Only have time to exercise at the weekend? Here's why that's no bad thing

Whether you're looking to reap the benefits of exercise for your mental or physical health, weekend exercise can offer similar benefits to working out multiple days a week.

The newest study on the topic came out very recently. Researchers from Yangzhou University in China and Waseda University in Japan looked at almost 14,000 US adults' health data, dividing them up into groups based on weekly activity levels.

When compared with the group who were labelled as 'inactive', those who did any amount of "vigorous intensity physical activity" every week had lower levels of anxiety. But the group who exercised only once or twice a week, labelled 'weekend warriors', had the biggest difference. Anxiety levels in this group were 35% lower than the group that did no exercise at all, marking a significant change in mental wellbeing.

The study only looks at a small amount of time, so we can't call out a cause and effect. It also doesn't look at the other benefits of exercise and the exercise frequency was self-reported, so it may not be totally accurate. However, the results show that even a small amount of exercise is worth doing, especially if you're looking to reap benefits for your mental health.

So, if you've put off a walk after lunch on a Sunday or trying a new hobby, like badminton for beginners, because you can only commit to weekends, now's the time to change your routine.

"The weekend warrior pattern may represent a time-efficient and health-promoting alternative for individuals seeking the benefits of physical activity within the constraints of a busy lifestyle," the researchers wrote in their paper, which was published in BMC Psychiatry.

They add that factors like gender, age, marital status, and sleep duration, among others, didn't influence the change either. So no matter who you are, you can benefit from getting outdoors even just once a week.

Vigorous intensity exercise includes any movement where you're out of breath and sweating, struggling to maintain a conversation. That includes exercises like walking, running, bodyweight exercises, cycling, swimming, and many more popular workouts.

Are weekend workouts effective?

This new study adds to the growing research finding that even a little exercise goes a long way. Last year, a study published in the Circulation Journal examined health data from nearly 90,000 people in the UK Biobank project and found that the 'weekend warriors' had a lower risk of developing more than 200 diseases - including diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease - compared to those who were completely inactive.

The researchers found that the short bursts of exercise weekend warriors tend to prefer were just as effective at reducing the risk of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease as workouts spread through the week. Studies linked with Loughborough University and Universidade Federal de São Paulo had similar findings.

So, if you're looking for the best exercise for longevity, a weekly hike or run could be the answer.

If you're looking to do strength training to maintain or build muscle, studies are very clear on how often you should lift weights for this goal - and it's more than once a week ideally. However, provided you can do the same amount of work in one session, a study in the Sports Science Journal says once a week can make a difference.

How long should you exercise for at the weekend?

In all the studies, researchers point out that it's not the number of times a week people exercised that really mattered, but how long they exercised for. At minimum, the studies above recommend 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise with the ideal being 150 minutes or more.

The NHS recommends that everyone does 75 minutes of "vigorous" exercise every week to stay healthy - or 150 minutes of "moderate" exercise, which is less intense.

If you can fit weekend exercise into your routine, you'll reap the same benefits as those who work out multiple times a week, the studies suggest.

What's the best weekend exercise?

The best exercise will always been the one you enjoy the most. If you don't like running or swimming, you're not going to want to suddenly do it even once a week - especially if you're strapped for time. So, find something you enjoy.

That being said, the studies do specify that "vigorous intensity exercise" is most beneficial. You'll know you're doing that when you're at 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age).

Here are some exercises to consider:

• Hiking, preferable uphill
• Racket sports, like padel or pickleball for beginners
• Running, at a challenging pace
• Cycling, either indoors or outdoors
• Swimming, at a speed that feels challenging