GUSTAV WORKOUT TIMER
The interval timer built for real training
Build any combination of work, rest and rounds, press start and keep your eyes on the bar, not on your phone. Big numbers, clear cues, and workouts you can share with a single link.
Rest is part of the workout
Many interval workouts are written without any pause, and most timers only count the work. In Gustav, rest is an interval like any other: you set how long it lasts, where it sits in the round and how many times it repeats, so recovery is planned instead of improvised.
It is beeped, counted and repeated like every other round. Rest is a rep too.
BUILD IT
Your intervals, your rules
Stack up to 10 intervals in a round and name each one: Work, Rest, Squats, Sprint, or whatever you will actually read mid-set. Each interval can run from 1 second to 10 minutes. Repeat the round 1 to 31 times, or let it loop until you call it a day.
Drag intervals to reorder them, swipe to delete. Gustav tells you how long one round takes and how long the whole workout will be, before you break a sweat.
TRAIN
Numbers you can read from the floor
The countdown fills the screen in a bold monospace font, so you can read it from a plank, a rower or the other side of the gym. The bar on top shows every interval of the round, sized by its length, so you always know what’s coming next.
- Tap the numbers to start or pause. Double-tap to skip to the next interval.
- Swipe across the countdown to switch between seconds (45) and minutes (0:45).
- Turn your phone sideways for a huge display with hundredths of a second.
- The screen stays on while the timer runs.
- Switched to another app? When you come back, the timer is exactly where it should be.
Feedback
Hear it, feel it, or both
Some days you train with music blasting, other days next to a sleeping baby. Gustav lets you choose how every change reaches you. Mix the four settings below any way you like. They are saved with each timer, so your Tabata can ring a bicycle bell while your breathing session stays calm.
Sound
At the end of every interval, round and workout, Gustav plays the sound of your choice: Beep, Whistle, Bell, Gong, Bicycle, Hey!, Retro, Game, Bubble or Rubber Duck. Or mute it completely.
Gustav plays over your music. Your playlist keeps going and never pauses.
Haptics
Feel the workout in your pocket or armband. Every moment has its own vibration: a light tap when the interval changes, a firmer double pulse when you finish a round, and a strong buzz you can’t miss when the whole workout is done.
Ticking
A quiet tick that helps you keep pace without looking at the screen.
- Off – silence between the cues.
- Every second – a steady metronome for holds, planks and tempo work.
- Before interval ends – ticks only in the last 3 seconds. A 3-2-1 heads-up before every switch.
Countdown before start
Need a moment to get into position? Turn on the 3-2-1 countdown and Gustav counts you in before the first round. Turn it off when you want to go straight away.
Mix and match
A few combinations that work well. Each one has a link with the exact settings, so you can try it in the app.
Headphones in, music loud Whistle + ticking Before interval ends. The 3-2-1 ticks cut through your playlist, so you’re ready for the switch before it happens.
Quiet room, early morning, shared gym Sound muted, ticking off, haptics on. Keep the phone in your pocket and feel every change without making a sound.
Holds and tempo work Bell + ticking Every second + haptics. Count your plank or wall sit by ear instead of staring at the screen.
Just the ticks Mute the sound and pick a ticking mode. The tick also marks the moment the interval changes, so you never miss a switch, even without a sound.
Breathing and meditation Gong, no ticking, no haptics. One calm sound per block and nothing else.
SHARE
Send a whole workout in one link
Built a session you’re proud of? Share it. Gustav turns any timer into a single link that carries everything: intervals and their names, rounds, sound, ticking, haptics, countdown and the timer’s name. Send it in Messages or WhatsApp, drop it in your team chat or paste it into your training plan.
When your friend taps the link, Gustav opens with the workout ready to go. It shows up in settings first, so they can check it before they press start. And it sounds and feels exactly the way you set it up.
Share from anywhere
- From settings – share the timer you’re building right now, even before you save it.
- From favourites – swipe on any saved timer and tap Share.
- From presets – send a Tabata or an EMOM to a friend in two taps.
No app? No problem
Every link opens a workout page on gustavtraining.com. If Gustav is installed, the link jumps straight into the app. If not, your friend still sees the whole workout and can download Gustav from the App Store or run the timer right in the browser.
For coaches
Write your programme once and put a link next to every block. Your athletes tap it, press start and train exactly the intervals you planned. No typing, no mistakes. Try it with a classic:
START FAST
Ready-made workouts, with ideas included
No time to build your own? Pick a preset and go:
- Tabata 20/10 – 8 rounds of 20 s work and 10 s rest
- HIIT 30/15 – 10 rounds of 30 s sprint and 15 s rest
- EMOM 10 min – a new set at the start of every minute, 10 times
- AMRAP 20 min – as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
- Meditation 5 min – one calm 5-minute block on repeat
Every preset comes with workout ideas, from the classic “Cindy” for AMRAP to burpees for Tabata, so you know not just how long, but what to do.
Save your own timers to favourites under a name you’ll recognise, and find them again with search.
YOUR LOOK
Your gym on the background
Choose one of ten training photos as the background, or use a photo of your own. Gustav turns it black and white and dims it, so the numbers always stand out.
FAQ
Is there an interval timer where rest counts as part of the workout?
Yes. In Gustav Workout Timer rest is its own timed interval, so it is part of every round.
Is Gustav Workout Timer free?
Yes, it is free and has no ads.
Does it work offline?
Yes.
Can I share a timer?
Yes, with a link. All settings are included in the link, and people without the app see the full setup on the web.