Weekly Warrior vs Weekend Warrior – Exercise as part of a healthy life.
Are you someone who actively pursues physical activity on the weekends because your weekdays are just too busy? Or perhaps you enjoy a pickup game of basketball with friends, a few games of tennis or golf, or other team activities but do nothing during the week? A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, colon and breast cancer. Some physical activity is better than none. Lack of physical exercise can increase the odds of an early death by 20-30%!
What are the guidelines for physical fitness?
CDC physical activity guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise in one or two sessions a week; and two days of muscle strengthening activity that works all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, arms and shoulders).
According to the WHO one in four adults and 81% of adolescents don’t get enough aerobic exercise; and 9 out of 10 Americans may not meet the guidelines.
What are the benefits of physical fitness?
Health is more than the absence of disease. Physical fitness is mental and physical health and well-being that allows us to execute our daily activities with optimal performance, endurance, and strength; manage disease, control body composition, fatigue and stress.
Studies confirm that leisure time physical activity is associated with reduced risks of death from all causes including heart disease and cancer. Physical activity is associated with decreased mortality even among those who are active only one or two days a week, although those who are regularly active appear to have a slight advantage in reduction of all-cause mortality.
Regular exercise and physical fitness offer more benefits than only physical health. Studies have shown that being fit gives us better energy, reduces stress, weight control, improves mood, sleep and cognition, and your sex life, as well as helping us recover from injury and hospitalization, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of falls and helps us develop strong bones; and it can be fun! This is achievable with more than a quick vigorous run or lifting heavy weights a few times a week.
Is being a weekend warrior so bad?
When risk of death was compared between weekend warriors and people who exercise three or more times per week, the reduction in the risk of death was equal! However, if you exercise over a weekend, you are likely to do so vigorously which studies show increases the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. People who are fit and exercise regularly tend to be less likely to sustain fractures, sprains and strains. If you are happy being weekend warrior, it is important to stretch, warm up, cool down and ease into intensive workouts to avoid injury. This will help to prevent knee injuries, sprains and strains.
For intense workouts in a short period of time you might try high-intensity interval training. Ask us about developing this plan for you.
If you goal is to build muscle, it is important to understand that muscle building takes time. Whenever you challenge yourself to start a new routine or lift heavier weights the new activities stress the muscles creating microscopic tears in the muscle fibers and the body needs time to repair the tears. This is the rationale behind working different areas on different days to allow the muscles to heal and grow bigger and stronger. Ask us about tips to increase muscle growth and strength training.
Call CAO Sports Performance to schedule a consultation to learn how we can help you develop a plan to improve your performance and gain the benefits of physical fitness.
