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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sedentary Behavior; Physical Inactivity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Weekend Warrior Exercise; Behavioral: Regular Exercise

Detailed Description

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
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Chongqing Municipality
    • Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China, 401331
      • Chongqing Normal University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

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.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Weekend Warrior Group; Participants completed an 8-week weekend warrior exercise program on two consecutive days per week. Each session consisted of 50 minutes of moderate-intensity jogging and 25 minutes of resistance training, totaling 150 minutes of exercise per week.	Behavioral: Weekend Warrior Exercise; 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.
Active Comparator: Regular Exercise Group; Participants completed an 8-week regular exercise program on three days per week, including two 50-minute moderate-intensity jogging sessions and one 50-minute resistance-training session, totaling 150 minutes of exercise per week.	Behavioral: Regular Exercise; 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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
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.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Sit-up Performance	The number of correctly completed sit-ups performed continuously until volitional fatigue was recorded. Higher values indicate better abdominal muscular performance.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Body-weight Squat Performance	The number of correctly completed body-weight squats performed continuously until volitional fatigue was recorded. Higher values indicate better lower-body muscular performance.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
12-minute Run Distance	The total distance covered during the 12-minute run test on a flat outdoor track was recorded in meters. A longer distance indicates better cardiorespiratory fitness.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body Weight	Body weight was measured using the InBody 770 bioelectrical impedance analyzer and reported in kilograms.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Body Mass Index	Body mass index was assessed using the InBody 770 and reported in kilograms per square meter.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Body Fat Percentage	Body fat percentage was assessed using the InBody 770 bioelectrical impedance analyzer and reported as a percentage.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Waist-to-hip Ratio	Waist-to-hip ratio was calculated by dividing waist circumference by hip circumference. Lower values generally indicate lower central adiposity.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chongqing Normal University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 5, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): July 10, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 15, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Muscle Strength; Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Weekend Warrior Exercise; Sedentary Female University Students
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Sedentary Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: CNU-WW-2026-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No