As a runner, I don’t often turn to TikTok for inspiration, but the viral “12-3-30” treadmill workout caught my eye. The workout made famous by former actress and social media star Lauren Giraldo has been shared more than 154 million times on TikTok, and users raved about it.
But what is the 12-3-30 treadmill workout and what are its benefits?
Speaking online about the workout, Giraldo said, “I used to be so intimidated by the gym and it wasn’t motivating. But now I’m going to do this one thing, and I can feel good about myself.” If you’re not a fan of running but are looking for a cardio workout to get you moving, Giraldo has found it. (If you’re a runner, we’ve found the best treadmill workouts here).
Instead of running, the workout involves walking up an incline, which has been proven to have some serious benefits, such as increased weight loss (Giraldo credits the workout for helping her lose 30 pounds), as you gain more weight. burn calories walking on an incline than on the flat and working the core, as well as the glutes and calves. Compared to running, power walking also has less impact on the joints, so it’s a good option for those who find running too intense.
Looking for more training inspiration? We’ve found the best abs you can do for free, one that’s better than squats for building your glutes, and one of the best abs when it comes to shaping a slimmer waist.
How do you do the 12-3-30 workout?
Don’t panic, it’s much, much easier than it sounds. To take this treadmill workout, all you need to do is:
- Warm-up for 5 minutes, either on the flat or on a gentle slope
- Set the incline of the treadmill to 12%
- Set the treadmill speed to 3mph
- Walk 30 minutes
There is no set guideline about whether or not to hold the treadmill bars. Giraldo says she holds the bars about 30% of the time and goes hands-free the other 70%.
What does the 12-3-30 workout look like?
Just to warn you, I was ten days away from running my fourth marathon when I tried this workout, so I considered myself in pretty good shape. On average, I walk four to five times a week, averaging about 30 miles, but other than going out with the dog, power walking is not part of my daily routine.
The first thing I noticed when I installed this treadmill was that 12% is pretty high. We’re talking about a 30 minute hike up a steep hill, not the gentle walk in the park I expected when testing this workout. I would suggest that those not used to regular walking or running could start a little lower as it was a bit of a shock to the system for the first few minutes.
It’s also worth noting, 30 minutes is on the long side of a beginner’s workout. Giraldo herself said it took her a while to run the full 30 minutes and she had to take breaks when she first started, so don’t be afraid to lower the incline if necessary.
Then power walking on an incline uses different muscles than running. As mentioned I was out of a marathon for a few days so I didn’t want to put too much strain on my calves, hamstrings or my lower back muscles as I was supposed to be draining but I definitely felt my calves working harder than they would on a treadmill . (If you suffer from upper or lower back pain, be careful when walking or running on an incline as it can put more pressure on your spine).
Finally, in terms of calorie burn, this workout is not comparable to a HIIT workout or a run. According to my Apple Watch 6, I burned 159 active calories in the 30 minutes, which is much less than running for 30 minutes, but more than walking on flat ground. Of course, calories are very specific to the user’s stats, and according to the profile, in which I hadn’t programmed my data, I had burned 323 calories in 30 minutes.
In total I walked 1.5 miles and climbed 948 feet. While I’ll definitely stick to running outside as my favorite exercise, this was a brilliant, low-impact way to get my heart rate up. What’s more, when I got off the tread, I felt I had really worked my glutes and my hamstrings, areas that runners often neglect, so this would be a great form of cross training a few times a week.
According to her TikTok, Giraldo does this workout five times a week and while I’d say that’s probably a bit much for most gym goers, it’s definitely a great treadmill workout to try if you’re not into running.
Are there any risks associated with the 12-3-30 workout?
Of course no workout is 100% injury proof, but are there any risks associated with the 12-3-30 workout, and is it better than other forms of cardio? In a word, no. While running on incline you are definitely targeting different muscles than when running on flat, there are plenty of other forms of cardio that will work you just as hard.
The workout is also not without its drawbacks, walking on an incline can put more pressure on your lower back, so it’s a good idea to combine this with these back strengthening exercises. You’ll also work your hamstrings and calves harder when you run on an incline, so it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve done a good warm-up before jumping on the treadmill and increasing the incline.
Like all forms of exercise, it’s a good idea to combine the 12-3-30 workout with strength training, stretching and other forms of cardio to work the whole body and avoid getting bored.
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