What’s Wrong With the 12-3-30 Workout (and What’s Right)
The 12-3-30 workout took over TikTok, which is a testament to the algorithm and the ability of a few influencers to beat it. It’s really just walking on a treadmill, with specific parameters and overblown promises. So let’s take a look at the pros, cons, and caveats—and put together a plan for how to do the kind of workout that makes sense for you .
What is a 12-3-30 workout?
This is walking on a treadmill with a maximum incline. In other words, you will go uphill. You set the incline to 12% (the highest you can use on many treadmills), speed to 3.0 mph (a fairly typical walking speed for most of us on flat ground) and do it for 30 minutes.
Its promoter, Lauren Giraldo , said she does it five times a week. She also said that this is the main thing she does in the gym, with other exercises performed less consistently, and she shared before and after photos of other women who believe the workout helped them lose weight.
Is the 12-3-30 workout good for weight loss?
Tricky question! No single workout will help you lose weight. You lose weight by eating a little less than you burn , measured as an average over time. Exercise can help you burn more calories, but your body often compensates by burning fewer calories when you’re resting , so you can’t just trust walking on a treadmill to burn a certain number of calories every time.
So, is exercise good for weight loss? Yes. Does it guarantee some weight loss? No, absolutely not. And does the 12-3-30 workout do anything special to help you lose weight? Definitely not.
Is the 12-3-10 workout suitable for beginners?
Look, this workout is hard . It’s often recommended for beginners, but if you’re not used to walking uphill, your calves will burn and you’ll be out of breath in the first few minutes. Giraldo herself says she lost her breath after two minutes when she first tried it, and she revealed today that at first she had to stop and rest after the first 10 or 15 minutes.
If you haven’t walked on a treadmill yet, let’s take a little tour of the numbers. Three miles per hour is quite normal for walking on level ground; if you ask Google Maps for a walking route to a place that is a mile away, it is estimated that it will take you 20 minutes to get there. So this part makes perfect sense.
But then you start going up the slope and everything changes. A 1% slope is noticeably harder than walking on a flat surface. 2% is already pretty cool. Keep hitting the “increase slope” button and by the time you get to 12% it will be ridiculous. (By comparison, riding lawnmowers are generally not recommended for a 15 percent slope. Imagine looking up a hill and thinking, “Hmm, I don’t know if I can mow it safely,” and that’s pretty close. what you are aiming for.here.)
Such a steep incline will be a tough test for the cardiovascular system and will probably cause muscle soreness the first time. (Think calves, hamstrings, glutes, and quads. Maybe back too.) If it’s hard on your muscles, you probably shouldn’t do it for 30 minutes the first time, and you definitely shouldn’t. repeat this four more times. once that week.
Is the 12-3-30 workout so good that you don’t need strength training?
Nope. Once your body gets used to this workout, it will be cardio . Cardio is very, very good for you, but it’s not the same as weight training, which is another important component of an exercise program .
So if you want to do it and your body is ready for it, great! Just be sure to add a strength training program before, after, or instead of walking on the treadmill at least two days a week.
What does training 12-3-30 give
First, walking on an incline treadmill is indeed a great alternative to running. Find a speed and incline at which you breathe a little harder than at rest ( not out of breath), and your heart and lungs will work just as hard as if you were running at an easy pace. If you hate running but want to use the treadmill as your primary cardio machine, incline walking is a great option.
Second, it’s simple. This is attractive to beginners because you know exactly where you will go in the gym and what settings you will be using. This breaks down a ton of barriers people often face when starting a new exercise program. Just go ahead and do it.
And finally, if you stick to the schedule – 30 minutes five times a week – you will definitely meet the US and World Health Organization recommendations for exercise , which require a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio per week (along with a minimum of two days of training). strength training).
What to do instead of training 12-3-30
If you like the idea of a simple treadmill workout to get your cardio through the day, you can do it, but you don’t have to start at 12-3-30. Exercises are not universal and you need to find a workout that is right for you .
So, start by finding a speed on the treadmill that will allow you to walk for at least 20 minutes. If you need to take breaks, or if you can’t make it to the full 20 minutes at first, that’s okay. Set your speed to 3.0 (or less if you need to) and work towards your 20 minute goal. Once you can hit 20, increase it to 30. If you’re not in shape to begin with, this whole process can take a few weeks.
In the meantime, work on your sequence. Can I exercise three times a week? Again, start with what you can do and add to that. Now you’re at 0-3-30, and you do it three times a week. Maybe that’s enough for now.
When you’re ready for a bigger challenge, start increasing the incline. Can you last 30 minutes if the incline is set to 1%? How about 2%? You get the idea: use the hardest setting that will let you walk off the treadmill feeling like you’ve had a good workout and are ready to do it all again tomorrow. It doesn’t matter if the slope is 1% or 12%. And if you hate walking on a treadmill, there’s nothing magical about it — you can get on an elliptical or spin bike instead.