Circuit timer settings
In Interval Pal, each station is an exercise and each lap is a round.
| Setting | Example | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 0:40 | Time at each station |
| Rest | 0:20 | Time to switch stations |
| Exercises | 8 | Stations in one lap |
| Rounds | 3 | Laps of the circuit |
| Round rest | 1:00 | Rest after each lap |
| Get ready | 0:10 | Countdown before the first station |
That example takes 25 minutes, after the get-ready. After the last station of each lap, round rest takes the place of the normal rest, and there's no rest after the final station. The screen shows Round 2 of 3 and Exercise 5 of 8, so you always know where you are.
How much rest between stations
Rest depends on the exercises and your training goal. For muscular endurance, Willardson's 2006 review suggested circuits with short rests, around 30 seconds, between exercises using different muscle groups. It suggested longer rests between exercises using similar muscles. The review also noted that rest alone does not ensure a training outcome.
Worked example: the 7-minute workout
This circuit comes from a 2013 article in ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal by Brett Klika and Chris Jordan. It uses body weight, a chair and a wall: 12 exercises of 30 seconds each, with 10 seconds to switch. The order moves between total-body, lower-body, upper-body and core work. The article suggests repeating the circuit 2 to 3 times.
| # | Exercise | Works |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jumping jacks | Total body |
| 2 | Wall sit | Lower body |
| 3 | Push-up | Upper body |
| 4 | Abdominal crunch | Core |
| 5 | Step-up onto a chair | Total body |
| 6 | Squat | Lower body |
| 7 | Triceps dip on a chair | Upper body |
| 8 | Plank | Core |
| 9 | High knees or running in place | Total body |
| 10 | Lunge | Lower body |
| 11 | Push-up and rotation | Upper body |
| 12 | Side plank | Core |
In a timer: work 0:30, rest 0:10, exercises 12, rounds 1. The article calls it about 7 minutes, but 12 stations have 11 changeovers, so it runs 7:50. For three laps with a minute's rest between them, set rounds to 3 and round rest to 1:00: 25:30 in all. These times leave out the get-ready.
Set it up in Interval Pal
Interval Pal is the timer we make.
- Open the Timer tab.
- Set work, rest, exercises (your stations), rounds (your laps) and round rest.
- Tap Save and name it. Next time, start it from the Workouts tab.
Interval Pal numbers the stations rather than naming them, so keep a list of your exercises in order.
What it doesn't do
- Stations are numbered, not named, and there are no exercise videos.
- Every station in a workout has the same work and rest time.
- It doesn't count reps, and there's no Apple Watch app.
Questions
How many rounds should a circuit be?
It depends on how long you have and how many stations there are. The 7-minute workout suggests 2 to 3 laps of 12 stations. Up to 30 exercises and 50 rounds fit in Interval Pal.
Will I hear each change over my music?
Yes. Cues play over your music and with your iPhone on silent. See the interval timer with music page.
Is Interval Pal free?
It's free to download. Running a workout needs Pro: start with a 7-day free trial of the yearly plan, or choose monthly or a one-off lifetime purchase. Prices are shown in the app before you buy.
Sources
- Klika B, Jordan C (2013). High-intensity circuit training using body weight: maximum results with minimal investment. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal 17(3): 8 to 13. Full-text copy hosted by Motricidade Humana.
- Willardson JM (2006). A brief review: factors affecting the length of the rest interval between resistance exercise sets. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 20(4): 978 to 984.
Last updated 12 October 2026
Interval Pal is available on the App Store. Free to download. Running a workout needs Pro: 7-day free trial on the yearly plan, or a one-off lifetime purchase.