default on this URL is the locked 20/10×8 protocol. Customize on the setup screen can override work, rest, rounds, or prepare time for the next workout, then Reset to Tabata defaults when you want the classic session back. Those overrides do not apply mid-round. If you want a fully editable interval board — work and rest from 5 to 120 seconds, Skip, coach voice — use the HIIT timer instead.
Sound cues beep in the last three seconds of Work and Rest and play a tone when a phase starts. Mute from the setup screen or press M during the session. Keep this tab open (or pinned) and avoid putting the device to sleep; a background tab can delay the clock on some browsers, so phase changes and beeps stay reliable only while the page stays active.
This is not the duration countdown on the online timer, which runs one block of hours, minutes, and seconds down to zero and then rings an alarm. It is also not the online stopwatch, which counts elapsed time up from zero and records laps. Use this Tabata page when you need automatic work/rest switching for a short high-intensity protocol.
When eight rounds finish, start again from the summary or go back to setup to change Customize overrides. Timing and mute preferences stay in this browser. Use fullscreen if you need a gym-floor display.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the classic Tabata protocol on this timer?
- Classic Tabata here is 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, eight rounds, with a 10-second Get Ready countdown before round 1. The preview on the setup screen shows that structure before you press Start.
- Can I change the locked 20/10×8 timing?
- The session itself stays locked — there is no Skip, and you cannot retune work or rest while a round is running. Before you start, Customize can override work, rest, rounds, and prepare for the next workout, or Reset to Tabata defaults. For fully editable 5–120 second intervals, open the HIIT timer.
- How is this different from the HIIT timer?
- This page is built around the classic Tabata protocol and keeps that structure intact during a run. Customize only changes the next session inside Tabata’s bounds. The HIIT timer is fully programmable: any work/rest pair in range, Skip, motivator voice, and background music.
- How is this different from the duration timer or stopwatch?
- The online timer counts one duration down to zero and alarms once. The online stopwatch counts up from zero and stores laps. This Tabata timer counts down each work and rest phase, then advances the round automatically.
- What sound cues does the Tabata timer play?
- You hear countdown beeps in the last three seconds of Work and Rest, plus a tone at each phase start. Toggle Sound on the setup screen or press M while the workout is running.
- Do I need to keep this tab open?
- Yes. Timing runs in this browser tab. Keep the tab open or pinned and avoid sleep mode if you need phase changes and beeps on time. Switching away can delay updates on some devices.