'Weekend warrior' workouts: Cramming exercise into weekends is equally effective
A recent study involving nearly 90,000 participants from the UK Biobank project suggests that cramming a week's worth of exercise into one or two days, a practice known as "weekend warrior" workouts, can be as beneficial as daily physical activity. The research indicates that these weekend warriors have a lower risk of developing over 200 diseases compared to inactive individuals. This finding provides reassurance for those who struggle to incorporate exercise into their busy weekday schedules.
Health benefits span across a spectrum of diseases
The study monitored the health and exercise patterns of participants over several years, revealing that weekend warriors had reduced risks across a wide range of diseases. These included hypertension, diabetes, mood disorders, and kidney disease. The findings suggest that the total amount of exercise individuals engage in may be more crucial than the frequency of their workouts. This discovery could potentially reshape how we approach physical activity and its role in disease prevention.
Exercise volume more important than frequency, says study
The study's lead, Dr. Shaan Khurshid, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, emphasized the importance of exercise volume over its frequency. Khurshid indicated that the health benefits are primarily determined by the total volume of physical activity rather than the specific pattern in which it is performed. He encouraged individuals to find an exercise routine that works best for them to achieve the recommended volume of physical activity.
NHS recommends 150 minutes of weekly exercise
The National Health Service (NHS) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week for maintaining good health. Even one or two sessions a week can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. The distinction between moderate and vigorous exercise is typically marked by the ability to complete spoken sentences while exercising.
Study classifies participants based on exercise patterns
The researchers analyzed the health records of 89,573 UK Biobank volunteers who wore a device to measure their exercise patterns for a week. Participants who achieved at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise were classified as regular exercisers if their activity was spread out, and weekend warriors if most of their exercise was concentrated into one or two days. Those who did less than 150 minutes per week were categorized as inactive.
Weekend warriors show lower risk of multiple medical conditions
Following the exercise monitoring period, weekend warriors demonstrated a lower risk of 264 medical conditions compared to those classified as inactive. Regular exercisers showed similar benefits. The most significant effects were observed in cardiometabolic disorders, with both weekend warriors and regular exercisers showing more than a 20% lower risk of hypertension and over a 40% reduced risk of diabetes compared to inactive individuals.
Previous studies echo current research findings
Previous studies have reported similar findings to the current research. In 2017, Gary O'Donovan, a physical activity researcher at Loughborough University, found that weekend warriors and regular exercisers who met physical activity targets were less likely to die from cancer or cardiovascular conditions than sedentary people. A subsequent study in 2022 also confirmed these benefits.
