40-20 HIIT Timer
The classic forty twenty interval: work for forty seconds, rest for twenty, and keep going.
How to Use the 40-20 HIIT Countdown Timer
Open the timer
This page is already set to 0:40. Press the start button and the countdown begins, with no setup and no signup.
Press F for fullscreen
The digits scale to fill the whole screen, so the remaining time stays readable from the back of a room, a classroom or a gym.
Keep the block visible
Use the subtitle to say what the 40-20 HIIT timer is for. A countdown with a name on it is much easier to come back to.
The bell ends it
An audible alert rings when the 0:40 countdown reaches zero, so you never have to watch the screen to know it is over.
Why Use This 40-20 HIIT Timer
The work interval, preloaded
It starts at forty seconds with Auto-Repeat already on, so the rounds keep rolling without touching anything.
Readable from the gym floor
Fullscreen digits fill a TV or a phone propped up, so you can check the time without breaking your stance.
The bell marks every round
The alert tells you the moment the forty seconds are up, which is when the rest starts.
Switch to the rest easily
You can reset to twenty seconds for the rest phase, and the full step by step routine is on the workout guide.
Where This Timer Helps
The forty twenty interval is one of the most popular formats in circuit training. Forty seconds of work, twenty seconds of rest, ten rounds, ten minutes total. The hard part is not the work, it is knowing when each phase ends without staring at a phone.
This timer starts the forty second work interval and keeps cycling for you. When the bell rings, you have your twenty second rest, and the countdown starts again on its own.
Tips for making the most of it
- Ten rounds of forty twenty is the classic ten minute session.
- Keep the phone or tablet in sight so you do not have to break the rhythm to check the time.
- Use the subtitle to show the current round or the exercise you are on.
40-20 HIIT Timer: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I do a 40-20 HIIT session?
Start this timer for the forty second work phase. When the bell rings, switch to twenty seconds for the rest, then back to forty for the next round. The workout guide has the full routine.
Does the timer restart by itself?
Yes, Auto-Repeat is already enabled, so each forty second interval restarts automatically when it finishes.
Can I change the intervals?
Of course. Set the seconds directly in the timer controls, and use Auto-Repeat if you want the rounds to chain.
Other Countdown Timer Lengths
Need a different duration? Every one of these opens the same timer with the length already set.
30-30 Tabata timer
Tabata in its purest form: thirty seconds on, thirty seconds off, eight rounds.
30 minute timer
Half an hour, on screen, with nothing else to look at. It is the most useful unit of a working day.
5 minute timer
Five minutes is the most useful short interval there is. It is long enough to get something done and short enough to actually do it.
20 minute timer
Twenty minutes is a solid block: enough to finish a piece of work, short enough to schedule every day.
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