Greater Sun Salutation Frequency and Standing Time Predict Increased Rate of Perceived Exertion across Multiple Yoga Styles: A Cross-sectional Yoga Instructor Survey

Abstract

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> To investigate the relationship between yoga elements and characteristics across multiple yoga styles, including mixed yoga styles, and exertion levels estimated by yoga instructors (YIs) using the 10-point OMNI perceived exertion scale (RPE). <h3>Design</h3> We used a cross-sectional design. <h3>Setting</h3> YIs completed this web-based questionnaire on personal computers. <h3>Participants</h3> 375 YIs from the Northeastern US completed this study. <h3>Interventions</h3> Participants completed a customized, 57-item web-based survey that included questions regarding client exertion levels, yoga styles, practice elements, and other characteristics when teaching yoga. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> The independent variable was the average exertion level that YIs felt their participants experienced in a typical yoga class using a RPE scale. In our analyses this variable was collapsed into three categories: low intensity (1- 4), moderate intensity (5-7), and high intensity (8-9). <h3>Results</h3> Our response rate was 46%. YIs identified greater than eight different styles of yoga that they used in classes with 87% of them using more than one style of yoga/class. Elements of yoga were directly related to exertion level estimated by YIs: time spent in standing/class (rspearman = 0.36, p < 0.001), the frequency of sun salutations performed/class (rspearman = 0.27, p < 0.001) and time performing vinyasa/class (rspearman = 0.22, p = 0.001). We found that estimated RPE reported by YIs was inversely related (rspearman = -0.16, p = 0.004) to the non-performance of sun salutation. An ordinal logistic regression model that included the above variables revealed statistical significance: Χ-squared (4) = 29.411, p = 0.001. Only time spent in standing (p = 0.007) and frequency of performing sun salutation (p = 0.006) during a yoga class were significant predictors of estimated RPE. <h3>Conclusions</h3> If improved cardiorespiratory fitness is the client's goal and yoga is their exercise preference, our findings suggest that health care providers and clients should seek yoga classes, regardless of yoga style, where YIs spend greater time standing and perform a higher frequency of sun salutation sequences. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> There are no known conflicts of interest to declare by the authors.