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Boxing Timer

How Do You Set a Timer for Workout Sets?

Boxing Timer replaces a separate rest-timer app thumbed between every set. Open Custom Timer, set Round to how long each set or hold lasts (or a safety cap if you work by reps), Rest to the seconds between sets, and Rounds to how many sets you plan. A bell marks every start and end, so you stop watching the clock.

3 min read · Updated 2026-09-23

Set a timer for timed sets (holds, planks, sprints)

If your set has a fixed length, Custom Timer times the set and the rest in one go. Set Round to the set length, Rest to the gap you want between sets, Prep for a short countdown to get in position, and Rounds to the number of sets. There is no rest after the last set, matching how a real workout ends.

  1. Tap the list icon at the top left to open Setup, then Custom Timer.
  2. Set Rounds to your number of sets.
  3. Under Durations, set Round to the hold or work time of one set, and Rest to the gap you want after it.
  4. Set Prep if you want a countdown before set 1, and a Warning if you want the clacker to fire a few seconds before each set ends.
  5. Tap Use Once to run it now, or Save & Use to keep it under My Presets.
Worked example: 4 sets of a 45-second hold, 60 seconds rest, 10-second prep
PartCalculationTime
Preponce, before set 10:10
Work4 x 0:453:00
Rest3 x 1:00 (none after set 4)3:00
Total6:10

Set a timer for sets you do by reps (lifting, not by the clock)

You don't know the exact length of a reps-based set in advance, so timing the set itself just doesn't fit. What works instead: set Round as a generous safety cap, long enough that you'd never run out mid-set, do your reps, then tap Skip the second you rack the weight. That ends the set phase early and starts Rest right away, with a bell to mark it.

Rest between sets only (Skip ends each set when you finish your reps)
SetsRest betweenRest gapsTotal rest
51:3046:00
52:0048:00

Total rest is (sets − 1) x rest, because there is no rest expected after your last set.

Will I get a warning before rest ends?

The warning clacker only fires during a work Round, not during Rest, so a free timer gives you no heads-up before rest ends, just the bell when it's over. With Pro, the Voice Coach can speak 3, 2, 1 in the last 3 seconds of every rest, so you're already back in position when the bell rings; that is the one feature built specifically for this.

Free vs. Pro for set timers

  • Free: Custom Timer with any Round/Rest/Prep/Warning combination, unlimited with Use Once, one saved preset under My Presets, the bell, haptics and the Lock Screen countdown.
  • Pro: a second (and further) saved preset, the spoken 3-2-1 rest countdown and round announcements, two extra bell sounds, and no ads between workouts.

Questions and answers

Can I set a different rest after some sets than others?
No. One Custom Timer uses a single Rest length for every gap. For a different rest later in the workout, stop and start a second Custom Timer with the new value.
What if I finish my set before the Round time is up?
Tap Skip — useful for most lifting sets, since the safety cap is usually longer than the actual set. It ends the current set right away and starts Rest, bell included, so rest starts the moment you're genuinely done.
Does it tell me when rest is almost over?
Only with Pro's Voice Coach, which speaks 3, 2, 1 in the last 3 seconds of rest. On the free version you only get the bell exactly when rest ends.
Can I save this as a preset for next time?
Yes, tap Save & Use instead of Use Once. The free version keeps one saved preset at a time; Pro removes that limit.

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