Workout timer
The workout timer is a session-level timer that logs minutes to your activity record. Unlike the interval timer (pure work/rest cycles), the workout timer is for the full session — strength training, HIIT, cardio, circuits — where you want the duration captured and added to your daily active-minute total.
You can run the timer in two modes:
- Live mode: tap Start when you begin, tap Stop when you finish. The page captures the elapsed time.
- Log-only mode: type the duration after the fact. Useful for sessions where you didn't time them or where you used another app's timer.
Either way, the session writes to the lifewell_workout collection and contributes to the daily active-minute aggregate.
Inputs
| Field | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 5–300 min | Validates the range |
| Workout type / notes | Optional | Free text — strength, cardio, HIIT, circuit, what exercises, intensity, how you felt |
Live-mode workflow
- Open the workout timer page.
- Optionally type the workout type in the notes field.
- Tap Start. A timer begins counting up from 00:00.
- Train.
- Tap Stop when finished. The page pre-fills the duration field with the elapsed time.
- Confirm or adjust the duration, add notes, tap Save Workout Session.
The page shows total elapsed in HH:MM:SS format during the session.
Log-only workflow
- Open the page.
- Type the duration in minutes.
- Add notes (workout type, intensity).
- Save.
Faster if you've already done the workout — common for users who use the gym's wall clock or their watch.
Page header stats
The page shows two summary tiles:
- This week — count of workout sessions logged in the last 7 days.
- Total time — cumulative minutes across all sessions.
A more detailed weekly / monthly view lives in the activity dashboard.
Workout types
The notes field is free text — there is no enforced taxonomy. Common values you'd type:
- Strength — weightlifting, machines, bodyweight.
- Cardio — running, cycling, rowing, swimming.
- HIIT — high-intensity intervals.
- Circuit — multi-station, mixed strength + cardio.
- Class — yoga, Pilates, dance, spinning, group fitness.
- Mobility — stretching, foam-rolling, mobility drills.
- Sport — basketball, soccer, climbing, tennis.
The activity dashboard's daily / weekly / monthly aggregate rolls everything up regardless of type. Categorisation is for your records, not the math.
Duration ranges per workout type
For reference (ACSM guidance + sports-medicine consensus):
| Type | Typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Strength (resistance training) | 30–75 min | Including warmup + sets + rest |
| Cardio (steady-state) | 20–60 min | Per session |
| HIIT | 10–30 min | Including warmup; the high-intensity portion is brief |
| Circuit / cross-training | 30–60 min | Mixed-modality |
| Class | 45–90 min | Yoga, Pilates often 60 min; spin 45 min |
| Sport (recreational) | 30–120 min | Highly variable |
Don't fixate on the duration — quality of effort and consistency matter more than minute-counting.
What this timer is not
- Not an exercise prescription — the page records what you did; it doesn't tell you what to do. The yoga and stretching surfaces under
/health/offer routine libraries. - Not a calorie estimator — duration alone doesn't infer calories burned. Calorie estimation depends on body weight, exercise type, intensity, and metabolic factors well beyond what the timer captures.
- Not connected to wearables — the duration is what you logged, not what a heart-rate monitor measured.
- Not a pace / split tracker — for running splits, cycling power, or rowing pace, use a dedicated app and log the session duration here.
Worked example
You did a 45-minute upper-body strength workout: bench press, rows, overhead press, pull-ups, biceps, triceps. Your phone was on the bench; you opened the timer when you started warming up.
Live mode:
- Tap Start at 17:30.
- 45 minutes pass.
- Tap Stop at 18:15.
- Duration auto-fills 45.
- Notes: "Strength — chest/back/shoulders/arms. Bench 4x8 at 80, OHP 4x6 at 50, BB row 4x8 at 70, weighted pull-ups 3x6, BB curls 3x10, tricep pushdowns 3x12."
- Save.
The session adds 45 minutes to today's active-minute total.
Frequently asked
Will the timer keep running if I lock my phone? On mobile: in the Android app the timer runs via a foreground service even when the screen is locked; iOS support is in progress. In a mobile browser tab: browsers throttle background JavaScript so the timer may lose time. For the web app, keep the tab foreground.
What if I forgot to log a workout? Use log-only mode — just type the duration and a note. The timestamp defaults to "now" but you can back-date it.
Does the duration feed the wellness score? Yes — total active minutes per day are a wellness-score input. See Wellness scoring.
Can I share my workout history with my trainer? Yes — export-to-PDF from the activity dashboard, or grant your trainer partner-sharing access (read-only) under Data sharing.
Can I save a recurring workout (e.g. "Monday upper body") as a template? Not yet. Workout templates are a planned feature. For now, the notes field captures the routine; copy and paste for future sessions.
Where to read next
- Interval timer — pure work/rest cycle timer (no session log).
- Exercise and workouts — broader exercise context + yoga/stretching libraries.
- Kegel trainer — specialised pelvic-floor timer.
- Wellness scoring — how workout minutes feed the score.
Last updated: 2026-05-11 Author: Ahsan Mahmood
:::note Health information — not medical advice LifeWell and this documentation are provided for general wellness and educational purposes only. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional with questions about your health, and never disregard or delay professional advice because of something you read here. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services. :::