Is Exercising Only at Weekends Enough? Honest Answer

Monday to Friday is a blur of work, school runs, homework and tea. By the time the kids are in bed, the only thing you want to lift is the remote. So you save it all for the weekend: a long run on Saturday, a game of football or a big bike ride on Sunday. But is exercising only at weekends enough? The honest answer is: it is a lot better than nothing, it does have some downsides, and a couple of tiny weekday habits make it work much better. Here is how I would set it up.

What the NHS guidelines actually say

The NHS physical activity guidelines for adults recommend:

• at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week
• strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week
• spreading exercise evenly over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day
• breaking up long periods of sitting

So the ideal is to spread it out. But the guidelines are a target, not a pass or fail test. Some large studies have suggested that people who fit their activity into one or two days still get many of the health benefits of regular exercise compared with doing nothing. Weekend exercise is real exercise.

Is exercising only at weekends enough? The pros and cons

The pros

• It is realistic. If weekends are the only time you have energy and childcare, using them is smart, not lazy.
• Longer sessions are possible. A 90-minute walk or bike ride is hard to fit on a Wednesday.
• It can include the family. Park games, hikes and swims count, and the kids get moving too.
• Two strength sessions fit neatly. One on Saturday, one on Sunday ticks the NHS strength box.

The cons

• Higher injury risk. Going from five days on a chair to a hard game of five-a-side is where pulled hamstrings and calf strains come from. Your body is not warmed up by your week.
• Back-to-back sessions. Hard training on Saturday and Sunday leaves no recovery day between them, so Sunday often suffers.
• Five sedentary days. Weekend exercise does not undo long weekday stretches of sitting. The NHS has a useful page on why sitting too much is bad for us.
• Fragile habit. One birthday party, one illness or one rainy weekend and you have done nothing for a fortnight.

How to reduce injury risk as a weekend warrior

This is the part I care about most. The parents I see get hurt are rarely beginners doing too little. They are the ones who used to play sport and still go at it like they are 22.

1. Warm up properly, every time. 8 to 10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, leg swings, hip circles, bodyweight squats, lunges and some gradual faster efforts. See the NHS guide on how to warm up before exercising.
2. Make Saturday harder and Sunday easier (or the other way around). Do not go all out on both days.
3. Build up slowly. If you have not run or played sport in a while, start with shorter, easier sessions and add a little each week.
4. Strengthen the injury-prone areas. Calf raises, split squats and glute bridges help protect calves, knees and hamstrings.
5. Stop if it hurts. Sharp or sudden pain is a signal to stop, not push through. The NHS page on sprains and strains explains what to do and when to get help.

If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, an injury or any other health condition, check with your GP or physio before starting more intense weekend exercise.

A sample weekend plan

Saturday: strength and play (about 60 minutes)

• 10-minute warm-up
• 3 rounds: 10 goblet squats or bodyweight squats, 10 push-ups (incline if needed), 10 reverse lunges each leg, 10 glute bridges, 30-second plank
• 20 to 30 minutes of active play with the kids at the park

Sunday: longer and easier (60 to 90 minutes)

• A long brisk family walk, bike ride or swim
• 10 minutes of stretching or mobility at home after

If you want family ideas, my post on active weekends with kids around Archway has plenty of local options.

Tiny weekday habits that change everything

You do not need weekday workouts to improve on weekend-only exercise. You just need a little movement to keep your body “switched on”. Pick two or three:

• A 10-minute walk after lunch or dinner, most days.
• 20 squats while the kettle boils. That is about 140 squats a week from one habit.
• Calf raises while brushing your teeth, 20 each morning.
• Take the stairs everywhere you can.
• Stand up every 30 to 45 minutes at your desk and walk for a minute or two.
• One 10-minute session mid-week, even if it is just a few rounds of squats, push-ups and planks.

These are what I call exercise snacks, and they make your weekend sessions safer because your body is not starting from cold. My post on exercise snacks for busy parents has more ideas.

Where a bootcamp class fits in

If weekends are your training time, adding just one mid-week class breaks up the five quiet days and gives you a proper strength session with someone watching your technique. That one session makes your weekend activity safer and more enjoyable.

If you are over 35 and want to stay strong enough for weekend sport and family days out, the SYP Built To Last functional strength class is designed for that.

FAQs

Can you get fit only exercising at weekends?

You can improve your fitness, especially if you start from very little. Progress tends to be slower than with spread-out training, and injury risk is higher, so build up gradually and add small weekday habits.

Is it bad to exercise two days in a row?

Not at all, as long as you vary the intensity. A hard strength session followed by an easy walk or bike ride is fine. Two very hard sessions back to back is where fatigue and injury creep in.

How do I avoid aches after weekend sport?

Warm up properly, build up slowly, and keep a little movement going during the week so your muscles are not starting from cold. Some soreness a day or two later is normal, but sharp pain is not.

What counts as moderate activity?

Activity that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster but still lets you talk, such as brisk walking, cycling or pushing a lawn mower, according to the NHS guidelines.

Book your first class

One mid-week class is the easiest upgrade for a weekend warrior. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in a church hall in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with easier and harder options for every exercise. The timetable is sent when you book. Book my £15 class or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If a past injury keeps flaring up after weekend sport, my injury-safe personal training builds you back up carefully.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.