Active hobbies, weekends and holidays

Which hobbies keep you active?

Walking is a good place to start, and dancing, walking with poles and cycling are good alternatives. Choose something you'll enjoy doing. Walking is among the most popular activities across world regions¹. In the US it makes up the biggest share of leisure activity, and adults who aren't active enough tend to put their limited activity into walking and dancing².

• Walking. A short walk you enjoy, repeated through the week, is a fine start.
• Walking with poles. Nordic Walking is simple to learn, lets you control how hard you work, and uses relatively inexpensive equipment. It's popular with middle-aged and older adults⁵.
• Dancing. Dance programmes tend to improve body composition, blood markers and muscle and joint function, and work about as well as structured exercise for heart and circulation fitness and how mobile you feel⁶. Dance programmes for older adults tend to keep people coming, and they may suit people with medical conditions or physical limitations⁷.
• Cycling. An electrically assisted bike still raised fitness in overweight adults, so an e-bike counts as useful activity⁸.

If a hobby feels too hard, pick a gentler version, such as walking with poles or an electrically assisted bike.

How can you stay active while travelling?

Plan your trip around activities you enjoy, and fit short blocks of movement into what you're already doing. Choosing outings and holidays that include walking, hiking, cycling or swimming builds activity into time away⁴. Exploring on foot, a beach walk or a swim are easy ways to do this.

On busy days, look for small gains. You can fit in blocks of 5 to 30 minutes by combining movement with things you already do, such as walking while you shop or doing chores⁴. Activity from work, leisure, home or transport all counts towards your weekly amount³. If a plan falls through, a few short bursts of movement are still worth doing.

Try to limit long stretches of sitting too. Replacing sitting with activity of any intensity, including light activity, has health benefits³. A short stroll when you would otherwise sit is enough.

How do you plan an active weekend?

Think of the weekend as a few short, realistic blocks rather than one big effort. The WHO recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix³. That is a direction, not an entry requirement. If you're inactive, start with small amounts and build up how often, how hard and how long you're active, because some activity is better than none³. Bouts of any length count; the old rule of at least 10 minutes at a time has been removed³.

Then make the plan likely to happen:

• Put it in your calendar. When it's already in your diary, you're more likely to plan other things around it⁴.
• Do it with someone. It's much harder to cancel when you'd be letting someone down⁴.
• Replace some sitting with light movement, such as a stroll while chatting on the phone³.
• If you're 65 or older, include varied activity that combines balance, strength and endurance on 3 or more days a week³.

How can weekends allow for longer or different activities?

Weekends can suit longer sessions or something new, because the guidelines count your total activity across the week. The NHS advises spreading activity over 4–5 days a week or every day, while the WHO guidelines don't set a pattern⁹. People who pack their activity into one or two days are linked with a similar lower risk of atrial fibrillation to people who are active throughout the week, and this pattern may suit some busy schedules⁹. It isn't yet clear whether concentrating activity works for people who are currently inactive¹⁰, so if that's you, start small and build up.

How to use the extra time:

• Lengthen one outing a little at a time, such as adding a few minutes to a regular walk, rather than jumping to a long day out.
• Try something different you'd enjoy, such as a dance class or walking with poles.
• Keep short bouts on other days if you can, since being active each day supports good health⁴.

Packing a lot of activity into the weekend may raise the chance of a muscle or joint injury, although muscle and joint problems were similarly lower with both patterns and more research is needed⁹. Exercise doesn't have to hurt to work, and soreness isn't needed for progress. If a muscle or joint is sore, or you're sore a day or two later, ease off.

When to check with a health professional

If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first.

For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. That includes soreness that persists or gets worse. Activity is generally considered safe and beneficial for adults with long-term conditions, and many people feel unsure about becoming active safely. If you live with a long-term condition or a disability, a doctor, a physio or a service for your condition can help you choose the right type and amount^3,11.

Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe.

If you feel sick, sweaty, unwell, breathless or dizzy during or after activity and it doesn't settle, treat it as the emergency above. If it has settled, see a doctor soon. Unusual tiredness isn't an emergency, but get it checked by a doctor.