Fitness
A Trainer Weighs In On The TikTok-Viral 12/3/30 Workout Trend
Here's what to know.
TikTok is chock full of exercise ideas that range from the really hard to the really fun (hello, hula hoop workouts). Of course, it’s not always a wise idea to take fitness advice from the video-sharing app. But if you’ve stumbled upon the 12/3/30 workout trend, you might want to pull on some leggings, prop your phone up on a treadmill, and give it a try.
Created by fitness influencer Lauren Giraldo, the workout has over 63 million views on TikTok — a number that proves its fanfare. So what is the 12/3/30 workout, exactly? The rules are simple: Set your treadmill to an incline of 12%, bump the speed to 3 mph, and then walk for 30 minutes.
The workout might sound easy at first glance, but by the time the half-hour is up, you’re guaranteed to be sweaty and exhilarated. When you look through the videos under the workout’s hashtag, you’ll find scores of devoted followers who swear by the treadmill routine’s results. Things users note are improved endurance and muscle tone, as well as a sense of accomplishment for sticking with their new routine.
Intrigued? Read on to hear what a fitness trainer has to say about the viral 12/3/30 workout and how it can benefit your exercise regimen.
12/3/30 Workout Benefits
According to Vanessa Liu, a certified fitness trainer and nutritionist, one of the reasons why the 12/3/30 is so popular is because it’s hard enough to provide noticeable results, but not so difficult that it scares people away, making it a great choice for people at all fitness levels. “The 12% incline is pretty challenging, so it’s definitely an intense workout,” Liu tells Bustle. “Yet, a speed of 3 mph is the average walking speed for most people, so it’s a very doable speed.”
The routine is also manageable enough that you’re less likely to get frustrated and give up, which you might be tempted to do with trickier workouts. “When something is simple to do, you’re more likely to stay consistent and keep doing it,” Liu says. And that’s the most important factor when it comes to trying a new workout. “The longer you can stay consistent with it, the better results you’ll get.”
As far as benefits go, walking on an incline is a great way to boost your cardio endurance. “In the same way that anyone who’s walked or hiked uphill knows you can quickly get out of breath, incline workouts are a great way to increase your heart rate,” Liu says. When you add in the speed factor as well as the length of the workout, you’re getting a solid bit of cardio during the routine. The steep incline will also force your body to pitch forward in a way that works the glutes, which might explain why everyone who follows this trend on TikTok is taking mirror selfies.
If you want to strengthen your lower body, get your heart rate up, and find a routine that’s the right balance of simple and challenging, the 12/3/30 might be right for you. Stick with it and you’ll likely begin to notice a change in how you feel after a couple of weeks, says Liu. And if you feel inclined to take a selfie after weeks of hiking that incline, go for it.
