What is a good pacing strategy?

Even. Aim to run minute twelve at the same rate as minute three, and treat any round noticeably slower than the first three as evidence you started too fast.

How big should the round be?

Small enough to complete unbroken at minute twelve, which is usually smaller than it feels at minute two.

Should I rest deliberately?

Short, planned breaks beat long unplanned ones. Ten seconds between movements consistently is faster over fifteen minutes than going unbroken and then stopping for a minute.

Timer · preset of amrap timer

15 minute AMRAP timer

A fifteen minute cap. Long enough that the second half decides the score, and short enough to stay genuinely hard throughout.

Open the full amrap timer to change anything this preset fixes

The timer

Lead-in

Time cap: 15min

Stations, one per line

Named stations appear on the clock as they come up. Leave it as it is to run one unnamed block.

The clock runs fullscreen and keeps the screen awake. It needs JavaScript, so with scripting off the plan below is the whole session written out.

Total: 15:10
Working: 15:00
Periods: 2

01ReadyGet ready0:10
02WorkAMRAP15:00

How it works

Fifteen minutes is where an AMRAP becomes a pacing test rather than an effort test. The first five minutes are almost free, and the score is decided by what you can still do in the last five.

The rule that works is even splits. If round nine takes the same time as round three, the pace was right. Most people find their honest pace is well below what the opening minutes tempt them into.

Planned short breaks beat unplanned long ones. Ten seconds between movements every round is quicker over fifteen minutes than going unbroken for six minutes and then needing a full minute to recover.

Pick a round you can finish without stopping even when tired. A round that has to be broken into pieces by minute eight will keep getting slower, and the total suffers more than the early speed gained.

Questions

What is a good pacing strategy?: Even. Aim to run minute twelve at the same rate as minute three, and treat any round noticeably slower than the first three as evidence you started too fast.
How big should the round be?: Small enough to complete unbroken at minute twelve, which is usually smaller than it feels at minute two.
Should I rest deliberately?: Short, planned breaks beat long unplanned ones. Ten seconds between movements consistently is faster over fifteen minutes than going unbroken and then stopping for a minute.