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

NCT07714486 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: CNU-WW-2026-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Physical Inactivity; Sedentary Behavior

Keywords

Weekend Warrior Exercise; Muscle Strength; Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Sedentary Female University Students

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• 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 Outcomes (4)

• Body Weight

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Change in Body Mass Index

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Body Fat Percentage

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Waist-to-hip Ratio

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Study Arms (2)

Weekend Warrior Group

EXPERIMENTAL

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

Regular Exercise Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

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

Interventions

Weekend Warrior Exercise BEHAVIORAL

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.

Weekend Warrior Group

Regular Exercise BEHAVIORAL

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.

Regular Exercise Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Female university students aged 18 to 25 years.
• An average daily sedentary time of at least 8 hours, as assessed using the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire.
• 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.
• Regular menstrual cycles without the use of hormonal contraceptives.

You may not qualify if:

• Identified as being at risk for participation in physical activity based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.
• Current smoking or drug use.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chongqing Normal University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Chongqing Normal University

Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, 401331, China

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 15, 2026
• First Posted: July 20, 2026
• Study Start: March 5, 2026
• Primary Completion: June 20, 2026
• Study Completion: July 10, 2026
• Last Updated: July 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Locations

CN (1)