History has shown us that revolutions tend to breed new classes and represent the fall of ruling classes or the emergence of others. The fitness world has witnessed some revolutions of its own over recent years, and peering into the fall-out indeed reveals the apparent growth of an all-new class: the weekend fitness warrior. If you aren’t sure you’ve seen any around, just think back to your social media feed on the day of the national marathon several weeks back.

The term may be considered somewhat of a dubious honour, and is often used to shun those somehow less serious or devoted, but the game has well and truly changed. The game of course is a mix of old and new.

We still have marathons and traditional sports, but recent years have seen an explosive growth of a new breed of fitness competitions and obstacle races, and as some events and competitions cross the line into excessive competitiveness, others pop up to meet the needs of those prefering something a little more light-hearted and fun.

A working definition of the weekend fitness warrior nowadays could be she who signs up for events and competitions with only a limited amount of time and resources available to prepare. The weekend warrior will typically compete alongside more experienced and better prepared competitors, but will nevertheless embrace the spirit of competition in good humour, focusing on breaking their own personal targets and becoming a healthier, fitter, and happier person in the process.

For competitive athletes in Malta, sport can be likened to somewhat of a part-time job. For the weekend warrior, fitness and sport are performed strictly as a hobby, and often assume multiple forms from working out solo to participating in group fitness classes, competitions, outdoor activities, games, events, active holidays and even traditional sports.

Ironically, it is the weekend warrior nowadays who truly reflects the original Olympic ideals of amateur contest between those committed to growth through participation, fair play and the development of healthy minds in healthy bodies.

So if you are tempted to take up a new hobby, meet interesting new people, run a marathon, play sport, participate in exciting events locally or abroad, get healthy, improve your physical appearance and self-confidence and, perhaps most importantly of all, have plenty of fun while doing it; then you might like to consider the way of the weekend fitness warrior. There are no restrictions in terms of age or gender, just a willingness to embrace a few simple guidelines to ensure you get the most out of your investment of time and effort. All you have to do to join is pick any physical challenge whatsoever and start working towards it in your free time.

For competitive athletes in Malta, sport can be likened to somewhat of a part-time job

Anybody involved in fitness and amateur sport will benefit from paying particular attention to three particular areas namely, experience, quality and motivation. Perhaps the most wonderful aspect of the weekend warrior way is the personal and professional experience individuals can bring into the equation from all other facets of their lives. Recreational participation tends to bring together a fascinating mix of individuals from all walks of life, all of whom bring some unique skills and approaches from their own jobs, experiences and relationships.

When making decisions about what training programmes might work, which professionals to seek advice from, who to adopt as a training partner or group, value the life experiences you have amassed in all other areas and apply them. You wouldn’t make a business deal at work with someone with no experience or credentials, and you wouldn’t start a personal relationship with someone you don’t trust or cannot communicate with. So don’t let your intuition wane just because the context appears somewhat different, and apply those transferable skills you possess to achieving your new goals.

Next, weekend warriors simply must favour quality over quantity. A recent German study actually investigated the efficacy of two-day-a-week training performed back to back, exactly as you would do if you only had the weekend available. Sure enough such programmes were indeed found to be effective in increasing cardiovascular fitness, but it’s not all about programming.

Quality over quantity also means the focus is on good technique. Better technique means more efficiency. More efficiency means more weight on the bar and more mileage covered in exchange for the same amount of energy expended.

Just one single repetition performed correctly is still one more repetition than a hundred performed incorrectly. Perform a hundred wrong steps or repetitions, and you are essentially practising how to perform the desired movement incorrectly, increasing injury risk and decreasing performance ability. In more practical terms, two hours of quality training in the week is still two more hours of effective training than ten performed in sloppy form. In short, maximise any opportunity you get to practise and learn about better movement technique.

The final consideration is motivation. Motivation is your most powerful weapon, and doing it for the right reasons is one of the best ways of ensuring you don’t quit your new fitness regimen. It’s also easier to motivate yourself when you are doing something you enjoy, foring part of a community, and performing fewer sessions in the week. You should look forward to your sessions, so it’s important that you consistently strive to find the joy in what you’re doing. If you’re not having fun, then pick another physical challenge.

matthewmuscatinglott@gmail.com