As the 12-3-30 workout goes, participants walked at a 12% incline at 3mph (or 4.8kmph for UK treadmills) for 30 minutes, with no handrail holding allowed; their runs were self-paced, stopping once their total calorie burn matched that of their 12-3-30 workouts (they each performed one 12-3-30 workout and one run within a seven-day period). Researchers then measured whether participants sourced more of their energy from fat or carbohydrates<\/a> while exercising, and the results showed that running burned 33% of its calories from fat, while incline walking burned 40% from fat. <\/p>\n This won\u2019t be a surprise if you\u2019re familiar with heart rate zone training \u2013 zone 2 training<\/a> at 65-75% of your max heart rate, like incline walking, uses fat as your primary fuel source over carbohydrates. As your heart rate increases, you switch from your aerobic energy system to your glycolytic energy system and begin to use carbs for energy. But for many, the study\u2019s findings go against the common belief that high-intensity workouts are best for fat burning. <\/p>\n Incline walking is more effective for fat burning than running, study confirms<\/p>\n While running triggered a faster (but not bigger) calorie burn, it relied more heavily on carbohydrate stores for fuel. Incline walking, at a lower intensity than running, showed that the body\u2019s fuel preference was fat. That\u2019s good news if you\u2019re aiming to preserve muscle mass and glycogen stores while maximising fat loss, particularly if you\u2019re training in a calorie deficit and need to conserve energy. <\/p>\n But there are a few limitations to be aware of. The first is that the study had a small sample size of just 16 participants (seven female, nine male), though the authors note that this is \u2018large enough\u2019 to corroborate the findings. <\/p>\n Secondly, if you\u2019re short on time \u2013 and less bothered by where you burn calories from, it\u2019s worth noting that running burned the same number of calories in 23 minutes, seven minutes faster than incline walking. Body recomposition \u2013 preserving and building muscle while burning fat \u2013 is important for everyone, but anyone significantly overweight may benefit from starting with running to achieve a negative energy balance, which the study\u2019s authors note is the \u2018main determinant for weight loss\u2019. <\/p>\n How to do the 12-3-30 workoutSet your treadmill incline to 12%Set your speed to 3mph (or 4.8kmph)Walk for 30 minutes12-3-30 workout safety tips<\/p>\n We asked fourfive<\/a> ambassador and celeb PT Jenny Francis-Townson<\/a>: Who is the 12-3-30 workout good for? People with a good fitness base who want to \u2018tune out to the world\u2019People who are prone to injury\/joint pain and will benefit from low-impact movement<\/p>\n Who should avoid the 12-3-30 workout?<\/p>\n Beginners, since \u2018it\u2019s certainly a challenge and will put a lot of strain on your body\u2019. Start with 10 minutes at 4% incline once a week. After a month, increase by 2% and five minutes and continue doing so every two weeksThose who are already suffering with knee<\/a> or lower back problems<\/p>\n This article first appeared in Women\u2019s Health UK <\/p>\n Try our marathon plans for free<\/p>\n Fancy giving our marathon plans a try? For a limited time only, we\u2019re giving customers the chance to unlock 14 days of free access to our complete training plan library on the Runner\u2019s World UK app.<\/p>\n![\"incline](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/incline-walk-vs-running-fat-loss-683eca4073d2b.png\" "\\"incline")
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