Now that summer is in full swing, I wanted to share my treadmill routine as it’s a great way to get cardio in without having to work around the weather outside. I prefer walking outside whenever I can because you can’t beat the benefits of fresh air, but when it’s too hot (or raining), this is my go-to as opposed to the 12-3-30 routine. For those who are unfamiliar, the 12-3-30 treadmill routine is when you set your treadmill to level 12 incline, the speed to 3mph, and walk for 30 minutes. It’s a great workout and you really work up a sweat, but it can put a lot of pressure on your lower back and increase risk of injury to your joints (particularly knees and ankles). I’ll still do it every now and then, but I like that my routine feels a little less constricting, and my knees don’t feel sore or swollen afterwards.

Regardless of the routine, I always try to walk in my Hokas - either the Bondi 8 or Clifton 9 style. I’ve shared a full post comparing the two styles if you’re interested in their differences (read it here), but both provide great support when you’re walking, especially on a treadmill.

12-3-30 alternative treadmill routine  

You can of course adjust this depending on how long or far you’d like to walk, but my go-to routine to walk a total of 2 miles at 3.5-3.8 mph and a 5-6% incline, which is half the incline of the 12-3-30 routine. I like focusing on distance rather than time, as I notice myself getting bored or restless if I’m clock-watching. Similar to 12-3-30, it will take about a half hour but doesn’t feel as stagnant or monotonous. Depending on if I’m pairing my walk with lifting or another workout (like pilates or yoga), I’ll adjust the incline or speed - typically upping the speed if I’m doing this as a warm up, or decreasing the incline if I’ve worked out my legs the day before/ if my knee is bothering me.

If you try this routine, be sure to let me know what you think! You can tag me on Instagram if you post it on stories, or leave a comment below.

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