Looking for a way to effortlessly combine your favourite training styles without spending your whole week in the gym? We’ve got the perfect training schedule for you. 

You don't need to scroll TikTok for long to find a few of the many ‘life-changing’ fitness methods content creators and fitness influencers praise. From training types and workout times to sleep schedules and daily steps, each iteration of a weekly training framework is structured differently. 

For those who like a touch of variation when it comes to their training regime (in other words, can’t stand the idea of repeating the same workout day after day), the latest training framework – the 3-2-8 method – could be the perfect fit for you.

What is the 3-2-8 method?

Created by UK-based Pilates and barre instructor Natalie Rose Edwards in 2022, the method has maintained consistent popularity across TikTok for the past three years.

Encouraging daily movement in a realistic and achievable framework, the 3-2-8 method prescribes the following:

3 days of strength training per week

2 days of low-impact endurance and core-focussed sessions per week

8,000 steps per day

Strength training encompasses any form of exercise that uses weights or resistance to build muscle and endurance. Low-impact endurance training can be achieved with Pilates, barre, yoga or any form of exercise that is generally slower and gentler in nature.

One of the greatest benefits of the 3-2-8 method is that compared to many alternative training regimes being promoted on social media (75 Hard, for example), the workouts don’t require expensive memberships or years of experience to master and won’t eat into your time and energy too drastically. This also means the method can be followed even when travelling. 

Strength and Pilates workouts can be followed from the comfort of your own home, requiring little more than a mat to get started. 8,000 steps –  in line with the exercise recommendations of recent research – may require a bit more intentional effort upon starting the method, with most people struggling to accumulate this step target without carving out extra time. 

Besides the fact that the 3-2-8 method works to prevent the onset of boredom in any routine, the exercise styles and frequency promoted in the framework have been linked to a variety of health benefits. 

"Both Pilates and barre provide a low-impact approach suitable for all fitness levels, focusing on often-overlooked areas like foot strength, ankle, shoulder, and core stability, coordination, pelvic floor activation, and overall mobility," personal trainer and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, Or Artzi, tells PopSugar. 

Strength training not only assists with functional everyday movement, but research has also linked it to improved bone health, injury prevention, and a reduced risk of conditions like heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

Hitting 8,000 steps each day has also been praised by researchers for helping to maintain our health and lower our chances of premature death. One 2023 study published in GeroScience states that walking 8,000 steps per day reduces the risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

Though this training method is essentially a dream come true for Pilates girls and Hot-Girl-walkers, if your fitness goals are shaped by bodybuilding, powerlifting or high-performance athletic events, it’s probably not going to be the most effective way to work out. 

It is, however, a great training framework for anyone looking to build overall strength and endurance without risking injury or over-exertion, with the structured program offering a well-balanced approach to exercise. 

Like any new training method, it’s best to run your capabilities and goals by a qualified professional who can advise on the best way to train for you – especially if you’re recovering from an injury, extended break form movement, or are pre or post-partum.