We now know a great deal about the health benefits of exercise because to scientists who have gathered and analyzed massive volumes of data. Things like when and how frequently to exercise and what type of intensity you should be aiming for are all covered by us. However, they’re based on data gathered from thousands of participants, which shows what seems to work well for the vast majority of individuals – and from a variety of viewpoints as well.
As an example, we may learn how much activity is required to counteract sitting all day, or what the best methods are for losing weight, or how even a single workout can be beneficial to our health. There are valuable lessons to be learned from each of these research. But if you’re like most people, finding time to exercise throughout the week is one of the toughest challenges.
Scientists also have some exciting things to share on this front. And the news is excellent. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) gathered health data on over 350,000 Americans between 1997 and 2013 for a new worldwide study.
The team, lead by exercise physiology researcher Mauricio dos Santos of Brazil’s Federal University of So Paulo, sifted through the data in search of a single answer. Is it best to spread out your workouts across three or more days of the week, or only conduct one or two intense workouts on the weekends (called “weekend warriors”), if you’re meeting the necessary weekly exercise levels?
WHO 2020 recommendations on physical activity and sedentary behavior recommend that individuals engage in 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week (or some equivalent combination thereof).
As previously discussed, weekend warriors have long been touted for their health advantages, but how they stack up against those who engage in regular exercise, particularly in terms of mortality risk, has remained a mystery.
According to the study, there was little distinction between weekend warriors and those who exercised more frequently in aspects of reduced mortality risk from any cause, including cancer and cardiovascular disease, among the cohort of people who completed the weekly optimal guidelines of medium to energetic physical activity.
