SetStarter Interval Timer Review | Intervals Gone Wild

Interval workouts are great, but how do you time them? Sweating all over your iPhone is just no fun. Other timers are just too big. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just wear a small timer?

Check out the SetStarter it is an interval timer you can wear on your thumb.

SetStarter Interval Timer

I first heard about this thing through LinkedIN, when Eric DeRosa posted about it in the LinkedIN: Fitness and Health Professionals Group.

What a cool concept. I was pulled in immediately and had to learn more. The design looks simple and to the point. But there was one question that came to mind: Would the SetStarter Interval Trainer get the way while working out?

So I sent off an email to Eric telling him how great the product looked, but what he thought about grip issues while working out. He was kind enough to offer sending a product so I could try it out.

(So you’ve been forewarned. I did not buy the product. But at the same time the links to SetStarter are not affiliate links. This is just a straight up review of a cool little product.)

SetStarter Arrives

It didn’t take long for this little device to make its way from North Carolina to Colorado and end up in my hands. Just like I imagined it is a wonderfully simple product. I just had to share over on Google+ and model how cool it looks.

Doesn’t it look cool?

Makes me think of Inspector Gadget with a techno gadget fit snugly to my thumb armed for adventure. But this gadget is suited for fat loss; fat loss through high intensity interval training. Time to put it to the test and start digging into how it works.

SetStarter Interval Timer Review

First things first lets talk about the features on the SetStarter Interval Timer.

SetStarter Buttons

The most prominent features when you first see the SetStarter are buttons. Check these out:

• START – the most prominent button. It is place up high on the device so you can curl your fingers together, as if you were giving the okay sign, to press it while wearing it.
• ALERT – in the upper left of the four buttons on the bottom, this button sets the types of alerts from 7 different variations:
  1. LED
  2. LED and Audible
  3. Audible
  4. Vibration
  5. Vibration and LED
  6. Vibration and Audible
  7. Vibration, Audible, and LED
• TIME – in the upper right of the four buttons on the bottom, this button sets the time of the interval from 10 options:
  1. 15 seconds
  2. 30 seconds
  3. 45 seconds
  4. 60 seconds
  5. 90 seconds
  6. 2 minutes
  7. 3 minutes
  8. 4 minutes
  9. 5 minutes
  10. 6 minutes
• REPEAT – in the lower left of the four buttons on the bottom, this button toggles the repeat mode. When set the SetStarter will repeat the selected interval up to 50 times, unless turned off.
• ON/OFF – in the lower right of the four buttons on the bottom, this button turns the SetStarter Interval Timer on and off.

SetStarter Blinking Lights

With five buttons and all those settings there must be some type of feeback, right? That’s where the blinking lights come to play. The SetStarter Interval Timer has 7, count them 7, light emitting diodes (LEDs). Five of those LEDs are dual color so they can shine either red or green. So let’s describe how they are used:

• 5 Red/Blue LEDS – between the START and the four buttons on the bottom is a row of 5 LEDs with small labels above each. These are used to represent the interval selection when pressing the TIME button. When the LEDs glow red they represent the second intervals including 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 seconds from left to right. Each press of the TIME button moves to the next larger interval. On the sixth press the first LED will light again, but this time it will be green. When the LEDs glow green they represent the minute intervals including 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 minutes.
• Green On Left – this LED glows when the REPEAT button is used to enable the repeat functionality. It glows when the SetStarter Interval Timer will repeat timing intervals.
• Red On Right – this LED blinks on briefly when the device is turned off.

SetStarter Video Review

SetStarter Interval Timer Applications

So how can you use a SetStarter Interval Timer? It is ideally setup when you want to measure the same period of time repeatedly. But think about it; that can do an awful lot.

Weight Lifting

If you’ve been reading along, you know that I have been digging into the importance of timing rest/recovery intervals when working out. This is especially true with weight lifting. The SetStarter is perfect. Just set it up for 4 minute intervals and hit it.

Grab the bar and punch out a killer set of deadlifts, squats, or cleans. Then tap the START button with the pointer finger of the hand with the SetStarter. Off it goes timing your rest period. When it alerts you; go back at your next set.

Simplicity!

SetStarter for Cardio Intervals

Toss the SetStarter on your thumb before heading out the door to run, bike, or rollerblade. Set it up to repeat and pick and one minute intervals. Go hard through three intervals, then slow way down — perfect 3-to-1 cardio intervals.

SetStarter High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Decide to crank it up a notch and do some high intensity interval training. No problem. Choose your format: either one-to-one, or two-to-one for work to rest periods. Then set your interval. Let’s pick two-to-one. Set the timer to 15 seconds, press REPEAT, the press START.

Hit your training as 80-90 percent and work through two intervals. Then take one interval to recover. Hit it again. Simplicity, again.

SetStarter Intervals Gone Wild

Even after playing around with the SetStarter to learn how it worked I was still curious how it would play out in the garage gym. I wanted to see how if affected the numerous types of exercise I’ve been enjoying:

• Kettlebell Training – (Have you checked out my Kettlebell Guide, yet?)
• Bulgarian Training Bag
• Jump Rope
• Pull Ups
• Burpees – gotta love burpees
• Punching Bag
• …

How would this wonderful little techno gadget on my thumb hold up and perform doing these different exercises? I decided it was time for Intervals Gone Wild.

Intervals Gone Wild

I won’t call this a workout, it isn’t structured enough. I just started dragging out equipment to put the SetStarter Interval Timer to the test. Check it out.

SetStarter Interval Timer – It’s a Winner

I’m convinced. This little device is a gem.

Head over to SetStarter and pick one up. Do me a favor and tell Eric that you came from Cube.Dweller.Fitness and Troy says way to go! Simplicity in action.

What do you think? Will you be doning a SetStarter on your thumb anytime soon?