Is the 12-3-30 treadmill workout better than walking 10,000 steps a day? I tried both to find out
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There are pros and cons to both, and the competition isn’t as clear cut as it seems. “It’s easily accessible, with a low barrier to entry in terms of cost, equipment and skill requirements. The vast majority of the population can easily get outside and go for a walk; that’s why we say walking is the best recommendation for exercise.”.
![[I’ve been walking 10,000 steps for years and it’s always worked well for me]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/14/11/WhatsApp-Image-2024-11-13-at-10.03.19.jpg)
But, as with anything simple and successful, the internet has found a way to complicate it. Enter the 12-3-30 method – walking on a treadmill with its incline set to 12, at 3mph, for 30 minutes. Influencer Lauren Giraldo brought the method into the mainstream, claiming it helped her lose 30lb (just over 13.5kg). Now this “cardio hack” has racked up millions of views on Tiktok, with top videos promising rapid weight loss and a “toned” physique.
As a fitness writer who’s ever-sceptical of anything that sounds too good to be true, I decided to give it a go for myself, and see how it compared to simply walking 10,000 steps a day sans-treadmill – which is something I’ve enjoyed doing for years with no complaints.
If you want to try the 12-3-30 trend, all you need is a treadmill and a spare 30 minutes. Set the treadmill’s incline to 12, bump the speed up to 3mph (or 4.8kph if, like me, your treadmill of choice only operates in the metric system) then walk for 30 minutes. You can do this in the gym, or using your treadmill at home.
