# Free Tabata timer

> A Tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of all-out effort and 10 seconds of rest, which takes 4 minutes. This free timer is preset to 20/10 for 8 rounds, with a 10-second get-ready countdown and sound cues.

Source: https://templatetrainer.com/guides/tabata-timer/ · Updated 2026-10-12 · Template Trainer

[The interactive timer is on the web page: https://templatetrainer.com/guides/tabata-timer/]
This timer is also built into the Template Trainer app. Save your circuits as part of a program, and every round you finish is logged so you can track your progress. Start free

## What is a Tabata workout?

A Tabata is a short, very hard interval workout: **20 seconds of all-out effort, then 10 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times**. That's four minutes in total. The format comes from research on high-intensity interval training by Dr. Izumi Tabata and colleagues, published in 1996. In that study, subjects did seven to eight 20-second bouts on an exercise bike at about 170% of their VO2max, with 10 seconds of rest between bouts, five days a week for six weeks. Both their aerobic fitness (VO2max) and their anaerobic capacity improved.

Today, "Tabata" usually means any workout using that 20/10 × 8 structure, with exercises like burpees, squat jumps, mountain climbers or kettlebell swings.

## How to do a Tabata

1. **Warm up for 5 minutes.** A Tabata starts hard, so don't skip this.
2. **Pick one or two exercises** that you can do fast and safely when tired. Full-body moves work best.
3. **Press Start** and use the 10-second countdown to get in position.
4. **Go as hard as you can for 20 seconds**, then rest for 10. Repeat until all 8 rounds are done.
5. **Cool down** with a few minutes of easy movement.

Using two exercises? Type both into the exercise list and set **Rounds** to 4. The timer alternates them, for the same 8 intervals in total.

## Tabata ideas

| Tabata | Exercises | Equipment |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Classic | Burpees | None |
| Leg burner | Squat jumps and alternating lunges | None |
| Core | Mountain climbers and plank shoulder taps | None |
| Kettlebell | Kettlebell swings | Kettlebell |
| Cardio machine | Bike or rower sprints | Bike or rower |

You can stack two or three Tabatas with a minute of rest between them for a 10 to 15 minute session. Set **Rounds** to 16 or 24 if you want the timer to run them back to back.

## Tabata vs. other intervals

Tabata is one kind of HIIT. Longer work periods, like the 40 seconds on and 20 off in a typical [circuit](https://templatetrainer.com/guides/what-is-circuit-training/), let you do more reps at a slightly lower intensity. For those, the [circuit timer](https://templatetrainer.com/guides/circuit-timer/) starts with circuit-style settings.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long is a Tabata workout?

One Tabata is four minutes: 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest.

### How many times a week should I do Tabata?

Two or three times a week is plenty for most people, because each one is meant to be done at a very high effort. Leave a day between hard sessions.

### Is Tabata good for beginners?

Beginners can do Tabata-style intervals by working at a strong but comfortable pace rather than all-out, and choosing simple exercises like squats or step-ups.

## Sources

- [Tabata et al. (1996), Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8897392/)