VIRAL WORKOUTS COME and go. A trainer comes up with a novel workout protocol, gives it a catchy name, slaps on a hashtag then uploads it to TikTok. The rest is usually history – a brief moment in history, but history, nonetheless.
Some of these workouts, however, do have merit and are undergirded by basic principles of exercise science. 12-3-30 is one such workout.
The #12330workout has hundreds of millions of views on TikTok. The treadmill-based workout takes 30 minutes to complete and is often touted as the “best way” to shed fat fast. You might have seen people at your gym walking on a steep incline – they’re likely not prepping for a hike; they’re just jumping on board this popular workout trend.
The question is, should you jump on with them? Read on to find out.
What is the 12-3-30 workout?
You can credit the 12-3-30 workout to lifestyle influencer Lauren Giraldo, who uploaded the workout to her YouTube channel back in 2019. The idea is simple: walk on a treadmill set to an incline of 12, at a speed of 3.0 miles per hour, for 30 minutes. Giraldo credits her 13.5 kg weight loss to doing the workout, which she does five times per week.
Does the 12-3-30 workout get results?
Like any workout, if you stick to it, then sure. Consistency, as we all know by now, is the most critical workout variable there is. The beauty of the 12-3-30 workout is that the entry point is not onerous. Anyone can raise the incline on a treadmill and start walking. A gradient of 12 is manageable and a pace of 3 miles (4.8 km/h) per hour is considered a moderate pace. Thirty minutes is a snack, an episode of your favourite podcast.
The benefits of the 12-3-30 workout are not to be sniffed at. Walking on an incline increases intensity. This can improve your cardiovascular fitness. Pair that with a nutritious diet and the increased energy burn can create a calorie deficit.
It also doesn’t overly tax your joints. A study in Gait & Posture found that walking on an incline lessened stress on the knee joint while still strengthening muscles in the legs simultaneously. In a separate study, walking on an incline of at least 10 per cent reduced knee pain and promoted strength in older adults.
Incline walking is probably a less daunting prospect for many people than a 30-min run and may be just as effective in torching calories. A 68-kg person who jogs for 30 minutes at 6mph will burn around 337 calories, according to the American Council on Exercise fitness calculator.
Meanwhile, a 68-kg person doing the 12-3-30 will burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.
What are the benefits of the 12-3-30 workout?
As a fairly robust form of cardio, 12-3-30 is good for your heart.
It’s also low impact, meaning you’re not loading up your joints as you do when running or jumping.
Of course, it’s very accessible – most commercial gyms have a treadmill section, many with fancy screens to keep you entertained. If they’re full you can head outside and find a hill to walk up for 30 mins.
How often should you do the 12-3-30 workout?
It depends on what your goals are. If your goal is to maintain a baseline level of fitness and improve your cardiovascular health, doing the 12-3-30 workout three to five times a week will likely get you there.
But if you want to build muscle then you probably only need to do the 12-3-30 workout, or any cardio, for that matter, twice a week.
What are some other workouts that will achieve similar results to the 12-3-30 workout?
It’s always a good idea to vary your workouts and alter the stimulus with which you attack your muscles. You’re also advised to vary the intensity of your workouts. Some days you might consider altering the incline to 6, for example. Other days you might crank it up to 15 but cut the duration to just 15 minutes. You could also increase your walking pace. The bottom line is you don’t need to do the same rigid protocol day in, day out.
And you can also change up the equipment if the old ‘dreadmill’ is getting too monotonous. The rowing machine and the assault bike can give you an upper body burn while also spiking your heart rate.
Is the 12-3-30 workout for you?
The 12-3-30 protocol could be a good way to get back in the gym after a lay-off. Consider giving it a month and seeing where you’re at. After that, you’ll likely have developed a habitual workout routine. From there, you might want to move on to other more efficient forms of cardio – think of 12-3-30 as your gateway cardio burn.
Related:
Why you should be doing somatic workouts
13 biceps exercises that will help you build bigger arms
