How Weekend Workouts Yield Similar Benefits to Daily Workouts

So you’ve just decided to squeeze all your remaining time during the weekend into exercise but remain uncertain whether that’s good enough for your health.

Recent findings have shown that weekend workouts may benefit you similarly to regular exercise.

Read this article and be confident that you’re staying on track to reaping the benefits of exercise.

The Weekend Warrior: A Workout Routine for Busy People

Occasional Exercise Is Better Than None at All

Exercise, the groundwork for vibrant health, good body shape, and longevity, is sometimes harder to be included in our life than we may think, especially for those who have a tight schedule.

According to the CDC, an average adult needs at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly. This exercise includes aerobic workouts, like brisk walking, jogging, or running, and muscle-strengthening activities, like weight lifting. So technically, the CDC tells people to move more and sit less!

Of course, we don’t need to be educated about how important exercise is to our health. But, be honest: do you have the time to exercise and spread that 150 minutes throughout the week?

According to another report by the CDC, only 53.3% of adults meet the minimum requirement for aerobic physical activity. This figure for those who meet the guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise is even lower: 23.2%.

While many would admit that it’s a genuine challenge to squeeze exercise into a busy schedule, scientists say working out sometimes during the week is better than no exercise.

According to a study by JAMA Internal Medicine, physically active people who “condense” the recommended amount of exercise into weekend workouts may live longer than those physically inactive, defined by having fewer than 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

The Weekend Warrior: A Condensed Workout Pattern

These physically active and “busy” people are referred to as the “weekend warriors,” who find it hard to equally distribute training duration across the week and resort to the weekends as their primary workout sessions.

So how do the weekend warriors find their way to better health when most of us enjoy the short weekend break? According to research by Muscle & Fitness, here’s their routine:

Day #1: Saturday – Horizontal Push/Pull

A1) Seated Rows – 15 reps
A2) Barbell Bench Press – 10 reps

Perform four rounds. Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

B1) Walking Lunge – 20 steps
B2) Glute Hamstring Raise – 8 reps

Perform four rounds. Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

C1) Under-the-Bar Rows – Max Reps
C2) Push-ups – Max Reps

Perform four rounds. Rest as long as needed between rounds.

Day #2: Sunday – Vertical Push/Pull, Knee-Dominant

A) Front Squat – 8×8.

Rest a maximum of 1 minute between sets.

B1) Chin Ups (palms in) – 10 reps
B2) Barbell Push Press – 10 reps

Rest 90 seconds between rounds. Perform four rounds.

C) Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat – 4×10/leg.

Rest 90 seconds between rounds.

D) Half-Kneeling Press – 3×15/arm.
E) Post Workout burnout – 2-minute leg press.

Perform as many reps as possible for 2 minutes.

Weekend and Daily Workouts May Provide Similar Benefits

But, the biggest question: is the weekend warrior workout regimen equally beneficial as regular physical activity?

Now let’s go back to the research by JAMA Internal Medicine. The study found that the chance of all-cause mortality among weekend warriors and regularly active individuals are relatively similar (0.92 and 0.85, respectively, compared to physically inactive participants).

These figures mean that although regular exercise is slightly better for longevity, weekend workouts may present participants with at least considerable health benefits, if not similar to a more frequent routine.

So, we can confirm that the weekend warrior pattern may be a more convenient option for many people trying to meet the recommended physical activity levels in a limited time.

Weekend Workouts May Have Some Downsides

Girl-in-sportswear-doing-morning-workout-and-stretching-outside.-Fitness-workout-on-the-sports-ground.-Weekend-Workouts-May-Have-Some-Downsides

With that being said, remember that a “high-intensity” weekend workout routine may have some drawbacks.

One of the most common disadvantages is that people who exhaust themselves within one or two sessions during the weekend are more prone to injury. Wrist, ankle, foot, and muscular injuries are among the events that occur most frequently.

Another issue with weekend exercise is the lack of time for complete recovery. As the typical routine spreads the work into three or more weekly sessions, you have at least one day between the “sweaty days” for total rehabilitation.

In contrast, weekend warriors don’t have such a privilege. Instead, they perform two consecutive training sessions, which may result in extreme tiredness and a lack of energy during the following week.

Beginning Regular Exercise: Never Too Late!

So are you wondering which workout is the best during the weekend and how those exercises are done?

Whether you’re short on time for exercise or not, starting a regular exercise routine from now is never too late.

Need a partner and a mentor? Come to Yunique Medical for a personalized weight loss program.

We are a team of healthcare professionals well-versed in various physical activity routines. By determining your physique and previous workout habits, we can choose the best workout regimen you can quickly implement throughout the week or on the weekends.

You will never bother to think about another exercise method because at Yunique Medical, you have trusted scientific support!

Yunique Medical provides FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE for optimized health and performance. We offer customized, scientifically advanced treatments to create a new state of human thriving. Why be ordinary when you can be optimal?

HUMAN 2.0 begins here!

Contact us to schedule your FREE consultation at one of our three locations in Florida – Ocala, Fruitland Park (The Villages), and Daytona.

UP NEXT: