You are following a workout video on your Mac — 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest, repeat. The video itself doesn't always have a built-in timer overlay, or you are doing your own routine off a written plan. Either way, you need to track intervals while your hands are on the floor or holding a dumbbell, which rules out typing into an app or scrolling a picker wheel between sets.
Phone timers help, but glancing at a phone mid-plank means twisting your body or breaking form. A timer on the screen you are already facing is far more practical.
Why macOS offers nothing built for this
The Clock app's timer is designed for a single one-off countdown, not repeated intervals. Restarting it between every set means reopening the app, re-scrolling the wheel, and pressing Start again — all while breathing hard between reps. There is no interval mode, no quick-repeat button, nothing tailored to exercise.
The fix: Tickpull
Tickpull makes restarting a timer fast enough to do between sets without losing your rhythm. Drag to set a duration, release to start, and the ring fills in the menu bar where your screen already is. Setting the next interval takes one more drag — no menus, no scrolling.
HIIT intervals
Drag to 40 seconds for work, then quickly drag to 20 for rest. The ring gives a visual sense of how much of the interval remains, so you can pace effort without staring at a countdown number.
Stretching and mobility holds
Holding a stretch for 30 or 60 seconds per side is easy to shortchange without a timer. Set it once, hold the position, and let the haptic tap on completion tell you when to switch sides.
Rest between strength sets
Two or three minutes of rest between heavy sets is easy to lose track of when you're chatting or checking your phone. A quick drag keeps you honest about rest time without needing a stopwatch app open.