Effects of a 12-Week Hatha Yoga Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength and Endurance, and Flexibility in Hong Kong Chinese Adults: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

Caren Lau,Jean Woo,Ruby Yu

doi:10.1155/2015/958727

Caren Lau, Jean Woo + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/958727

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Abstract

Objective. To examine the effects of a 12-week Hatha yoga intervention on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility in Chinese adults. Methods. 173 adults (aged 52.0 ± 7.5 years) were assigned to either the yoga intervention group (n = 87) or the waitlist control group (n = 86). 19 dropped out from the study. Primary outcomes were changes in cardiorespiratory endurance (resting heart rate (HR) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max)), muscular strength and endurance (curl-up and push-up tests), and lower back and hamstring flexibility (the modified back-saver sit-and-reach (MBS) test). Results. Compared to controls, the yoga group achieved significant improvements in VO2max (P < 0.01), curl-up (P < 0.05) and push-up (P < 0.001) tests, and the MBS left and right leg tests (both P < 0.001) in both genders. Significant change was also found for resting HR between groups in women (P < 0.05) but not in men. Further analysis comparing participants between younger and older subgroups yielded similar findings, except that the older participants in the yoga group failed to improve resting HR or the curl-up test versus control. Adherence (89%) and attendance (94%) were high. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusion. A 12-week Hatha yoga intervention has favorable effects on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility in Chinese adults.

Highlights

The health benefits of enhancing physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular fitness, and flexibility) have become well established during the past decades
Physical fitness declines as part of the physiological changes with age [8,9,10], the rate of decrease and possible reversibility might be amendable by intervention
The effects of yoga on physical fitness in Chinese adults have not been reported. To fill these knowledge gaps, we developed a 12-week Hatha yoga intervention in the community to evaluate the effects of the intervention on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility in a two-arm 12-week, prospective, nonblinded controlled trial enrolling Hong Kong Chinese adults

Summary

Introduction

The health benefits of enhancing physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular fitness, and flexibility) have become well established during the past decades. Accumulating evidence indicates that an active lifestyle helps preserve CRF [11]. There is evidence around the benefits of aerobic and resistance exercises to improve CRF, muscular fitness, and health-related factors [12,13,14], highlighting the importance of intervention modalities. A large proportion of adults are much less active than desired [15,16,17], where the major barriers include physical limitations, low self-efficacy, or simple aversion to exercise [18,19,20]

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