Health experts have pinpointed the amount of exercise we should all be getting a week
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New research suggests that when you exercise across the week can have a surprising impact on your health
(Image: PA)
Scientists have revealed an exercise hack that could drastically reduce the risk of death from cancer and heart disease.
According to a new study, the key is a "weekend warrior" approach to exercise, which involves cramming 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise into just one or two days a week.
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The research found that exercising over just two days had similar health benefits as to working out across the entire week, suggesting that daily workouts aren't necessary to reap the health benefits of physical activity.
A team of scientists found that people who only exercised on two days had a 32 per cent lower risk of death from all causes, a 31 per cent lower chance of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 21 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer.
“You don’t need to exercise every day to stay healthy. As long as you get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week – whether packed into one to two days or spread out – you can significantly reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer or other causes,” said study corresponding author Zhi-Hao Li, an epidemiologist in the School of Public Health at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China.
A new study suggests daily workouts aren't neded to achieve health benefits from exercise
A new study suggests daily workouts aren't neded to achieve health benefits from exercise
According to the NHS, adults should do some form of physical activity every day and exercise just once or twice a week to reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke. It advises that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.
The study looked at the physical activity of more than 93,000 participants in the UK Biobank, aged between 37 and 73 years old, using accelerometer data. Researchers divided participants into three groups: "active weekend warriors" who completed most of their exercise in one or two days, "active regulars" who spread their activity throughout the week, and "inactives" who did not complete 150 minutes of weekly activity.
Scientists were surprised to find that the condensed approach was more beneficial than spreading exercise across the week. The study showed that the risk of death from all causes was 26 per cent lower in the "active regular group", but 32 per cent lower in the "weekend warrior" group.
“This reinforces the idea that meeting the 150-minutes of physical activity per week guideline is key to longevity, regardless of the activity pattern,” Li said. “Any activity – whether structured exercise such as jogging or daily tasks such as gardening – can be included if the intensity is moderate to vigorous.”
Senior/elderly woman weeding in the garden.
Experts say gardening can count towards your weekly exercise (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Li added: "This message is encouraging news for busy people who struggle to fit in daily workouts but can manage a concentrated burst of activity on weekends or over a couple of days.
“The research provides reassuring evidence that even sporadic physical activity can have lasting health benefits, making it easier for people to prioritize their well-being amid busy schedules.”
The findings suggest that exercise can offer significant health benefits, even if you can only be active on the weekends.
However, one health expert noted that cramming lots of exercise into one or two days could put stress on the body and increase the risk of injury.
A Generic Photo of a woman running on a road
Experts advise to build up progress to high exercise volumes to avoid injury
Keith Diaz, American Heart Association expert volunteer and Associate Professor of Behavioural Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, said: "One important caveat to remember is that trying to fit 150 minutes of exercise into just one or two days can be a lot on your body. Some research suggests that weekend warriors have a slightly higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries compared to those who exercise more regularly.
"However, the benefits of exercising just on the weekend far outweigh the potential risks. If you are going to be a weekend warrior, make sure you do proper warm-ups and build up and progress to higher volumes of activity over time. This will help to reduce your risk of injuries."
The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.