The rest timer in Boostcamp
Rest timers that start automatically after a set, with per-exercise times and a Lock Screen countdown on iPhone.
What is Boostcamp's rest timer?
Boostcamp's rest timer can start automatically every time you complete a set. Set one default rest time for all exercises, give individual exercises their own times, or start a timer by hand. On iPhone the countdown shows on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. The rest timer is free.
- Auto-start
- After each completed set, using the exercise's timer or your default
- Per exercise
- 5-second steps up to 60 minutes, or off
- Quick presets
- 30 seconds, 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes, or a custom duration
- Price
- Free
Three ways to time your rest
- 1
Set a default rest timer
In Settings, a Default Rest Timer auto-starts after a set on any exercise that doesn't have its own timer.
- 2
Give an exercise its own time
Tap the timer icon next to an exercise name to set its rest, in 5-second steps up to an hour. It starts automatically each time you complete a set of that exercise, and the per-exercise time always wins over the default.
- 3
Or start one by hand
Tap the Rest Timer icon in the top toolbar to start a timer at any point, with presets from 30 seconds to 5 minutes or a custom duration.
- 4
Keep an eye on it from the Lock Screen
On iPhone, a Live Activity shows your current exercise, set and the rest countdown on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. On Android, an ongoing notification shows the time remaining.
How long should you rest between sets?
Rest between sets typically ranges from about 1 minute to 3 minutes or more, depending on the exercise and the goal. Heavier, more demanding sets need longer rest so you can repeat the same quality of work on the next set.
For heavy compound strength work, such as squats, bench press and deadlifts in the 1 to 6 rep range, many coaches suggest 2 to 5 minutes. For hypertrophy work in moderate rep ranges, around 1 to 3 minutes is common, with longer rests on big compound lifts. Smaller accessory and isolation exercises, such as curls, lateral raises and calf raises, are often done with 60 to 90 seconds.
Resting too little usually shows up as dropped reps on later sets. Resting much longer than you need mostly costs time, which matters when a workout has to fit into an hour. A practical approach is to rest long enough that you can hit your target reps on the next set, and to keep rest consistent from week to week so your numbers are comparable.
In Boostcamp, you can set a different rest time for each exercise so that the timer starts automatically with the right length after every set.
Sample lower-body workout with per-exercise rest
Rest is counted between sets of the same exercise only, so an exercise with 4 sets has 3 rests. Time spent moving between exercises and warming up is not included.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest per set | Rests | Total rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 4 × 5 | 3:00 | 3 | 9:00 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8 | 2:00 | 2 | 4:00 |
| Leg press | 3 × 10 | 1:30 | 2 | 3:00 |
| Lying leg curl | 3 × 12 | 1:00 | 2 | 2:00 |
| Standing calf raise | 3 × 15 | 1:00 | 2 | 2:00 |
| Total | 16 sets | 11 | 20:00 |
Timer settings
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Default Rest Timer | Off, or a time that applies to exercises without their own |
| Exercise Rest Timer | 5-second steps up to 60 minutes, or off |
| Sound | Default, Beep or Chime |
| Volume | High, Normal, Low or Off |
Tips for using Rest timer
- Give each exercise its own timer Set longer timers on your main compound lifts and shorter ones on accessories, and let the default rest timer cover everything else.
- Treat the timer as a minimum on heavy sets If you still feel out of breath when a heavy-set timer ends, take another 30 seconds rather than missing reps on the next set.
- Keep rest consistent across weeks Lifting the same weight after 90 seconds and after 4 minutes are different efforts, so steady rest times make your progress easier to read.
- Use supersets to save time Pairing exercises that don't compete, such as a row and a press, lets one muscle group rest while the other works.
What lifters say
★★★★★“I appreciate the ease of use and the rest timer in-between sets. Gives me less to have to personally track or think about, so I can just focus on working out.”
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. Automatic, per-exercise and manual rest timers are all free.
Yes. Once you set a default rest time or a time for that exercise, Boostcamp's rest timer starts every time you complete a set.
On iPhone, Boostcamp's rest countdown shows in a Live Activity on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. On Android, it shows in an ongoing notification.
No. Boostcamp doesn't have an Apple Watch app today; on iPhone, the Lock Screen Live Activity shows the rest countdown.
For hypertrophy, rest of about 1 to 3 minutes is common, with the longer end on heavy compound lifts and around 60 to 90 seconds on smaller isolation exercises. The aim is to rest enough to hit your target reps on the next set.
Many coaches suggest 2 to 5 minutes between heavy compound sets in the 1 to 6 rep range, so each set can be done at full quality.