EXERCISE
The demands of everyday life make it difficult to find time to exercise and follow an active lifestyle. Family, work, and life commitments make it almost impossible to get to the gym, run, or play sports. As a result, many of us resort to exercising or playing sports on the weekends – often vigorously for 1 or 2 hours at a time – and inevitably complain of aches and pains or muscle strains the following week.
Sound familiar…?
Most of us are aware of the term “Weekend Warrior” and many of us understand the possible negative consequences that exist from an injury risk perspective. But I am here to inform you that there are also many positive effects of being a weekend warrior. This blog will define what a weekend warrior is and provide the pros and cons of being one.
A Weekend Warrior is someone who does not have an established daily/weekly exercise routine that takes part in moderate to vigorous physical activity 1 to 2 times per week. They rely on getting their exercise and activity in intensive doses typically on the weekend after the work week is over. However, both weekend warriors and those with a balanced exercise routine typically meet the American Heart Association and Department of Health’s recommendation of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity.
Here are some of the CONS of being a Weekend Warrior:
1. Higher musculoskeletal injury risk due to cramming intense physical activity in a short window, increases likelihood of sprains and strains.
2. Being regularly active and spacing out activity make it more likely to meet the recommended weekly amount of physical activity.
3. Weekend Warrior type exercise is not beginner friendly.
4. Overload of exercise can result in physical exhaustion and mental burnout.
Here are the PROS:
1. May result in the same health protective benefits as people who spread out exercise as the total volume of physical activity matters more than the pattern.
2. Lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardio metabolic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, and obesity.
3. Concentrated weekend exercise has brain health benefits and lowers risk of anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline.
4. Offers a time efficient way to implement exercise into a busy demanding schedule.
Bottomline: Being a Weekend Warrior may not be all that bad and can result in many of the same health benefits as someone with a daily workout routine. It is important to find a safe balance and make sure to implement injury prevention techniques, including proper warmups, stretching, and cool down/recovery methods. It is also important to try and include strength training into your routine to help protect your joints, muscles, and tendons.
References:
1. Kany S, Al-Alusi MA, Rämö JT, Pirruccello JP, Churchill TW, Lubitz SA, Maddah M, Guseh JS, Ellinor PT, Khurshid S. Associations of "Weekend Warrior" Physical Activity With Incident Disease and Cardiometabolic Health. Circulation. 2024 Oct 15;150(16):1236-1247. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.068669. Epub 2024 Sep 26. PMID: 39324186; PMCID: PMC11803568.
2. Moraes de Oliveira G, Nardelli da Silva AB, Reis Barreto ES, Antunes Júnior CR, Adalier E, Valeriano Zamora F, Frates E, Mansur NSB, Medina G. Physical Activity Patterns and Brain Health: A Systematic Review About Weekend Warrior vs Regular Exercise on Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2026 Feb 8:15598276261424194. doi: 10.1177/15598276261424194. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41668854; PMCID: PMC12883349.
