Heart rate and estimated energy expenditure during ballroom dancing.

Abstract

Ten competitive ballroom dance couples performed simulated competitive sequences of Modern and Latin American dance. Heart rate was telemetered during the dance sequences and related to direct measures of oxygen uptake and heart rate obtained while walking on a treadmill. Linear regression was employed to estimate gross and net energy expenditures of the dance sequences. A multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures on the dance factor was applied to the data to test for interaction and main effects on the sex and dance factors. Overall mean heart rate values for the Modern dance sequence were 170 beats.min-1 and 173 beats.min-1 for males and females respectively. During the Latin American sequence mean overall heart rate for males was 168 beats.min-1 and 177 beats.min-1 for females. Predicted mean gross values of oxygen consumption for the males were 42.8 ± 5.7 ml.kg-lmin-1 and 42.8 ± 6.9 ml.kg-1min-l for the Modern and Latin American sequences respectively. Corresponding gross estimates of oxygen consumption for the females were 34.7 ± 3.8 ml.kg-lmin-1 and 36.1 ± 4.1 ml.kg-lmin-1. Males were estimated to expend 54.1 ± 8.1 kJ.min-l of energy during the Modern sequence and 54.0 ± 9.6 kJ.min-1 during the Latin American sequence, while predicted energy expediture for females was 34.7 ± 3.8 kJ.min-1 and 36.1 ± 4.1 kJ.min-1 for Modern and Latin American dance respectively. The results suggested that both males and females were dancing at greater than 80% of their maximum oxygen consumption. A significant difference between males and females was observed for predicted gross and net values of oxygen consumption (in L.min-1 and ml.kg-lmin-l).

Energy expenditure and lactate concentration in sports dancers in a simulated final round of the standard style competition

“…Similar problem of inadequate preparation of athletes for making efforts in other dance areas was pointed out by Wyon and Redding [25], and Guidetti et al [22]. Also Blanksby and Reidy [9], as a result of the obtained data, put special emphasis on the importance of the physical preparation of dancers, although their values of individual indicators during dance were lower than those measured in this work.…”

“…In turn, Bria et al [19] showed that the greatest loads, expressed in energy expenditure in the group of men dancing in standard style, were observed in the middle of the round, in Viennese waltz. Other researchers reached similar conclusions in their papers, also classifying sports dance as a very heavy physical activity [8,9].…”

“…Previous dance studies included an assessment of the physiological response of an organism to the effort taken during a simulated round or sports dance competition [6,7]. In some papers issues related to energy expenditure during dancing were discussed [8][9][10][11][12]. To assess the amount of oxygen taken and energy used, various research tools and methods were applied, including non-calorimetric ones in which energy expenditure was estimated on the basis of a linear relationship between the effort intensity, heart rate, and oxygen uptake [9].…”

“…In some papers issues related to energy expenditure during dancing were discussed [8][9][10][11][12]. To assess the amount of oxygen taken and energy used, various research tools and methods were applied, including non-calorimetric ones in which energy expenditure was estimated on the basis of a linear relationship between the effort intensity, heart rate, and oxygen uptake [9]. Some of them showed the divergence between the results obtained based on the correlation of pulse and oxygen uptake and the results obtained based on energy expenditure evaluation made using indirect calorimetry [13,14].…”

Ballroom dancing is more intensive for the female partners due to their unique hold technique

“…In contrast, in a later study, Liiv et al (9) found that BD was more intensive for the female partner. Furthermore, in an early study, females tended to achieve higher heart rates in all of the five dances (2). The discrepancy and the magnitude of differences between genders in these studies may result from differences in competitors' level, or from using different experimental settings and intensity indicators.…”