There are three separate time decisions
The number of movements, the work interval and the rest interval all affect a calisthenics session. In the app, Short or Extended changes the movement selection. The workout settings separately offer 30, 40 or 50 seconds of work for each movement.
Rest has another important detail: when Guidance is enabled, preparation adapts to fit the spoken explanation. The manual rest picker appears when Guidance is off. A stored default or a website estimate therefore cannot tell you the exact break before every movement.
Choose work and rest from the actual controls
The work options are 30, 40 and 50 seconds. The manual rest choices are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 seconds. New military-app settings use a 20-second rest value, but an existing installation can retain the value previously saved.
The first preparation interval is handled separately. During playback, the app can use more preparation time when its audio requires it. You can also pause when you need longer to get into a position. Treat the picker as a setting, not a reason to hurry an unsafe or unclear transition.
| Control | What it changes | What it does not change |
|---|---|---|
| Short or Extended plan day | The selected movements in that day. | The work interval for each movement. |
| 30 / 40 / 50 seconds | The work window for each movement. | Which movements belong to the day. |
| Manual rest, with Guidance off | The selected recovery setting. | Your need for additional pauses. |
| Guidance on | Preparation can expand around spoken cues. | The underlying movement list. |
A transparent base-time calculation
For an illustration with ten movements, 30 seconds of work, a 15-second initial preparation and nine 20-second rests, the base total is 495 seconds: 8 minutes 15 seconds. Twenty movements under the same assumptions total 995 seconds: 16 minutes 35 seconds.
These calculations exclude extra pauses, transition delays and any extension needed by audio. Preparation and rests add to the active-movement total. They also differ from the website’s standard comparison estimate, which allocates 45 seconds per listed movement.
| Example | Active movement | Preparation and rests in this illustration | Base total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 movements, 30-second work | 5:00 | 0:15 + 9 × 0:20 | 8:15 |
| 20 movements, 30-second work | 10:00 | 0:15 + 19 × 0:20 | 16:35 |
| 10 movements, 40-second work | 6:40 | 0:15 + 9 × 0:20 | 9:55 |
Change the setting that addresses your problem
Allow more recovery or use a pause whenever setup needs extra time. If the amount of work per movement is too much, shorten the work interval or stop the attempt sooner. Compare Short when you need a smaller movement list.
When learning a new variation, keep other settings familiar. A different press and a longer interval together make it difficult to identify which change caused the extra demand. Check and save the settings you want for the next visit.
Use timing as a planning tool
The original day-one walkthrough shows the ten-movement sequence behind the first example. The short-versus-extended guide shows which movements are added to the longer version. Use both when you need a session that fits a real time window.
Use your movement observations alongside the timer when judging the practice. If you finish an interval early because your position changed, note the controlled part you completed. That gives you a more useful reference than treating every elapsed second as equivalent work.
Try it in the library

About the author
Arisa TanaphonCalisthenics and bodyweight training writer
Arisa writes about calisthenics for beginners, bodyweight strength and building a consistent home workout routine. Her guides explain exercise technique, progression and training plans through practical demonstrations. She also teaches Tai Chi.





