Routine use of external weights during a low‐impact aerobic dance conditioning program: Training benefit

Abstract

The effect of adding external weights to the body of participants in a 10‐week low‐impact aerobic dance program (3 days/week, 50 minutes/session, 60 to 90% of maximum heart rate [HRmax]) on aerobic power and body composition was studied in 20 college women. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a regular low‐impact aerobic dance group (NWT) or to a low‐impact aerobic dance group (WT) whose participants also carried added weights (1.5 lb/ankle; 3.0 lb/hand) during training. Pre‐ and post‐training aerobic power and body composition measurements were made on 17 subjects who completed the program. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant overall reduction in body fat percentage (‐2.9%) and fat weight, and an increase in maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max; 3.2 mL‐kg‐1 min‐1; 0.2 L‐min‐1), maximum minute ventilation VEmax; 10.1 L‐min‐1) and fat‐free weight following training (p ≤ 0.05). However, there was no group mean difference between any of the same variables in the WT and NWT groups. In additio...