New Study Suggests 12-3-30 Treadmill Workout May Outperform Running in Fat Burning

A trending fitness regimen known as the 12-3-30 treadmill workout has taken social media by storm, accumulating over 14 million views on TikTok. This workout, popularized by influencer Lauren Giraldo, involves walking at a steep incline of 12 percent, at a speed of three miles per hour, for a duration of 30 minutes. Recent research sheds light on whether this method is as effective as traditional running for fat burning.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, provide insight into calorie burn and the types of fuel the body utilizes during each workout. The researchers aimed to understand if the 12-3-30 workout offers a significant advantage over standard treadmill running.

Study Overview and Methodology

The study analyzed the workouts of 16 healthy young adults, both male and female. Each participant completed two different exercises: one session of the 12-3-30 workout and another of self-paced running, which they maintained for about 20 to 25 minutes. Notably, both sessions were designed to burn the same total number of calories.

Caloric Burn Rates

Results indicated that, although the 12-3-30 workout took longer to complete than running, the difference in calorie burn was notable. The running regimen resulted in a burn rate of approximately 13 calories per minute, compared to 10 calories per minute for the 12-3-30 workout. This finding aligns with expectations based on aerobic exercise intensity.

Maelee Wells Sutton, a certified personal trainer at Crunch Fitness, commented on these results. She noted that it is