Wise Exercise for Weekend Warriors

How good or bad for you is getting lots of exercise, but only on the weekends?

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A typical Santa Cruz surfing trip for Sacramento resident Mike Bocchicchio, 38, goes like this: he leaves from work Friday afternoon, drives 180 miles through Bay Area traffic, sets up camp and goes to sleep. Bocchicchio wakes at 5:30 or 6 a.m. and readies his gear while eating instant oatmeal. “By 6:30 or 7 a.m. you are finally in the water!” He surfs the morning tide, rests during lunch, and surfs the late afternoon tide. “The next day is just the same, only I might skip the second session and start my drive home.”

It sounds like a rare getaway—but Bocchicchio does this twice a month, and makes day trips to San Francisco on the weekends in between. He’s what’s known as a “weekend warrior”—someone who is passionate about his sport, but gets to do it only on the weekends. “I love surfing,” he says. “It would be nice to surf before and after work during the week, but those of us who are obligated to live inland for family and career must settle for reading the weekday surf report and hoping that there will be some waves left come Saturday.”

Bocchicchio’s sport of choice may sound exotic to those of us who live in landlocked Sacramento, but like Bocchicchio, many area residents are forced to squeeze in their workouts on the weekends only. Many simply can’t find the time to exercise during the working week.

Weekend warriors like Bocchicchio tend to be young adults, but the phenomenon seems to be spreading to older and younger age groups too. Dr. Ernie Olson, a professor at California State University, Sacramento, holds a Ph.D. in leisure behavior research from the University of Illinois—Champaign-Urbana. He says, “Those individuals who tend to be “sensation seekers” are going to be more likely to be “weekend warriors” than “risk-avoiders.” Competitive people are more likely to be weekend warriors than noncompetitive people. Former high school or college athletes often participate in competitive leagues or endurance sports on the weekends.

Andy Rolleri, a 32-year-old marketing manager for a book publisher, acknowledges that soccer was his first love; he has played competitively since he was a small boy. He admits it’s harder and harder to find time to work out during the week. “Before my kids were born, I could come home from work and go for an hour-long run, or go to the gym. . . . Now I come home from work and play with the kids, or help prepare dinner in the evenings. I find myself squeezing in workouts whenever I can.” Let’s face it—exercise takes time. “It becomes a trade off. As much as I love soccer and jogging and playing basketball, I’ll skip a run to play with my kids and hang out with my wife.”

Bocchicchio admits he doesn’t get much exercise during the week. “I try to run and swim as much as I can, but because I’m gone on the weekends, the weekdays are the only time I have to get done everything else in life that one must do—spend time with family, run errands and work around the house. It wouldn’t be right to spend every weekend surfing, and every weekday exercising in preparation to surf!”

Robin Wham, PT, OCS, physical therapist and owner of Capitol Physical Therapy Center, realizes that for many of us, balancing work and family life often leaves our running shoes out in the cold—without us. “Most folks work 40-hour weeks or more, cannot prioritize fitness, then feel they should make up for that choice on the weekends,” explains Wham.

Of course, if you cram all your physical activity into the weekends and don’t exercise in between, you can get into trouble. Wham says, “The human body is meant to move, it requires movement to stay healthy and functional, so it stands to reason that any activity, especially if the alternative is no movement at all, is going to be beneficial.”

So how good—or bad—for you is getting lots of exercise, but only on the weekends? Massimo Testa, M.D., doctor of sports medicine at the UC Davis Medical Group of Sacramento, says, “Overall, sport gives you more benefits than risks. Actually, the risks for not exercising are 20 times bigger than the risks for exercising.”

Wham says it’s all relative: “Compared to staying inside smoking cigarettes all weekend, of course it is far better to get outside and play, even if one has not been preparing for it. Compared to regular and prescribed exercise, in contrast, it is less healthy.” Olson agrees: “It is all a matter of degree. People who push themselves to exhaustion or put themselves in dangerous situations, are probably doing more harm than good.”

A major benefit of strapping on your weekend gear and grabbing that ball is the boost in self-esteem that comes from pursuing one’s interests, taking care of oneself, and socializing with other like-minded friends. Olson says, “participants feel an increase in self-confidence, self-esteem builds, they generally feel more equipped to deal with the stress of work, and the overall quality of one’s life is enhanced.”

That’s true for Bocchicchio, who says the benefits of weekend surfing are many: “There is a sense of clarity demanded by the situation of coordinating safety, nature’s energy and self-expression that leaves me feeling accomplished and satisfied (sometimes humbled), which I then bring home and into other parts of my life.”

Caution is Key

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, there are approximately 10 million sports injuries per year in the United States, and 95 percent of them are a result of trauma involving soft tissues. Most of us have experienced at least a mild form of sports injury—overworked muscles can feel sore for several days after a “weekend battle.” Usually we feel better by midweek. But of course, “Recuperation depends on the extent or severity of the injury,” Wham says.

