A comparison of the relation between oxygen uptake and heart rate during different styles of aerobic dance and a traditional step test in women

Abstract

The oxygen uptake and heart rate in various styles of dance and in a graded step test have been compared in ten healthy women aged [mean (SD)] 34 (5) years. Dance was choreographed into progressively more energetic sequences typical of community classes, and videotaped. Oxygen uptake was assessed using a respirometer carried in a back-pack. Each of the two tests (dance and step) took 15-20 min and measurements were made in randomised balanced order on the same day. The mean oxygen costs of dance ranged from 1.29 l.min-1 for low impact style to 1.83 l.min-1 for high impact style with arm work; mean heart rates were 135 and 174 beats.min-1 respectively. Low impact dance raised heart rates above 60% of predicted maximum and so would provide training; during high impact dance recorded heart rates sometimes exceeded recommended safe limits. The addition of arm work significantly increased heart rates in both high and low impact dance but when oxygen pulses for each style of dance were compared no significant differences attributable to arm work were found. Moreover calculated differences between oxygen uptakes in stepping and dance at the same heart rates (those recorded during dance) were not significant for any of the four styles. Analysis of variance confirmed that neither arm work nor impact contributed significantly to the differences, so there was no evidence that these forms of dance change the normal relation between heart rate and oxygen uptake found in dynamic activities with large muscle groups such as stepping.

A comparison of physiological responses and rating of perceived exertion between high-impact and low-impact aerobic dance sessions

“…As with the other comparative studies into HIP and LIP routines in exercise to music classes (Otto et al 1986;Williford et al 1989;Bell 1993) the present study has demonstrated that LIP popmobility represents a reduced metabolic demand when compared with its HIP counterpart. Therefore, keeping at least one foot on the¯oor at all times, as in the LIP session, represents a signi®-cantly lower metabolic challenge than when the body is lifted o the ground, even if this is only a small height, as in the HIP session.…”

“…Therefore, heart rate in a LIP pomobility session may have only limited potential as an appropriate measure of exercise intensity. Bell (1993) states that it is likely that any discrepancy in training outcomes in aerobic dance studies is the result of reported training intensities having been overestimated. She states that the ®ndings of her study demonstrate that such an overestimation may not necessarily be derived from a disproportionate relationship between heart rate and O 2 , but because the majority of aerobic dance studies have relied upon pulse palpation as a means of monitoring and reporting training intensity, and she has shown pulse palpation to be unreliable.…”

The influence of a six month aerobics programme on middle aged women's aerobic capacity and body composition

“…One of them is the structure of the lesson. According to Bell and Bassey (1994), exercise intensity can be objectively infl uenced by the addition of arm work during workout, by the cadence of the music or by the number of high impact elements in the choreography. Aerobic dance composed entirely of high impact elements is more intensive, which is better for increasing physical fi tness (Grant, Davidson, Aitchison, & Wilson, 1998).…”

“…According to Heinonen et al (1996), exercise consisting of only high impact elements may help decrease the risk of onset osteoporosis in later life. In light of the higher risk of injuries to legs, hips, and the lower back it is preferable to use low impact elements in aerobic dance (Bell & Bassey, 1994;Grand et al, 1998). Regarding to the fact that women, who took part in this study, were middle aged, slightly overweight, untrained and sedentary, aerobic dance composed mainly of low impact elements (even if the intensity is lower) was suitable for them and according to some authors should also improve aerobic capacity (Bell & Bassey, 1994;Grand et al, 1998).…”

“…The ACSM also presents aerobics as a suitable physical activity for physical fi tness improvement (Pollock et al, 1998). Many studies confi rm the positive eff ect of aerobics on middle aged women's cardiorespiratory fi tness and body composition (Bell & Bassey, 1994;Çakmakçi, Arslan, Taşkin, & Çakmakçi 2011;Robles Gil et al, 2012;Stejskal et al, 2007), but they apply only dance or step aerobics in their researches. However, the type of lessons which combine aerobic dance with resistance training or which are focused on strengthening remain missed.…”