The truth about the Weekend-Only workout plan

The Weekend Workout Plan

Several years ago, I stumbled across an interesting way to kick-start your workout called:
The Weekend-Only Workout Plan

The premise is simple:

Only work out 2x per week on the weekends.

• No 5am elliptical workout before work
• No yoga class during your lunch break
• No crowded gym right after work

Just take a few not-so relaxing hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Do two full-body workouts (combination of strength training and cardio). But start at a level that makes sense to you. If you are out-of-shape, start with bodyweight circuits or beginner-friendly core exercises like front planks. If you aren’t ready to pound out 4 sets of heavy barbell deadlifts, don’t start there.

The idea is not to cram 7 days of exercise into two days.

Do two regular workouts and find a workload that makes sense for you.
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(Which make take a little bit of trial and error)

For those who find it difficult to squeeze in weekday workouts, this can be a powerful solution. 

Five Advantages of the Weekend Workout Approach:

#1: Ease into your workouts. This is a great way to dip your barefoot into a workout program – especially if you’ve been on the sidelines for awhile and need to ease into it. No need to dive in, instead ‘test the waters.’ You may not know what your body can handle yet

#2: Prevents overdoing it. This is one of the biggest mistakes fitness beginners run into (more like crash into). They let their burning motivation and urgency get the best of them which leads to injury, overuse injuries or struggling to sustain their workout plan. Be willing to start slow.

#3: Lower mental barrier to exercise. The idea of hitting the gym 5x per week can seem daunting to some. Same with 3x. Twice per week is a much lower barrier and something that’s easier for people to imagine themselves doing.

#4: Simplicity. Many people are tempted to make workout programs complicated but usually “complexity is the enemy of execution”. This program is no different. One workout Saturday. One Sunday. Done-zo.

#5: Frees you mentally during the week. Instead of having to juggle multiple commitments during the week, kids’ afterschool activities, and then exercise on top of it, you can take care of ‘business’ during the week and take time for you (amongst other things) on the weekends. 

Is Working Out Only On The Weekends Enough? 

Many people believe that to get any benefit from exercise they need to sweat it out every single day for an hour minimum. No way weekends-only workouts would be enough. 

Several years ago, a UK study challenged that and asked: 
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Do weekend exercisers get the same heart health benefits as those who workout during the week? 

This study looked at 89,500 people (ages 40-69) and divided them into three groups: 

1. Subjects who exercised 150+ minutes (1-2 days per week)
2. Subjects who exercised 150+ minutes (3-7 days per week)
3. Subjects who didn't exercise (also called procrast-ercising) 

The result:

Over a six year stretch, researchers found that whether someone packed exercise into 1, 2, or 3+ days per week didn't matter - as long as they did 150 (or more) minutes each week they had lower risk of stroke, heart failure and atrial fibrillation. 

(And those who crushed it and racked up 240+ minutes had even greater cardiovascular health)

That means as little as 2 ½ hours per week was all it took to reap cardiovascular benefits. 

Some people will scuff at the idea of two workouts a week and say:

That’s not enough exercise.
You might as well not even do it.

That's usually perfection talking.

Truth is 2x per week will move you forward (assuming it’s a quality workout program). And if it is done consistently you’ll travel much further than you realize. Plus, what may start off as twice per week may evolve into 3x… 4x… or 5x. But take your time with it.

Let that relationship with exercise evolve naturally.

Don’t rush yourself into thinking you have to go all-out from the start.

It doesn’t work for running a marathon and it doesn’t work for long-term fitness either.

Kelan Ern
​Elite Fitness Coaching

P.S. For more tips and strategies to restore your athleticism and go further, faster on your fitness journey - check out a free issue of the Mind-Body Breakthroughs newsletter. Each month features lessons and insights from the fittest people on the planet.