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| | MODULATION
OF CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSE TO
EXERCISE BY YOGA TRAINING | |
Madanmohan*, Kaviraja Udupa, Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Chetan
Chinmaya Shatapathy and Ajit Sahai**
Department
of Physiology, **Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Jawaharlal
Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER),
Pondicherry – 605 006, India
| | Abstract:
This study reports the effects of yoga training on cardiovascular
response to exercise and the time course of recovery after the
exercise. Cardiovascular response to exercise was determined by
Harvard step test using a platform of 45 cm height. The subjects
were asked to step up and down the platform at a rate of 30/min
for a total duration of 5 min or until fatigue, whichever was
earlier. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure response to exercise
were measured in supine position before exercise and at 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 7 and 10 minutes after the exercise. Rate-pressure product [RPP
= (HR × SP)/100] and double product (Do P = HR × MP), which are
indices of work done by the heart were also calculated. Exercise
produced a significant increase in HR, systolic pressure, RPP
& DoP and a significant decrease in diastolic pressure. After
two months of yoga training, exerciseinduced changes in these
parameters were significantly reduced. It is concluded that after
yoga training a given level of exercise leads to a milder
cardiovascular response, suggesting better exercise tolerance.
| | Key words:
yoga training , Harvard step test , rate-pressure product , double
product
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Yogic techniques are known to improve one’s overall performance and work
capacity. Following the study of Bhattacharya & Krishnaswami (1) in
which they observed that yoga exercises do not produce marked effect on
physical and physiological performance, there have been several reports on
the beneficial effects of yoga training on physiological functions.
Muralidhara & Ranganathan (2) have reported an improvement in cardiac
recovery index after 10 week yoga training programme. Raju et al (3) have
found a significant increase in maximal work output and a significant
increase in oxygen consumption per unit work after yoga training. Bera
& Rajapurkar (4) have reported a significant improvement in
cardiovascular endurance and anaerobic power as a result of yoga training.
However,Balasubramanian & Pansare (5) have reported that yoga training
produces a significant decrease in anaerobic power. Exercise stress
testing is a valuable tool for evaluating physical fitness and
cardiorespiratory status. The effect of physical training on exercise
tolerance is well known. However, there are limited studies on the effect
of yoga training on cardiovascular response to stress. Moreover, there is
paucity of information on the effect of yoga training on the time course
of the cardiovascular response following exercise. In view of this, the
present study was planned with the objective of determining the effect of
yoga training on the cardiovascular response to step test and its time
course after the exercise in normal young volunteers. | | |
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