An estimated 80% of Americans reported participating in sports and fitness activities in the past year, representing an all-time high, according to a 2025 report.
From TikTok routines to old-school military tactics and high-tech machines, this year's fitness trends promised big results with surprisingly simple moves — but experts say not all gains are created equal.
Below is a roundup of five standout trends from 2025, complete with fitness trainers' takes on each approach.
No. 1: 12-3-30 treadmill trend
The 12-3-30 workout — which entails walking at a 12% incline at 3 mph for 30 minutes — exploded on TikTok and is now supported by research. A new study compared it to "self-paced" treadmill running, matching total calories burned between the two.
Running burned energy faster — roughly 13 calories per minute versus 10 calories per minute for 12-3-30, the study found. The walking method used more fat as fuel, however, with about 41% of energy coming from fat, compared to 33% with running.
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