Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

HEART RATE AND PERCEIVED EXERTION RESPONSE DURING POWER YOGA ASANAS

2002; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 34; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/00005768-200205001-01448

1530-0315

Karen M. Rzesutko, D M. Jay, W. Picconatto, Melissa K. Stuart, Reid Nelson,

Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control

Power yoga is a modernized form of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga has been suggested as a form of aerobic conditioning. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether participants in a beginning power yoga class could attain a level of intensity to achieve ACSM recommended target heart rate (THR) levels (55–90% HRmax) for aerobic training. METHODS: Thirteen active college aged individuals with no prior yoga experience participated in the study. Participants met for three consecutive 45-minute testing sessions with a 48-hour rest interval between sessions. Each session consisted of six segments: 10 min rest, 5 min deep breathing, 5 min warm-up, 20 min work, 10 min deep-breathing, and 5 min final relaxation. Heart rate and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was obtained every 5 minutes. Variables of interested included time to achievement of THR level, consistency of heart rates over the initial 3 power yoga sessions, ability to sustain THR levels, and correlation of perceived exertion (Borg 6–20 scale) to heart rate levels. RESULTS: Time to achievement of THR levels varied among participants but there was no significant difference (p = .05) within a participant across sessions (power = .145). The amount of time participants were in the target heart rate zone during the 20 minute work segment varied but there was no significant difference (p = .05) within a participant across sessions (power = .48). Heart rate and perceived exertion during the work segment showed poor correlation (r < 0.58) in each of the three sessions. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that power yoga does not consistently provide heart rate intensities that meet ACSM recommendations for aerobic training in beginning power yoga participants. In addition the use of perceived exertion during power yoga does not appear to be an accurate correlation with heart rate.