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Health

What the research says about the benefits of low-intensity cardio

Low-intensity steady-state cardio has been touted as a way to lose weight and put less strain on your body while exercising. Science of exercise columnist Grace Wade looks into whether it works

By Grace Wade

26 March 2025

Beautiful sport couple walking on the path in the park; Shutterstock ID 2189172403; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

“A long stroll in the park doesn’t sound too bad…â€

Shutterstock/Gorgev

When it comes to exercise, my aim is usually to get the most out of each workout, pushing myself to my max. No gain without pain, right? But maybe that isn’t always the case.

In the past few years, low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio has been growing in popularity as a way to lose weight. One example is the TikTok “12-30-3” workout trend, where you walk up a 12 per cent incline for 30 minutes at 3 mph (4.8 kilometres per hour). This type of exercise involves slower aerobic…

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