Weekend Warrior Exercise in Sedentary Female University Students

Effects of Weekend Warrior Exercise on Aerobic Capacity and Skeletal Muscle Strength in Sedentary Female University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This single-center, single-blind, three-arm randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effects of weekend-concentrated exercise, regularly distributed exercise, and usual lifestyle on aerobic capacity and skeletal muscle strength in sedentary female university students. Sixty participants aged 18 to 25 years will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to a weekend warrior group, a regular exercise group, or a control group.

The intervention will last 8 weeks. Both exercise groups will complete 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, combining resistance exercise and jogging, but the exercise sessions will be distributed differently across the week. The control group will maintain its usual lifestyle without receiving the prescribed exercise intervention.

The primary outcomes are peak oxygen uptake and isokinetic peak torque. Secondary outcomes include body composition, maximal heart rate, maximal power and time to exhaustion, 12-minute run performance, isokinetic mean torque, physical activity, sleep quality, exercise self-efficacy, emotional status, cognitive function, adherence, feasibility, and exercise-related adverse events.

This study is designed to test whether concentrating the recommended weekly exercise volume into a weekend pattern produces comparable benefits to a regularly distributed exercise pattern in sedentary female university students. The intervention emphasizes a dose-matched comparison in which both exercise groups complete the same total weekly exercise duration, while the distribution of exercise sessions differs.

After baseline screening and assessment, participants will be assigned to one of three parallel groups using a 1:1:1 allocation ratio. The weekend warrior group will complete two consecutive exercise days per week, whereas the regularly distributed exercise group will complete three exercise days per week. Both exercise programs will last 8 weeks and include resistance exercise combined with moderate-intensity jogging.

Resistance exercise will primarily target the lower limbs, core, and major muscle groups. Exercises may include squats, lunges, glute bridges, calf raises, and planks, using body weight, elastic bands, or light equipment as appropriate. Jogging may be performed as continuous jogging or a run-walk format according to individual fitness level. Exercise intensity will be monitored using heart rate and rating of perceived exertion. Jogging intensity will generally be maintained at approximately 60% to 75% of maximal heart rate or a rating of perceived exertion of 12 to 14. Each session will include warm-up, supervised exercise, and cool-down activities.

The main contrast between the two exercise interventions is the weekly distribution of exercise rather than total weekly duration. The control group will maintain usual study and lifestyle habits during the 8-week period. Study staff will monitor adherence, perceived exertion, discomfort, and exercise-related events during the intervention. Outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation when feasible.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female university students aged 18 to 25 years.
• Self-reported sedentary time of at least 6 hours per day, further assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
• No cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, metabolic, or musculoskeletal diseases.
• Relatively regular menstrual cycles.
• Able to understand the study procedures, willing to complete the intervention and assessments, and willing to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any condition identified through clinical assessment or health screening that makes participation in moderate-intensity exercise or exercise-to-exhaustion testing inappropriate.
• Participation in regular exercise training, a systematic weight-loss or body-shaping program, or another exercise intervention study within the previous 3 months.
• Recent substantial body-weight fluctuations that may affect body-composition assessment.
• Cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, metabolic, or musculoskeletal diseases, or current use of medications that may affect exercise performance, heart-rate responses, or muscle function.
• Irregular menstrual cycles.
• Inability to complete the 8-week intervention, post-intervention assessments, or required study records.