As a girl who loves all things fitness, working out, and taking care of my body, I was really intrigued by the treadmill strut workout created by Allie Bennet. Among the crowded and oversaturated TikTok fitness trends, this workout is one I had to try for myself. It stood out to me as a simple yet highly effective way of turning a boring cardio session into something much more fun and uplifting. It really transformed this often isolated, monotonous run into a structured, engaging, and effective workout.Â
Allie Bennet, who calls herself the “CEO of the treadmill strut,” rose to TikTok fame with her viral video in April of 2022. She decided to develop this 36-minute treadmill workout set to the songs of none other than Taylor Swift. In her original video, which now has 4.2 million views on the app, she posted her instructions for the workout. When you start with the first song on the playlist, find your pace, then with each song change, you increase the speed by 0.1 miles per hour. When you are finishing up, and get to your last two songs, you crank up the speed to a jogging pace or even a walking pace that is more of a challenge for your personal skills, then finally on the last song, you slow it down to a cool down pace to relax your heart rate while you finish up the work out.Â
While her most popular video is her Taylor Swift treadmill strut, she also has other versions of this incredibly fun routine. She’s created a strut workout with artists such as Lizzo, which has a total of 1.8 million views. A Dua Lipa workout video that now has 2.1 million views, and finally an Ariana Grande and Doja Cat video with both videos at 3.9 million views each. (Each of these playlists is also available on Allie Bennet’s Spotify page, too.)
SO, I tried the Taylor Swift treadmill strut workout for myself
When I tried this workout (the Taylor Swift one, to be exact) for the first time, I will say, I was filled with a bit of skepticism. I did my pre-workout stretches and a five-minute meditation and then hopped onto the treadmill. The first song, “The Man” from Lover, came on, and it instantly locked me into the workout. However, the pacing, which started at 3.8 for me, was a bit slow at first. The initial few minutes felt almost too easy, a gentle warm-up that lulled me into a false sense of security.Â
But the genius of the structure quickly revealed itself. When each song changed into the next, the obligatory small increases became a manageable goal. I was focused on the micro-goal of making it to the next chorus or the next track.Â
By the midpoint of the playlist, my slower walking pace reached a quicker jog at a speed of 4.5 mph. The feeling of isolation quickly slipped away, as I was in my own world vibing out to the music, almost feeling like a main character. The prescribed challenge in the final two songs was where the real test began. Pushing the speed to 6.0 mph not only felt like I had been working up to the speed the whole workout, but it also felt exhilarating. It was a gradual peak I had worked up to, and not just suddenly forced myself to do.
The cool down at the end with a softer one of Taylor Swift’s songs was incredibly peaceful. It was a great way to slow down my heart rate and calm down my tense shoulders and nerves. I was able to genuinely appreciate the rush and love I have for fitness.
Getting off the treadmill, I was thinking about two things: the 36-minute workout had honestly flown by, and I felt accomplished with such a calming but also intentional workout. The Treadmill Strut succeeded where so many other TikTok fitness trends have failed. It didn’t rely on extravagant equipment or shortcuts, but on a greater understanding of our behavioral psychology. It made cardio a tangible task for anyone to participate in, using music not as a distraction but as a means towards an end and an essential framework for a great workout. It’s a workout I definitely can recommend to beginners and avid gym goers alike.Â