Is exercising a lot over the weekend as effective as spreading that time out over the week? appears to significantly reduce the risk of all-cause mortality. We spoke with several coaches to try and answer this question, while warning that more research is needed, especially when it comes to cycling.
Many of us have a commitment to not be able to ride during the weekdays, especially during winter with limited daylight hours and inclement weather. So let’s find out if a weekend of intense exercise is enough to keep you fit, and find out what this brings.
What do the studies say?
An article in the JAMA Journal of Internal Medicine examining how best to distribute exercise over the course of a week called the association of ‘weekend warriors’ and other leisure-time physical activity patterns with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. is included.
This study (and a study posted by the BBC) found that individuals who engage in active patterns of physical activity (‘weekend warriors’ or those who are regularly active) have lower mortality rates than inactive individuals. concluded. That’s not surprising, is it?
Engaging in the recommended level of physical activity (150 minutes per week) may provide the same benefits regardless of whether the sessions are done throughout the week or intensively on fewer days. I have. “The most important thing is to do physical activity first,” says the British Heart Foundation.
These articles focus on mortality and low levels of exercise and understand that there is a big difference between this and performing at your best on the bike. Can it be applied to cyclist training?
We spoke to a few coaches to see if packing all the riding into the weekend would keep them fit.
What level can a rider reach with just a weekend of riding?
Daylight hours are limited during the UK winter and some people have family or work commitments that allow them to cycle only on weekends. So what level can you expect to reach in just a weekend of riding?
Paddy Harrison, postdoctoral fellow and cycling coach at Loughborough University, said:
“Consistency is very important for athletic performance,” says Raceline Coach Dan Coombe. He believes that the mental benefits of biking on the weekends outweigh the physical benefits. time.
2020cycling.cc head coach Henry Latimer says, “Riding on the weekends can certainly help you get fitter,” but make the most of the riding you’re doing with this available cycling. You have to ask yourself if you are. time.
Harrison says it’s up to the individual to decide whether or not to stick with riding only for the weekend, but all coaches agree that additional rides during the week may be required to boost fitness. looking for a challenge.
Overall, weekend riding seems to work well for your general fitness level, but if you want to perform at your best on the bike, spreading your sessions over the week is more effective.
How can riders get the most out of their weekend riding?
Long Sunday rides are a must for many cyclists, but both intensity and duration are important for improving fitness. Incorporating different intensities and durations is important, but how should the weekend be structured?
Harrison avoids hard sessions on both Saturday and Sunday as fatigue builds up, instead opting for one day of short, high-intensity rides (1-2 hours) and another day of long, low-intensity rides. We suggest to do it (2-4 hours).
Weekend rides can be done outdoors – make sure you have some of the best bike lights – but turbos are a great way to incorporate high intensity sessions indoors (see our guide to the best turbo trainers Please refer to the).
“Zwift has many structured workouts to choose from, taking a lot of the guesswork out of designing interval sessions,” Harrison said.
> How to get started with Zwift
Coombe says the most important thing is to enjoy cycling, and choosing routes on different terrains will naturally take you to different zones.
For those who are more structured and have a natural desire to improve, he suggests completing split sessions on Saturdays.
> How training zones can help you maximize your cycling fitness
Sunday targets 3-4 hours of endurance with optional tempo and repeated sprints towards the end of the ride.
> Cycling Fitness: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Indoor Training Sessions
Like Coombe, Latimer says riding requires both excitement and stimulation if you’re constrained to just riding on weekends. He invites local groups to join him on his rides. They also hold you accountable. That means you’re more likely to stay out, even if the weather turns bad!
Overall, to get the most out of your weekend riding, be sure to incorporate high-intensity workouts and endurance rides.
What happens if you ride 5-6 hours a week?
Coaches believe you can improve somewhat by just riding on weekends, but you’ll need additional sessions throughout the week to improve further. It’s more beneficial to ride a total of 5-6 hours a week.”
Latimer says that if he could spread his riding time over four days instead of two, he would “be able to have a more structured ride and more targeted training.”
> How to make the most of limited training time
Below are two ideal training scenarios for riding throughout the week for those who can attend additional sessions.
coomb training week (5-6.5 hours total):
- Monday – closed
- Tuesday – Tempo Session (45 minutes – 1 hour)
- Wednesday – High Intensity Session (45 minutes – 1 hour)
- Thursday – closed
- Friday – General Endurance/Tempo (1 hour)
- Saturday – High Intensity (1.5 – 2 hours)
- Sunday – Mixed Session (1 – 1.5 hours)
Latimer training week (over 4.5 hours total):
- Monday – closed
- Tuesday – High Intensity Interval Training (45 minutes)
- Wednesday – closed
- Thursday – Low intensity technical session (45 minutes) such as high cadence drills
- Friday – closed
- Saturday – Hard Group Ride (2+ hours)
- Sunday – Steady Endurance Ride (1 hour+)
Latimer says that moving from weekend-only riding to a structured week “with more regular training stimuli and the ability to progress your training from week to week, your fitness will improve very quickly.”
Then, can I ride only on weekends?
of course! Weekend riding is the best way to enjoy cycling, but if you want to improve your fitness, be more competitive in your local races, or complete a longer sport, you need extra rides during the week may become
Harrison says one way to see if your weekend riding continues to improve your fitness is to complete a Zwift test protocol (such as the FTP test) and retest every four to eight weeks. . If you’re struggling to improve, you can consider adding another ride during the week or getting more out of your weekend rides.
> What is FTP?7 Key Facts to Learn About Your Key Training Metric Functional Threshold Power
Using Harrison, Coome and Latimer’s training example (above) will not only allow you to make better use of your weekend riding, but also allow you to add sessions throughout the week.
Did a weekend ride give you enough fitness, or do you spread out your time on the bike throughout the week? Let us know in the comments section below…
