Effects of "Weekend Warrior" Exercise on Muscle Strength and Cardiorespiratory Finess in Sedentary Female University Students

Chongqing Normal University40 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a weekend warrior exercise pattern on muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in sedentary female university students. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either a weekend warrior group or a regular exercise group. Both groups completed 150 minutes of moderate-intensity jogging and resistance exercise per week for 8 weeks, but the weekly exercise sessions were distributed differently. Body composition, functional muscular performance, and aerobic capacity were assessed before and after the intervention.

This was an 8-week, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial involving 40 sedentary female university students aged 18 to 25 years. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a weekend warrior group or a regular exercise group. The weekend warrior group exercised on two consecutive days per week, completing 50 minutes of jogging and 25 minutes of resistance training per session. The regular exercise group exercised on three days per week, including two 50-minute jogging sessions and one 50-minute resistance-training session. Both groups completed 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Exercise intensity was maintained at a Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion of 13-14 and monitored using the talk test. Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. Body composition was evaluated using the InBody 770. Muscular performance was assessed using knee push-ups, sit-ups, and body-weight squats, while aerobic capacity was assessed using the 12-minute run test. All assessments were performed by the same trained assessor under standardized conditions.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Interventions

Weekend Warrior ExerciseBEHAVIORAL

Participants exercised on two consecutive days per week for 8 weeks. Each session included 50 minutes of jogging and 25 minutes of resistance training. Exercise intensity was maintained at a Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion of 13-14 and monitored using the talk test. The total weekly exercise duration was 150 minutes.

Regular ExerciseBEHAVIORAL

Participants exercised on three days per week for 8 weeks, completing two 50-minute jogging sessions and one 50-minute resistance-training session. Exercise intensity was maintained at a Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion of 13-14 and monitored using the talk test. The total weekly exercise duration was 150 minutes.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 25 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Female university students aged 18 to 25 years. 2. An average daily sedentary time of at least 8 hours, as assessed using the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire. 3. Less than 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity or less than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, as assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. 4. Regular menstrual cycles without the use of hormonal contraceptives. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Identified as being at risk for participation in physical activity based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire. 2. Current smoking or drug use.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Knee Push-up Performance

The number of correctly completed knee push-ups performed continuously until volitional fatigue was recorded. Higher values indicate better upper-body muscular performance.