EMOM, Tabata & Interval Timer Guide

By IAMJARL

I have been doing CrossFit and functional fitness for years, and a timer is the one tool I always need. Whether you are new to interval training or just looking for a no-nonsense timer app, this guide covers the most common formats and how to set them up in WODrounds.

What is EMOM?

EMOM stands for Every Minute on the Minute. It is a workout structure where you start a set of exercises at the beginning of each minute. Whatever time remains in that minute is your rest. When the next minute starts, you go again.

EMOM workouts are popular in CrossFit and functional fitness because they enforce a consistent pace. If the exercises take 40 seconds, you get 20 seconds of rest. If they take 55 seconds, you only get 5 seconds. This creates a natural incentive to work efficiently.

A typical EMOM lasts 10 to 20 minutes, but WODrounds supports 1 to 120 rounds with round lengths from 30 seconds to 9 minutes 30 seconds. This means you can also do E2MOM (every 2 minutes) or E90S (every 90 seconds) by adjusting the round length.

What are intervals?

Interval training alternates between periods of work and periods of rest. Unlike EMOM where rest is whatever time you have left, interval training uses fixed work and rest durations.

For example: 30 seconds of burpees, 15 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times. The work and rest periods are predefined, making it easier to plan intensity.

In WODrounds, switch to Intervals mode to set separate work time, rest time, and number of rounds.

What is Tabata?

Tabata is a specific interval protocol developed by Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata. The original format is:

• 20 seconds of all-out work
• 10 seconds of rest
• 8 rounds (3:50 on the timer, which skips the rest after the last round)

Despite lasting less than four minutes, a true Tabata set is extremely demanding because the work periods require maximum effort. It is one of the most time-efficient workout formats available.

To set up Tabata in WODrounds: switch to Intervals mode, set work to 20, rest to 10, and rounds to 8.

EMOM vs. HIIT vs. Tabata

These formats overlap but have distinct characteristics:

• EMOM uses a fixed clock where your rest is the leftover time in each round. Pace yourself or suffer.
• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a broad category. Any workout alternating high effort and rest qualifies. Tabata is a form of HIIT. So is 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off.
• Tabata is a specific HIIT protocol: 20/10 for 8 rounds at maximum effort.
• For Time flips the clock around: instead of a fixed structure, you complete a set amount of work as fast as you can and the clock counts up until you finish.

WODrounds handles all of these. Use EMOM mode for EMOMs, Intervals mode for HIIT and Tabata, and For Time mode to race the clock with an optional cap.

How to set up your timer

WODrounds is designed to get you started in seconds:

1. Choose your mode. EMOM, Intervals or For Time. Tap the toggle at the top of the screen.
2. Set your numbers. For EMOM: rounds and round length. For Intervals: work seconds, rest seconds, and rounds.
3. Press Start. A 10-second countdown gives you time to get in position. Voice cues call out halfway and ten seconds left, then a 3-2-1 beep into the next round.
4. Train. The timer keeps running in the background. Pause or cancel anytime, except in For Time, where you press Stop when you finish.

Works on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and Apple TV. Each one runs its own timer, and a workout started on iPhone is followed live on Apple Watch.

What each device does

All five run all three modes. What differs is the sound, the sync and what reaches Apple Health.

Following a workout on the Watch means exactly that: it shows the same time and round, and the Start, Pause and Stop controls stay on the phone that started it. A workout you set up on the Watch has its own controls there.

Example workouts

Beginner EMOM (10 minutes)

EMOM mode · 10 rounds · 1:00 each

• 5 push-ups
• 10 air squats
• Rest for the remainder of the minute

Classic Tabata (3:50)

Intervals mode · Work 20s · Rest 10s · 8 rounds

• Pick one exercise: burpees, kettlebell swings, or assault bike
• Go all-out for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds

HIIT Circuit (15:40)

Intervals mode · Work 40s · Rest 20s · 16 rounds

• Alternate between 4 exercises every round:
• Round 1: mountain climbers
• Round 2: dumbbell thrusters
• Round 3: box jumps
• Round 4: rowing
• Repeat 4 times

E2MOM Strength (20 minutes)

EMOM mode · 10 rounds · 2:00 each

• 3 heavy deadlifts
• 5 strict pull-ups
• Rest until the next 2-minute mark

Quick Bodyweight (9:30)

Intervals mode · Work 30s · Rest 15s · 13 rounds

• Cycle through: burpees, mountain climbers, jump squats, push-ups, high knees
• No equipment needed

Kettlebell Conditioning (15 minutes)

EMOM mode · 15 rounds · 1:00 each

• Minute 1: 12 kettlebell swings
• Minute 2: 8 goblet squats
• Minute 3: 6 single-arm presses (3 each side)
• Repeat 5 times

More workout ideas

• 5 EMOM workout examples: beginner to advanced
• 5 Tabata workout examples: classic 20/10 protocol
• 10-minute HIIT workouts: short and effective

Last updated: March 2026

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