Is the TikTok-Viral 3-2-8 Method a Good Workout Plan?

If you’ve heard of the TikTok-viral 3-2-8 workout plan, you might be wondering if it actually lives up to all the hype. If you’re like me, you probably love to keep up with the latest workout trends online, especially when they’re as easy as the 3-2-8 method presents itself to be. This weekly home exercise routine involves a mix of strength training, pilates or barre exercises, and walking to help you build strength, improve your endurance, and tone your muscles. But is it really as effective as people claim it to be? 

Let’s double down on the viral 3-2-8 method and whether it will work for everyone. In this article, we’ll break down the pros and cons in detail to help you decide if it’s the right workout plan for you. We’ll also help you figure out how to approach it based on your budget and equipment. Here’s everything you need to know about the 3-2-8 at-home fitness plan. 

What Is the 3-2-8 Method?

Fitness influencers on social media, particularly TikTok, can’t stop raving about the 3-2-8 method, and it’s easy to see why. This workout program’s popularity can be attributed to the fact that it’s quick, well-rounded, and adaptable. Anyone at any stage on their fitness journey can easily follow the regimen, whether you’re a beginner or a hardcore gym buff. More importantly, in my case, you can complete it anywhere, like your home gym. 

The fitness program was created by Natalie Rose, a UK-based pilates and barre instructor who owns the virtual Body by Barre Studio. She posted a TikTok video introducing the 3-2-8 plan to the world in December 2022, and it’s only grown traction since then. In her videos, she describes how her method can be done at home or at the gym, and how within 12 weeks, “You will feel transformed.” 

To feel the full effects of the 3-2-8 method, you have to follow a weekly exercise plan that includes three key components: 

• Three weighted strength training workouts each week
• Two pilates or barre workouts each week 
• 8,000 steps every day

Three Strength-Based Workouts 

The three strength-based workouts can consist of doing upper body, lower body, and full body days and may involve using equipment like dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and ankle weights to target specific muscle groups. This can be easily executed at the gym or at home if you have the right equipment. 

This high-impact part of the workout method focuses on building strength. For more results, Rose suggests you can progressively load the intensity of your workouts every four to six weeks, and you can even include compound exercises in full-body weight workouts and split weighted workouts into full-, lower-, and upper-body sessions.

According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, 30 to 60 minutes of strength training per week is enough to yield long-lasting results from strength training, such as lowered risk of fatality from from cancer and diabetes. With my body’s limits in mind, I preferred splitting up my weekly strength training into three 20-minute sessions on three separate days, while scheduling recovery workouts in the days in between. 

Two Pilates or Barre Workouts 

The two pilates or barre workouts prioritize active recovery to build core strength and stability and increase flexibility. Emphasizing the importance of recovery days, this low-impact phase of the routine is meant to safeguard your body after high-impact workouts. With just a yoga mat, you can do pilates exercises at home, but if you’d prefer barre workouts, you only need to find a replacement for a bar at home.

Despite being a low-impact exercise method, pilates can be incredibly beneficial to your body, regardless of session duration. A study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior found that just one session of Pilates per week can do wonders for your muscle mass, flexibility, balance, core and abdominal muscle strength, and body awareness. Bumping up your sessions to two per week will do doubt increase the bodily benefits. In my case, I inserted two 30-minute sessions of Pilates every week in between the strength training days. This way, I paced myself and never tired myself too much for the workouts scheduled for the next day. 

8,000 Steps

The last phase of the 3-2-8 method is to take at least 8,000 steps per day. A recent study from the journal Nature found that people in the U.S. take an average of 4,774 steps per day. Going by these numbers, you should be able to meet the 8,000 steps per day requirement by simply taking a daily stroll in your neighborhood in your downtime or by simply walking instead of driving or commuting short distances. If you’d rather stay home, then just hop on a treadmill to meet your daily quota. 

Personally, I never had to use a treadmill to reach 8,000 steps a day. On top of the regular amount of steps I’d take in a day, I merely opted to walk my dog for longer periods of time. Such little effort was enough to meet the 3-2-8 method’s goal. 

Pros of the 3-2-8 Method

Diverse Areas of Activity

One major benefit of the 3-2-8 method is that it involves doing different types of physical activity to improve your overall strength, muscle tone, endurance, and well-being. By combining weight training with core and flexibility exercises as well as walking regularly, you’ll be able to build strength while prioritizing active recovery to deliver effective and efficient results.

Accessibility 

The 3-2-8 method is also fairly accessible and can be followed by doing at-home workouts and activities, though you should be prepared to be active every day. All the workouts can be completed at the gym or more conveniently (and affordably) at home, though you will need some equipment for strength training. It may also be useful to have a yoga mat for pilates workouts. If you choose to do barre workouts, a membership to a virtual or in-person barre class may be helpful but you can also do them at home with a sturdy desk or chair. Getting your steps in each day can be done on a treadmill or by going for walks outside at lunch and before or after work, allowing you to soak up some vitamin D, too.

Strength Building

In addition to targeting different areas of physical health and being accessible, the 3-2-8 method is an excellent way to build strength. Since it relies heavily on weighted exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once, this strength training program is beneficial for toning and building lean muscle mass. This can result in enhanced physical appearance as well as improved athletic performance.

Cons of the 3-2-8 Method

Possible Injuries

Though this method has its advantages, there are some possible risks that come with it as well. Strength training workouts can put a strain on your joints and muscles which could result in injury if proper form isn’t maintained throughout each exercise. If you move too quickly between sets without allowing enough rest in between reps you can injure yourself as well. To help prevent injury, make sure to do dynamic stretches before starting any workout and be mindful not to push yourself past your limits, even if you’re trying to reach your fitness goals quickly.

Can Be Time-Consuming

Another drawback of the 3-2-8 method is that it can require a significant time commitment. To complete the workouts, you should expect to exercise for 30-60 minutes five days a week. If you’re aiming to walk 8,000 steps or about 4 miles, every day, you’ll also need to dedicate a certain amount of time to walking, depending on how active you are normally within your regular routine. This might prove a challenge to those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. 

The Verdict

At first glance, the 3-2-8 method looks like a low-maintenance workout plan designed for busy bodies or beginners, like myself. When I took this fitness program on a test run, what appealed the most to me was how easy it was to execute and how well you can adapt it to your home workout routine. It’s a no-fuss exercise routine that makes you feel healthy and energized every day of the week. 

On a deeper scale, the TikTok-famous 3-2-8 method is an effective and accessible way to build strength and endurance in a shorter amount of time. However, it is important to be mindful of potential injuries and to keep in mind that this method may not be suitable for everyone. For one, it doesn’t include cardio or dieting in its plan. Alternatives such as HIIT workouts can be a great way to add variety to your exercise routine while still helping you to progress on your fitness goals. On that note, it’s important to find the workout plan that works best for your individual needs and goals, so the 3-2-8 method can be one of many options to explore if it fits your lifestyle.