Don't have much time for exercise during the week? No problem! New scientific findings show that just one or two training sessions a week are enough to reduce the risk of serious illnesses such as dementia, stroke, Parkinson's disease, depression and anxiety disorders by up to 45 percent. Sounds too good to be true? Let's look at the facts.
A large-scale study of over 80,000 adults analyzed exercise behavior. It found that people who spread more than half of their weekly physical activity over just one or two days enjoy almost the same health benefits as those who exercise more regularly.
For the whole thing to work, one thing is crucial: you need to achieve the recommended minimum amount of exercise. This means at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense activity per week. It doesn't matter whether you divide this time into small workouts throughout the week or train in two days - as long as you get your minutes in, your health will benefit.
Moderate activity: brisk walking, cycling, gardening, easy swimming
Intense activity: jogging, HIIT workouts, strength training, fast bike rides
In short: if you work up a sweat and your heart rate rises, you're on the right track.
Ideally, of course, you should spread your exercise evenly throughout the week. But life can't always be planned. If you only have time at the weekend, it's still worth getting active. So don't make excuses - your health will thank you!
O'Donovan, G., Lee, I-M., et al. (2023). "Weekend Warrior Physical Activity and Mortality Risk: A Large Prospective Cohort Study." JAMA Network Open.
World Health Organization (WHO): "Physical Activity and Health Recommendations"