Tempo Training Timer
Set a rep cadence like 3-1-1-0 on any exercise and the voice counts every second out loud — lower with control, pause, lift, repeat, without ever counting in your head.
Tempo training assigns a speed to each phase of a repetition, written as four numbers: eccentric (lowering), pause at the bottom, concentric (lifting), pause at the top. A 3-1-1-0 squat means three seconds down, a one-second hold, one second up, and straight into the next rep. It is one of the simplest ways to increase time under tension and fix rushed, sloppy reps — but counting seconds in your head while lifting is exactly the kind of distraction that ruins form. Voice Timer counts for you.
How the voice-counted tempo works
Give any exercise interval a tempo — each phase from 0 to 5 seconds (e.g. 3s down / 1s up).
For the first 3 reps, the voice speaks every second of every phase: “1, 2, 3” down, “1” up.
From rep 4 the counting hands off to soft beeps at each phase change — a low tone to start the descent, a higher one to lift — or keeps counting if you prefer.
The tempo and current phase are shown on screen next to the countdown, and counting pauses automatically around interval announcements.
A single switch in the timer’s audio settings turns all tempo cues on or off.
Why count only the first reps out loud?
The first few repetitions are where you calibrate: the spoken numbers teach your body what three controlled seconds actually feel like. After that, a full voice count every rep becomes noise. The quiet phase beeps hold you to the cadence for the rest of the set while leaving room for the cues that matter — the last-seconds countdown and the announcement of the next exercise.
Try it on the built-in Dumbbell Workout
The free Dumbbell Workout preset ships with tempos already set: squats and sumo deadlift squats at 3-0-1-0, lunges and shoulder press at 2-0-1-0, and Romanian deadlifts at 3-1-1-0 with a one-second hold at the bottom. Run it once to hear the counting, then edit any preset to give your own exercises a tempo — every exercise in a workout can have a different one. Like the rest of the core timer, tempo counting is free and works fully offline.
Frequently asked questions
What is tempo training?
Tempo training controls the speed of each phase of a repetition. It is written as four numbers — eccentric (lowering), pause, concentric (lifting), pause — so 3-1-1-0 means 3 seconds down, 1 second hold, 1 second up, no pause at the top. Slowing the tempo increases time under tension and improves control.
How does the voice counting work?
Set a tempo on any exercise interval (each phase 0–5 seconds). While the interval runs, Voice Timer speaks a number for every second of every phase — "1, 2, 3" on the way down, "1" on the way up — for the first 3 reps so you lock in the rhythm. After that it switches to soft beeps at each phase change, or keeps counting if you prefer.
Can each exercise have its own tempo?
Yes. Tempo is set per exercise interval, so squats can run 3-0-1-0 while Romanian deadlifts run 3-1-1-0 in the same workout. A per-timer switch turns all tempo cues on or off, and rest intervals never count.
Is the tempo timer free and does it work offline?
Yes. Tempo counting is part of the free core timer, and the number clips are bundled with the app, so counting works fully offline with the screen locked. The built-in Dumbbell Workout preset comes with tempos already set so you can try it immediately.