When it comes to sports injuries, there are two types of risk, explains Testa: subject-related risk, which depends on one’s own health status, such as having conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol, and sport-related risk, such as risk of sprains, concussions and other injuries that depend on the nature of the sport you choose. Bocchicchio knows about that kind—while surfing a year ago, “I hit hard on the rocky bottom and broke my leg. I couldn’t even walk out of the water.”

Weekend warriors are often victims of their own inexperience or ill-timed enthusiasm. By indulging their weekend sports passions but neglecting their workday workouts, they often try to do too much too soon or too infrequently. Wham sees it all the time. “Typical injuries may include cervical (neck) or lumbar (low back) strain, recurrent sprains of ankles, patellar and Achilles tendonitis, shoulder impingements, tennis or golfer’s elbow.” These result from overworking tissues that are unaccustomed to the activity, such as the “pick-up” basketball game, seasonal skiing or snowboarding trips, or any game that features competition and may require spontaneity because of the reliance on having a partner.

In his sports medicine practice, Testa sees two kinds of injuries: acute injuries such as head concussion from a cycling crash or ankle sprains from various games, and overuse injuries like tendonitis that result from constant wear and tear of endurance sports like running.

“Generally, people who maintain at least some level of fitness, or who stay somewhat active during the week are less at risk for an injury resulting from the bout of exercise,” says Wham.

Sports injuries can happen to anybody. Even with his fairly regular workouts, Rolleri found himself sidelined last August when he tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) during a soccer game. “There was no major collision or violent action involved with the injury. I did all of the damage by simply planting my foot to change directions—a move I’ve probably done tens of thousands of times in my life.” Rolleri had surgery for ACL reconstruction and repair to the meniscus in March. He expects it to take between nine and 12 months before he’s back to the shape he was in before that momentary misstep on the field.

Naturally, there are mental and emotional aspects that come into play when one is injured. Rolleri says, “I’d like to think I will be able to jump right back in and not worry about the knee hurting or getting injured again, but I doubt that will be the case.” The surgery has been hard on him. “I think it will be in the back of my mind for a while when I play soccer.”

Finding a Balance   

Olson, who has recently co-authored a book called The OPZ: A Place Where Everything Is Better, says, “When one is functioning within the “optimal performance zone,” three characteristics are always present: increased feelings of satisfaction, enhanced physical and mental performance, and optimal biological functioning.” To increase our overall health and wellness, Sacramento residents need to organize our daily activities to live within the OPZ. “When this occurs, one finds balance, and balance is the secret to health, wellness and longevity.”

 

 

Avoiding Injury

What if you still find the weekends to be your main opportunity to exercise? Think and train before you sign up for that charity 10k or the company softball team.

Choose your sport well. “If a person can exercise or recreate on weekends only, a prudent choice would be a non-ballistic sport like walking, hiking or cycling, where arcs of movements are relatively controlled, and do not require a quick response,” recommends Robin Wham, PT, OCS. Massimo Testa, M.D., says we should choose a sport that is suited to our health status, age and fitness level.

Ask an expert. Consult your doctor or physical therapist before beginning any exercise program. It’s good to know if you have a medical condition before you dive into a sport that may exacerbate it.

Invest in your safety. Take lessons to establish good form and prevent “overuse” injuries such as tendonitis. Also, use proper equipment, including athletic shoes.

Warm up, stretch and cool down. Cold muscles are more prone to injury. “Always warm up, begin the activity or exercise slowly and gently, stretch related structures before and after the activity,” says Wham. This is especially important if you’re unaccustomed to the activity.

Train wisely. Testa maintains, “The best way to manage injuries is by preventing them.” Train for your sport by starting out slowly and gradually increasing the difficulty level. “Don’t forget about core-muscle (abdomen and back) strengthening,” Testa warns.

Be reasonable about the intensity and duration of weekend athletics. Keep in mind that special events such as charity runs and championship games can take their toll if you haven’t received adequate training. If team sports are your game, “Don’t be a bone-head about intensity or competition!” warns Wham.

Pay attention to warning signs. Pain is bad! Pain is “your body’s way of saying slow down, pay attention, take a break,” says Ernie Olson, Ph.D. Also watch out swelling or discoloration (the signs of acute inflammation) following exercise.

Work out more often, even in little ways. Olson says, “The simplest thing a person can do to improve his or her health is walk. Walk briskly for 20 minutes a day.” Wham recommends “using a gym ball for a regular short routine of stretching and core strengthening, taking the stairs whenever possible, getting out of the sitting position for part of your lunch break.” Use every situation as an opportunity to enhance fitness, so park in that farthest spot and walk to your destination.

Do your homework. For more good advice about injury prevention and safe exercise tips, check out the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons website at orthoinfo.aaos.org/.