Impacts of the Surya Namaskar on Body Composition and Physiological Parameters among Yoga and Non Yoga Professionals: A Quasi-experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction: Surya Namaskar (SN) (also known as Sun Salutation) in the Bihar School of Yoga tradition comprises eight different postures completed in twelve steps sequentially. There are different views and schools of SN according to various traditions. Several studies have been conducted to demonstrate the effects of SN on the physiological, physical, and mental aspects of practitioners; however, its comparative effect on Yoga professionals and Non Yoga professionals has not been extensively explored. Aim: To determine the impacts of SN on body composition and physical and physiological variables among Yoga and Non Yoga professionals. Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted at Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi, India from March 2021 to May 2021. The study involved three groups with 10 subjects each: the Non Yoga Professional Control group (NYPC), the Non Yoga Professional Surya Namaskar group (NYPS), and the Yoga Professional Surya Namaskar group (YPS). The NYPS and YPS groups practiced 12 rounds of SN, totaling 24 minutes daily for 5 days a week over 6 weeks. Height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), Heart Rate (HR), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Breathe Holding Time (BHT), Right Hand Grip Strength (RHGS), Left Hand Grip Strength (LHGS), Flexibility, Muscle mass, Percentage Body Fat (PBF%), total Body Fat (BF), Bone Mass (BM), Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR), and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) were recorded on the first day and after six weeks. GraphPad Instat Windows-based software, version 3.0, was used to complete the statistical analysis. Intergroup comparison was performed using Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Pre- and post-comparisons were made using t-tests. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05. Results: A significant reduction was observed in HR (p≤0.05), SBP (p≤0.01), Pulse Pressure (PP) (p≤0.05), Double Product (DoP) (p≤0.05), and Rate Pressure Product (RPP) (p≤0.05) following SN in the NYPS group. A significant reduction was observed in SBP (p≤0.01), DBP (p≤0.05), and MBP (p≤0.01) following Surya Namaskar practice in the YPS group. BHT (p≤0.05), RHGS (p≤0.05), LHGS (p≤0.05), and flexibility (p≤0.01) significantly increased following SN in the NYPS group. Flexibility was significantly increased (p≤0.05) following SN in the YPS group. PBF and BF decreased significantly (p≤0.001) following SN in the NYPS group. Conclusion: The SN has demonstrated effects on the physical, physiological, and therapeutic aspects of practitioners. The present study established that the practice of SN improves body composition and cardiovascular function with increased efficiency, potentially aiding in the prevention of lifestyle-related cardiovascular diseases.