Whether you go to a gym or open an app at home, it\u2019s surprisingly difficult to come up with a week\u2019s worth of workouts. It\u2019s why you feel like you\u2019re stuck in a rut or always bored two minutes into walking on a treadmill. In moments like this, numbered workouts, like the 3-2-1 method, come to the rescue.<\/p>\n
In a viral TikTok, creator @jennaevelynnn explained the 3-2-1 workout by saying it\u2019s three days of strength training<\/a>, two days of Pilates, and one day of cardio, plus a rest day. For Jenna, that looks like full-body dumbbell workouts<\/a>, YouTube Pilates videos<\/a> in her bedroom, and one sweaty interval sesh<\/a> to get her heart rate up.<\/p>\n This setup provides a handy structure for a full week of exercise<\/a>, but it\u2019s also beloved for the way it doesn\u2019t burn you out. It reminds you to strength train while simultaneously flipping the script on cardio. If you don\u2019t like running or doing HIIT<\/a> every day, that\u2019s OK! The 3-2-1 workout is about mixing things up.<\/p>\n Creator @sapphifeels said this approach turned out to be the perfect routine for her goals<\/a>, while @greer.townsend said she literally swears by it<\/a>. Under the 3-2-1 workout posts on TikTok, the comments sections always fill up fast with questions, like \u201cWhat\u2019s your routine?\u201d and \u201cWait, but what do you actually do?\u201d Here\u2019s what to know.<\/p>\n What Is The \u201c3-2-1\u201d Workout?<\/p>\n According to Heather Andersen<\/a>, a certified Pilates instructor and founder at New York Pilates<\/a>, the 3-2-1 trend is an easy way to keep your workouts simple and balanced. Three days of strength, two of Pilates, and one of cardio create a rhythm that helps you get stronger, she tells Bustle, but it also prevents you from doing too much of one thing.<\/p>\n By folding three strength workouts into your week, you\u2019ll build muscle, improve your bone density, and boost your mental health. Add in one day that focuses on cardio, and just like that, you\u2019re improving your endurance and heart health, too.<\/p>\n According to Andersen, the real secret sauce comes from those two Pilates days. \u201cThat\u2019s what ties everything together,\u201d she says. \u201cPilates teaches anatomy<\/a>, breath, alignment, and core. It\u2019s the foundation that makes every other workout work more effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re doing a Pilates video at home or sliding on a reformer in a studio<\/a>, this modality also offers greater flexibility, core stability, improved posture, and maximizes your other fitness routines. When you follow it up with a rest day,<\/a> you\u2019re really doing things right.<\/p>\n \u201cAll things need to rest, even you, and especially your body,\u201d Andersen says. \u201cThink of it like baking bread. The bread needs time to rise before it becomes something amazing. Rest is your body\u2019s rise time. It\u2019s when all that hard work starts to cook.”<\/p>\n Is This Workout For Everyone?<\/p>\n If you feel drawn to the 3-2-1 method, absolutely give it a try. It isn\u2019t the only way to exercise, but it\u2019s a structure that often feels just right when you\u2019re looking for something well-rounded and easy to remember.<\/p>\n How you exercise is all dependent on your goals. Would this routine be perfect if you were training for a marathon? No. You\u2019d 100% need more cardio. But it\u2019s a nice mix of strength, mobility, and cardio training for others, hence why it\u2019s so viral.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat matters most is finding something you actually enjoy and can stick with,\u201d Andersen says. \u201cConsistency is key. That\u2019s what really makes the difference!\u201d<\/p>\n What The \u201c3-2-1 Workout\u201d Can Look Like<\/p>\n According to Jill Drummond<\/a>, VP of fitness at BODYBAR Pilates<\/a>, you can structure these six workouts however you\u2019d like, but it often helps to alternate the Pilates and strength training days. A sample week might look like:<\/p>\n Monday \u2014 strength training: legs, back, chestTuesday \u2014 PilatesWednesday \u2014 strength training: shoulders, biceps, tricepsWednesday \u2014 PilatesFriday \u2014 strength training: legs<\/a>, back, glutesSaturday \u2014 cardio: running, interval walks<\/a>, swimming, HIIT, rowing<\/a>Sunday \u2014 rest: gentle walking, relaxing, stretching<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to consider that not everyone can work out six days a week,\u201d Drummon tells Bustle. If you need to tweak this schedule, take a break, or insert another rest day, that\u2019s 100% OK. You can also play around with the lengths of your workouts. <\/p>\n Maybe you do a 10-minute dumbbell routine in the morning before work. That\u2019s your strength day. Next, you do a 30-minute Pilates video on your lunch break. It doesn\u2019t have to be intense. Meanwhile, others might want to do a hard legs day at the gym, and that\u2019s great, too. The goal is to switch things up \u2014 and feel excited about your workouts again.<\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n Heather Andersen<\/a>, certified Pilates instructor, founder at New York Pilates<\/a><\/p>\n Jill Drummond<\/a>, VP of fitness at BODYBAR Pilates<\/a><\/p>\n Get Even More From Bustle \u2014 Sign Up For The Newsletter<\/p>\n From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person who\u2019s on TikTok, even if you aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n