Computer Count-down Timer

Hi all, a first post, after a long time of informative lurking. A big thanks to everyone who makes this board the excellent resource it is.

I do most of my workouts in my basement or my living room. I use a hand held watch to time my sets, but on more than one occasion it has gone missing before my workout. (I have two young children, you fill in the blanks.) I also kind it a bit hard to use, as I am always adjusting it's position as I vary the holds, and I really like to just get into the flow of the workout and not bother with the minutiae. This made me think there must be a better option.

Does anyone use, or know of, a count down timer computer program that I can use. Preferable something I can program a FSP warm up into, then set it going and forget about it. I would have an audio output, as of course I can't see a computer screen in a tuck planche...

I used to have a sport watch that you could time a complex string of various timer lengths, so I can't imagine this would be a hard thing to create. (Yes, I could buy a better watch, but see the point about small children...)

thanks,

David

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

I use a gymboss usually to time my rests, and I also wear a timex ironman watch, which also has a countdown timer and a stop watch. The problem with using the watch and the gymboss is that the watch may get in the way, like when doing false grips on the rings, or when I can't get to either the watch or the gymboss for static intervals because I am getting into position. So what I did was to get some cheap wall clocks at Target, for about $4 each, that have second hands. The old kind, with moving hands and everything. I have one mounted on my garage wall, and one that I carry around, and can put on the floor. So for planche holds, for instance, I can look down at the clock placed on the floor and count six seconds from the time I am in position. I then use the gymboss to keep track of the rest interval of 45 seconds. I want to get one more to mount on the roof for front lever training. Keeps me honest. While holding and expending effort, I tend to count fast in my head, so I need reference to a timer or clock. The big clock is nice for ring work such as back levers, as I can see it on the floor even when I am hanging above the floor.

Not exactly computerized, but it does the trick.

This one isn't too bad:

http://tabata.sperker.de/index.php?nav=download

It is not programable though. You can of course change work time, rest time, and number of rounds.

If you happen to have an ipod touch, an ipad or an iphone, download the gymboss app there. It is programable, free (at least when I got it) and great!

I think a metronome set at 60 hz works well to count seconds in a FSP. It is nice to just start counting the seconds once you are in position. For rest duration I usually use a watch, but you could use an online timer for that. I sometimes use an online interval for some things.

Hope that helps.

Ted

Metronome: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

Interval timer: http://www.beach-fitness.com/tabata/

Good idea on the metronome!

I also use a metronome to time my static holds; a little J2ME Application for my phone - search for metronome2.

This is great, thanks for the replies, some good ideas here.

yours,

David

http://www.plainandsimplesoftware.com/P ... Timer.html

The best. I've got the FSPs, FBEs & Rest periods in between all set up with right Start / End Sounds and Music in background.

The app is available for Apple iOS & Android OSes. Worth having long term. Only 2$

UltraTimer is an easy and convenient way of timing any activity or series of activities.

You can set a single timer or multiple timers, each including series of count-down intervals that run back-to-back. Each interval can be customized to play a different alarm sound from the included library, as well as change the background color for visual feedback.

It is easy to set up intervals for any activity: training (martial arts, boxing, mma, circuit training, interval training, Crossfit, HIIT / HIT, yoga, meditation, exercise, workout, cycling, running, etc), time management for switching between multiple projects, or anything else you can think of.

For a complete workout, you can set up a Timer Group which will play individual timers back to back. Start out with your favorite Warm Up timer, then run through your favorite Training timer, and end with a Stretching timer. UltraTrainer will run you through your full workout automatically.

The included sound library comes with a wide variety of reminder sounds suitable for relaxing timers, high intensity activities, and everything in between. Custom sounds can also be recorded via the microphone; you are not limited to the included sound library.

Exclusive to our products, users can browse the Timer Exchange, a community where people freely exchange timers. Search, browse, and download timers that other users have uploaded. If you want, you can upload your own timers to share with others.

If a friend also owns UltraTimer, you can exchange timers via a Wireless connection, e-mail, or the clipboard to use other methods.

Using UltraTimer with music playing is not a problem. You can begin playing music on the timer screen, pause it, or skip to the next track.

Just a few features in UltraTimer:

- Timer Exchange community

- Duplicate timers

- Copy/Paste Intervals and Actions

- Delayed start time

- Over 70 included sounds

- Record your own sounds

- Large countdown timer display

- Countdown timer display can be portrait or landscape

- Help system explains each option on the current screen

- iPod music playback control lets you pause/play the current track or move to the next track from the countdown timer screen

- Pause the timer to temporarily halt the activity

- Timer is automatically paused if it is interrupted and is restored when you come back into the App

- Screen can be locked by the user and the timer will still run

- Intuitive setup

I use a casio wrist watch that has a 5 second countdown before it starts the stopwatch. I also use my android phone's timer if visibility is a problem.

I thought this post deserved a bump because I had this very question. The free app "Mobile Metronome" for Android is perfect if you time your sets like me, by counting seconds in your head -- The volume of the ticks can be independently controlled from the volume of your music on your device, and never change tempo (idk about you guys, but my head count timing fluctuates depending on how tired I am, ha!).

I use Ultratimer and it's great. Just an endorsement from me.

I'm using both UltraTimer and Seconds Pro - Interval Timer.

Both are SOLID apps for GB/ Timing kind of work.