"Comparative Hemodynamic Effects of Yoga and Zumba in Middle-Aged Women"

Abstract

This meticulously designed study evaluated the impact of Zumba dance training and yoga practices on mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and resting heart rate (RHR) in middle-aged women. A random group design was employed, involving 45 sedentary middle-aged women with a mean age of 35±1 years, a mean weight of 78.1±1.4 kg, and a mean height of 161±1 cm. The participants were selected from Kerala, India.  Before the intervention, the selected subjects were assessed for their MAP and RHR. The participants were then divided into three groups of 15 each: one group underwent eight weeks of yoga practice, another group engaged in eight weeks of Zumba dance training, and the third group served as a control group, receiving no training.  Following the eight-week intervention period, post-intervention assessments were conducted to measure the MAP and RHR of the subjects. The collected data were statistically analyzed using covariance (ANCOVA) analysis, with the significance level set at 0.05.  The findings, based on rigorous analysis, indicated that both yoga practices and Zumba dance training significantly reduced the mean arterial pressure compared to the control group. Moreover, Zumba training had a more pronounced beneficial effect on resting heart rate than both the yoga practice group and the control group, with these differences being significant at the 0.05 level. These findings are significant as they provide evidence for the potential of Zumba and yoga in improving cardiovascular health in middle-aged women.