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GOOD NEWS for those who like to binge and weekend warriors â if you struggle to find the time to exercise each day, science has your back. People who exercise two days a week have almost as low a risk of heart disease and stroke as those who work out more consistently through the week, a new study has found.
The study, which tracked âweekend warriorsâ against people who exercise more regularly (hereafter known as suckers), found that even if you canât find the time to exercise during the week, if you binge-exercise on the weekend youâre all good, at least in terms of your heart health.
âOur findings suggest that efforts to improve physical activity, even if concentrated within one to two days of the week, should be beneficial for cardiovascular risk,â said Dr Patrick Ellinor, a cardiologist at Massachusetts general hospital in Boston. âIt appears that it is the total volume of activity, rather than the pattern, that matters most.â
If youâre a sucker (guilty as charged), this is obviously a kick in the guts, but honestly, could give you a get-out-of-jail free card when you have a crazy week at work and just canât make it to the gym. You no longer need to feel guilty about your lack of activity as the days of the week pass you by, as you know that come the weekend, youâre going to go hell for leather . . . as long as you actually follow through. Letâs take a look at this wonderful studyâs findings.
How did the researchers determine you only need to work out two days a week?
They analysed the medical records of nearly 90,000 people enrolled in the UK Biobank project. The participants wore wrist-mounted accelerometers that recorded their physical activity for a full week. According to the findings, a third of the participants were deemed inactive, clocking up less than 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity each week, while 42 per cent were classed as active weekend warriors, racking up at least 150 minutes, mostly over one or two days. Nearly a quarter of participants spread their exercise out, doing at least 150 minutes over several days.
How beneficial is working out two days a week?
The researchers found that both concentrated and spread-out exercise were associated with lower cardiovascular health risks compared with inactivity. But specifically, the risk of heart attack was 27 per cent lower for weekend warriors and 35 per cent lower for those who spread their exercise over the week. Similar results were found for heart failure, in which the risk was 38 per cent and 36 per cent lower for weekend warriors and regular exercisers, respectively. The risk of atrial fibrillation â abnormal heart rhythm â was 22 per cent and 19 per cent lower. For stroke, it was 21 per cent and 17 percent lower.
So, should I only work out two days a week?
Well, without wanting throw a dampener on things, if you only exercise on the weekend, you may miss out on some of the daily mental health benefits exercise offers, such as improved mood, greater energy and alertness and better sleep. Similarly, if youâre training towards a specific goal, such as a half marathon or killer pecs, then you need to follow the mantra of a million PTs: consistency.
If youâre only concerned about your ticker, then itâs up to you (and your EA if you have one) to schedule your exercise when you see fit. As long as you get the 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week that public health guidelines recommend, knock yourself out, whenever it suits you to do so.
What about other health conditions? Is exercising two days a week enough to help with them, too?
Possibly. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: Internal Medicine found those who met the physical activity guidelines in two days had a 30 per cent lower risk of overall death than sedentary adults, with the risk of death by cardiovascular disease and cancer deaths reduced by 40 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. In an article that accompanied this latest research, Professor Peter Katzmarzyk at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana and Prof John Jakicic at the University of Kansas Medical Center, say these latest results highlight the flexibility available when it comes to exercising to improve your health. âThere are clearly benefits to achieving more than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, but the public health message should also clearly convey that every minute counts,â the researchers write.
What can I do on my two days of exercise then?
Glad you asked. Hereâs a two-day program of weights and cardio from celeb trainer Jono Castano, owner of Acero Gym in Sydney.
Session 1: Strength
1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g., jogging, cycling) followed by dynamic stretches for the major muscle groups.
2. Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Use a barbell or dumbbells and focus on proper form and depth.
3. Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Use a barbell or dumbbells and maintain control throughout the movement.
4. Bent-Over Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Use a barbell or dumbbells and keep your back straight while pulling the weight towards your torso.
5. Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Use a barbell or dumbbells and press the weight overhead while maintaining stability and control.
6. Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Use a barbell or dumbbells and focus on proper form, keeping your back straight and engaging your glutes and hamstrings.
7. Lunges: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg. Use dumbbells and alternate legs, stepping forward and lowering your back knee towards the floor.
8. Core Exercise: Choose a core exercise such as planks, Russian twists, or hanging leg raises and perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
9. Cool-down: Finish with static stretches for the major muscle groups.
Session 2: HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g., jogging, cycling) followed by dynamic stretches.
2. HIIT Circuit:
– Kettlebell Swings: 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for 5 sets.
– Burpees: 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for 5 sets.
– Mountain Climbers: 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for 5 sets.
– Box Jumps: 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for 5 sets.
– Battle Rope Slams: 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for 5 sets.
Perform each exercise at high intensity for the designated work period, followed by the rest period. Repeat the circuit for a total of 5 rounds.
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