The 12-3-30 Workout: What Is It & Does It Work?

If you've managed to make it to the gym lately, well done. You might have spotted a new trend sweeping through the treadmill section. Namely, the 12-3-30 workout. 

And if you're not a regular at your gym? It's likely that you'll have seen the trend taking off on TikTok. The hashtag #12330challenge already has a whopping 42.5M views, and it seems like every fitness influencer is giving it a go. 

It's easy to see why the workout has become so popular. It follows three simple rules: set the treadmill incline to 12%, the speed to 3 mph, and walk for 30 minutes. Hence the name: the 12-3-30 workout. Also, walking on a treadmill somehow feels less intimidating than running – not to mention, easier on the knees and (potentially) less dangerous. 

But where did the 12-3-30 workout actually come from? And – more importantly – does it actually work? GLAMOUR spoke to celebrity personal trainer and founder of Be The Fittest, Tyrone Brennand, and Meggan Grubb, a wellness expert and founder of the Beyond app, to get the low-down. 

What is the TikTok 12-3-30 workout?

Although it feels like the 12-3-30 workout has appeared out of nowhere, it actually originated with social media influencer Lauren Giraldo, who shared it on YouTube in 2019 and again on TikTok in November 2020. 

In her TikTok, Lauren called the workout a “game-changer," and explained that “literally all you need is a treadmill. You put it on an incline of 12, a speed of three, and walk for 30 minutes as many times you can a week,” before adding that she does it five times per week. 

She added, "I used to be so intimidated by the gym and it wasn't motivating. But now I go, I do this one thing, and I can feel good about myself."

You can watch the TikTok, here: 

Since Lauren's video dropped, it's garnered 2.7M views and has encouraged plenty of TikTok users to try the trend for themselves. One in particular, @bliss.ohh, points out that Lauren uses a treadmill that measures speed in miles per hour, while many UK treadmills use kilometres per hour.

If your treadmill uses km, she recommends setting your speed to 4.8/9 kilometres per hour. You can see her TikTok, here: 

Is the 12-3-30 workout effective? 

According to Tyrone Brennand, the 12-3-30 workout has pros and cons. He explains that "on the one hand, it is a good workout to inspire people to start working out – it is simple to follow and doesn’t take up a lot of time. It can be engaging and motivating for beginners in the gym. 

“A lot of people don’t know what they want from their session and this is a great way to burn some calories, improve cardiovascular fitness levels and also work and tone your legs.”

“However,” Tyrone adds, “the workout has its limits. This workout cannot be solely relied upon to improve fitness and strength levels and should definitely not be the only workout you do. If you do the same workout repeatedly, you run the risk of plateauing. Ideally, you need to change the speed and intensity of these workouts – otherwise, you will not improve.”

Tyrone also notes that the workout “does not take into account different levels of fitness,” saying, “this workout wouldn’t be beneficial to me but it could be to someone who has never been on a treadmill before.” He also warns, “beware of workout trends that promise to burn fat. There is not always scientific evidence to back these statements up!” 

What are the benefits of the 12-3-30 workout?

Meggan Grubb describes the 12-3-30 workout as “beneficial to your health, mentally and physically,” as it “will work your lower body as you will be using your quads and glutes particularly to walk at that uphill level.”

Meggan adds, “It will work up a sweat and burn calories, which will come with all the mind and energy benefits that endorphins bring."

However, she notes, “it's completely dependant on your goals as to how beneficial this workout will be. If you want to build a lot of muscle and strength then doing this alone won’t build/do much in the grand scheme of things.

“I personally would suggest mixing in some other forms of movement into your week as well as this though, it could become boring and repetitive leading to not enjoying training at all but if walking is all you want to/are able to do just occasionally doing the walk outside instead could be a good way to mix things up.”

How many times a week should you do 12-3-30?

Meggan recommends, “going for walks most days to get your steps in,” adding that, “the 12-3-30 workout is great to do three times a week alongside some other forms of training if you are wanting to get stronger.” 

She also notes “If you just purely want to move your body then this workout alone is great five times a week – just be wary you may get bored and lose interest quickly!”

Don't fancy going to the gym? Check out GLAMOUR's edit of the 13 best treadmills you can buy to upgrade your home workouts: 

For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.

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