Volume 3 • Issue 3 • 1000139 J Yoga Phys Ther ISSN: 2157-7595 JYPT, an open access journal Research Article Open Access Ward et al., J Yoga Phys Ther 2013, 3:3 DOI: 10.4172/2157-7595.1000139 Research Article Open Access Heart Rate Response to Vinyasa Yoga in Healthy Adults Sarah Shepperson Ward 1 , Noel McCluney 2 and Pamela Rogers Bosch 3 * 1 St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ (Dr. Ward), USA 2 Lauren’s Institute for Education, Gilbert, AZ (Dr. McCluney), USA 3 Northern Arizona University, Physical Therapy Program, Phoenix, AZ (Dr. Bosch), USA *Corresponding author: Pamela R Bosch, PT, DPT, PhD, Northern Arizona University, Phoenix Biomedical Campus, 435 N. 5 th St., 6 th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA, Tel: 602-827-2436; E-mail: Pam.Bosch@nau.edu. Received July 18, 2013; Accepted August 26, 2013; Published August 29, 2013 Citation: Ward SS, McCluney N, Bosch PR (2013) Heart Rate Response to Vinyasa Yoga in Healthy Adults. J Yoga Phys Ther 3: 139. doi:10.4172/2157- 7595.1000139 Copyright: © 2013 Ward SS, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Introduction Yoga is an increasingly popular mode of exercise. In the United States, yoga generally refers to classes in which participants place themselves in specifc poses called asanas. Diferent styles of yoga emphasize diferent aspects, such as breathing techniques, relaxation, fexibility, strength, or the fow of poses into sequences. Vinyasa is a generic term for any style of yoga in which participants follow an instructor in a sequence of asanas that are linked by a fow of movements and active breathing [1]. Tis class format is typically found in ftness centers and this style of yoga has become increasingly popular. Te fowing sequence of poses uses large body movements and is usually fast-paced, so vinyasa yoga may increase heart rates and lead to cardiovascular benefts. Many benefts of yoga have been reported, including a reduction in stress levels and improvements in cardiovascular ftness, fexibility, balance, endurance, body composition, muscular strength, and emotional well-being [2-32]. In spite of suggestions that yoga can improve cardiovascular ftness, few studies have measured the heart rate response to specifc styles of yoga. Rzesutko et al. [33] measured heart rate and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in young adults with no prior yoga experience during power yoga classes, a type of vinyasa yoga that emphasizes strength and fexibility. Te exercise intensity of the classes did not sustain heart rates within aerobic ranges and RPE did not correlate with heart rate. Carroll et al. [34] measured heart rate, oxygen consumption, and lactate production during a 15-minute video tape of 6 ashtanga yoga asanas. Tey concluded that this type of yoga induces a moderate cardiovascular response through a combination of aerobic and anaerobic energy requirements. Similarly, Blank et al. [35] measured heart rate and whole body metabolic responses in 6 healthy participants during a 60-minute power yoga class and found that participants were able to achieve and maintain 60%-70% of maximal heart rate (HR max ). Finally, Anders [2] compared the aerobic intensity of a hatha yoga and a power yoga class, using a 50-minute videotape for both classes. Te hatha yoga class elicited heart rates below the recommended range for improving cardiovascular ftness according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines [36], while the power yoga class elicited heart rates in the lower end of the benefcial heart rate range. Although these results suggest that some forms of yoga are an aerobic physical activity, the fndings are not consistent and it remains unclear which ones meet the ACSM and American Heart Association (AHA) physical activity guidelines [37]. Understanding the heart rate response to specifc types of yoga would support recommending a particular style as a very light-intensity (<50% of HR max ), light-intensity (50%-63% of HR max ), moderate- intensity (64%-76% of HR max ), or vigorous-intensity (77%-93% of HR max ) aerobic exercise [36]. Additionally, such information would be useful in helping individuals determine how to meet the current Abstract Background: Yoga is a popular exercise, but the heart rate (HR) response to specifc styles of yoga is unknown. Primary Study Objective: To determine if vinyasa yoga is an aerobic physical activity based on the HR response of participants. Methods/Design: Observational study using a convenience sample Setting: Exercise room on a university campus Participants: Forty-two adults aged 21-54 years with prior yoga experience completed the yoga session with no adverse events. Equipment malfunction precluded data analysis for 4 participants. Intervention: A 50-minute vinyasa yoga class that included 10 minutes of pre-activity rest, 35 minutes of asanas, and 5 minutes of meditation. Participant HR was recorded continuously during the class. Primary Outcome Measures: Mean HR response and time spent at each intensity level during asanas. Results: The data of 38 participants were analyzed. Mean (SD) HR for all participants during asanas was 107 (23) beats per minute (bpm), and 44% of the asana time was considered light-intensity aerobic physical activity. The mean response (expressed as a percent of maximal HR or %HR max ) was considered very light intensity (<50% of HR max ) for 6 participants, light intensity (50-63% of HR max ) for 21 participants, moderate intensity (64-76% of HR max ) for 10 participants, and vigorous intensity (77-93% of HR max ) for 1 participant. Conclusions: In the current study, vinyasa yoga was primarily a light-intensity aerobic physical activity, but individual responses varied. This information adds to the body of literature regarding the physiological response to yoga and specifcally addresses the aerobic response to vinyasa yoga. Journal of Yoga & Physical Therapy J o u r n a l o f Y o g a & P h y s i c a l T h e r a p y ISSN: 2157-7595