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0:10

8 rounds · 20s work / 10s rest

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      Space
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      Read next: Tabata for beginners: how to build up to the full 20/10 in six weeksAll 8 timers

      Tabata timer: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off

      Twenty seconds of work, ten of rest, eight times through. Press start and put the phone down — the colour tells you which phase you are in.

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      The short answer

      A Tabata is eight rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest, four minutes in total. The protocol comes from Izumi Tabata's 1996 study, where the work intervals were performed at close to maximum effort — which is what makes four minutes hard rather than short.

      How to use it

      Three steps to a timer on the wall

      1. Step 1: Choose a time

        Pick a preset or set your own. The timer remembers what you used last on this device.

      2. Step 2: Press start

        Start the timer, then press F or the fullscreen button to fill the screen.

      3. Step 3: Run the room

        Space pauses, the up arrow adds a minute, R resets. Fullscreen shows the timer alone, with no ads and no navigation.

      Running it well

      Four things worth knowing

      • It only works at real intensity

        The original protocol used efforts near maximum. At a comfortable pace it is just four minutes of moving — the format does nothing on its own.

      • Pick one movement per block

        Squats, burpees, rowing, bike. Switching exercises mid-block costs you the transitions, and ten seconds is not enough to change stations.

      • Warm up first, properly

        Four minutes of near-maximum effort from cold is how people hurt themselves. Five to ten minutes of easy work beforehand is not optional.

      • Eight rounds is the whole thing

        If you can comfortably do sixteen, the intensity was too low rather than the session too short. Go harder before you go longer.

      In the room

      Built to be read from the back row

      A timer that only works on the person running it is not doing the job. The digits scale to the screen, the colour changes before the end, and fullscreen shows nothing else at all.

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      No ads on your big screen

      Ads pay for this page, and they stay on this page. The moment the timer goes fullscreen there is nothing on screen but the time — no banners, no navigation, no surprises in front of a room.

      • Fullscreen shows the timer alone
      • Ad sounds can never clash with the alarm
      • Saved times stay on your device — no account
      • Works with an ad blocker, and offline once loaded
      FAQ

      Questions people ask

      Anything we've missed?

      Tell us

      How long is a Tabata?

      Four minutes: eight rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. A short lead-in is added here so you can get into position, which is not counted in the four.

      Where does the protocol come from?

      From research published by Izumi Tabata and colleagues in 1996, which measured a routine used by Japan's speed skating team. The 20/10 × 8 structure comes from that work, performed at very high intensity.

      What exercises work best?

      Anything you can do safely at high intensity and stop instantly: bodyweight squats, burpees, mountain climbers, a stationary bike or a rower. Avoid complex lifts where fatigue makes technique unsafe.

      Can I do Tabata every day?

      It is demanding if you do it properly, so most people fit it two or three times a week alongside easier training. Daily near-maximum effort is a reliable route to being injured or exhausted.

      Is it the same as HIIT?

      Tabata is one specific HIIT protocol, not a synonym. HIIT covers any alternation of hard work and recovery; Tabata is the particular 20/10 × 8 structure from that study.

      Are there ads over the timer?

      No. Fullscreen shows the timer alone, and ads stand down entirely while it is running.

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