Most of us are confined to 9 am to 5 pm jobs while juggling family and socialising with our friends and fitness usually takes a backseat which isn’t a surprise that a lot of us thus become ‘weekend warriors’.

And What’s A ‘Weekend Warrior’?

According to the Urban Dictionary website, a ‘Weekend Warrior’ is “a person who holds a regular job during the week which restricts their ability to party/go on trips/partake in awesome activities, and thus plans epic weekend adventures to compensate. As much variation and quantity of awesomness is packed into the weekends as physically possible, warranting the rest of the work week to recharge for the next weekend.”

Weekend Warrior – The Good stuff

It is a popular belief that being a Weekend Warrior isn’t enough to fight risks that come with sedentary lifestyles like cancer and heart disease. However, a new study by Loughborough University (UK) has found otherwise.

The study found that being a weekend warrior or having one or two sessions per week of moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity could help reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer-related deaths. In fact, it is recommended by the World Health Organisation, for an adult to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.

Compared to inactive individuals, Weekend Warriors had 30 percent lower risk of death overall. As for people who spread out their exercise through the week, they chart a 35 percent lower risk of overall death when compared to people who aren’t active. Thus, being a Weekend Warrior does have its benefits and encourages people to go out and exercise.

Precaution Is Necessary

Being a Weekend Warrior has its benefits but do remember that because you’re cramming your exercise into two days instead of spreading it out over the week, there are certain risks to pay attention to.

Physical injuries have a higher chance of occurring due to doing exercise that’s more intense than what they’re used to. Sore muscles or even strains and sprains are more than likely to occur so it’s important to take it easy especially if you feel any pain.

If the pain doesn’t go away after three days, it’s best to see a doctor just to make sure.

While a weekend warrior isn’t entirely a bad thing, we would still like to encourage you to try your best to meet the recommended hours of exercise as a way to keep yourself physically fit and healthy.

Insulin Sensitivity

According to professor of kinesiology and integrative physiology at Hanover College (US), Professor Bryant Stamford, exercise promotes insulin sensitivity but this effect is only for a short while and must be done daily. This is important to note especially for those who are pre-diabetic or diabetic. Do check with a medical professional whether this pattern of fitness is advisable for you especially if you have any pre-existing conditions.