What it means to be a “weekend warrior”, the new training trend: advantages and contraindications
It’s common to hear that if you want to stay healthy, you need to exercise regularly and spread your workouts throughout the week. However, for those who cannot maintain a consistent schedule physical activitya new trend is emerging: “weekend warriors”. They are the ones who concentrate all their physical activity into one or two days, usually on the weekend, and achieve the amount of exercise recommended by health authorities within a few hours.
Surprisingly, recent research suggests that this approach could be just as effective in reducing the risk of some chronic diseases and overall mortality as long as the total recommended amount of physical activity is met.
The term “weekend warrior” refers to those people who do not have time to train during the weekdays and therefore choose to devote all their physical activity to one or two days, achieving at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise recommended by organizations such as United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) and World Health Organization (WHO). A study published in the journal Circulation analyzed nearly 90,000 people and found that those who adopt this strategy have health benefits comparable to those who spread out their exercise throughout the week.
Researchers of the study, which was conducted with volunteers from British Biobankfor a week, they monitored the participants’ physical activity using devices on their wrists. Subsequently, the participants were divided into three groups: the inactive (less than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week), regular exercisers (physical activity spread over at least three days) a weekend warriors (exercise concentrated in one to two days).
In subsequent years, both weekend warriors and regular exercisers were found to have a lower risk of developing more than 200 diseases, including hypertension, diabetes and mood disorders.
One of the most interesting conclusions of the study is that total amount of exercise seems more important than yours frequency or distribution during the week. This means that if you can achieve 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, doing it on one or two concentrated days can provide the same health benefits as regular, more frequent sessions.
He Dr. Shaan Khurshidcardiologist Massachusetts General Hospital and the leader of this study emphasizes that this information can be “empowering” for those who find it difficult to maintain an exercise routine during the week. “Volume of physical activity is what really matters. The key is to do it in the way that works best for you.”Khurshid mentions.
Previous research has already pointed in this direction. For example, va studies produced in 2017 Gary O’Donovan from Loughborough UniversityIt found that weekend warriors and people who exercised regularly had a lower risk of dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease than those who were sedentary. Other studies from 2022 reaffirmed these findings, showing significant health benefits in those who performed focused exercise.
The impact of physical activity on the prevention of chronic diseases is widely documented. In the Circulation study, the incidence of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes was found to be higher than 20% lower in weekend warriors and those who exercised regularly compared to inactives. In the case of diabetes, the risk was up to 40% less.
This finding is also reflected in other epidemiological studies. An analysis of more than 350,000 adults in the United States, published by The National Library of Medicineconcluded that mortality from all causes, as well as from cardiovascular disease and cancer, was significantly lower in those who met the recommended level of physical activity, regardless of whether the exercise was concentrated over one or two days or spread over whole body. weekly.
However, a key aspect that the researchers point out is that the reduction in risk of disease and mortality appears to be more associated with total amount of physical activity than with a specific frequency or intensity of training. In other words, the key is to get those 150 minutes of moderate activity (or 75 of vigorous activity) per week, either spaced out or concentrated.
Although being a “weekend warrior” can be an effective strategy for staying healthy, it’s important to realize that this approach isn’t necessarily for everyone. People who are new to exercise, have pre-existing health conditions, or have not exercised for a long time should approach this strategy with caution. It is recommended to consult a doctor or health professional before attempting a radical change in exercise pattern.
Additionally, for those who already meet recommended guidelines for physical activity, increasing exercise frequency may provide additional health benefits. According to Dr. Leandro Rezendespecialist in preventive medicine Federal University of São PauloIncreasing the amount of weekly exercise above the recommended minimum could increase long-term benefits and further improve overall health.
The “weekend warrior” trend shows that there is flexibility in maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. For many, especially those with busy schedules, this strategy can be a practical and effective way to meet physical activity goals and improve health as long as the recommended amount of weekly exercise is achieved. Science continues to support the idea that what matters is moving and doing it in a way that works best for your life.