The viral 12-3-30 workout

The Truth About The 12-3-30 Workout

So there’s a trending workout on Tick-Tok that caught my attention.

The 12-3-30 workout.

Apparently, the hashtag has racked up 400+ million views with all sorts of people sweatin’ it out with this extremely complex treadmill workout.

Here’s how it works:

#1: Find a treadmill
#2: Set the incline for 12 at 3mph and walk for roughly 30 minutes.

(Hence the 12-3-30)

Many people (and impersonal trainers) claim it’s a slam-dunk for fat-burning. And that it’s a phenomenal way to help beginners get the ball rolling on their fitness goals. 

Here are a few thoughts on this viral trend:

When a complete beginner steps into a gym, they often don’t know where to start. They don’t know if they should hop on the bike… or the step master… or the various weight machines. In addition they are confused about:

How many reps should I do to tone up?
How long should I rest between sets?

That’s where a K.I.S.S.-like workout program (like 12-3-30) can be a godsend because it clears away all the complexity. It allows someone to get busy instead of spinning their wheels and dabbling between different workout routines.

So for some people, I have no doubt they can start to get traction on their goals and make rapid progress by going through this routine. And hopefully it inspires them to add additional exercises and movements.

On the other hand, this routine may not work well for someone starting at ground zero.
This person may struggle to even get 30 minutes of inclined walking. For someone like this they may need to start with a 0-3-30 (zero incline – 3mph – for 30 minutes). Or even a 12-3-15 (15 minutes instead of 30).

People eat up these types of viral workouts.

Sometimes these programs are uh, less than stellar. Other times they are good enough. And that’s a good thing because it brings greater attention and interest to fitness. And pulls more people in to get started.

Rarely are these programs the be-all-end-all.

But they can get you moving more. And as long as you adapt the program to your starting point, these can be powerful tools on your fitness journey.

Kelan Ern

P.S. For more powerful tools to help you on your fitness journey – check out Breakthrough Fitness Strategies – where I share 51+ strategies, tips and insights to gain the mindset and skillset to breakthrough to the next level of fitness.