A COMPARISON OF THE RELATION BETWEEN OXYGEN-UPTAKE AND HEART-RATE DURING DIFFERENT STYLES OF AEROBIC DANCE AND A TRADITIONAL STEP TEST IN WOMEN

The oxygen uptake and heart rate in various styles of dance and in a g raded step test have been compared in ten healthy women aged [mean (SD )] 34 (5) years. Dance was choreographed into progressively more energ etic sequences typical of community classes, and videotaped. Oxygen up take 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 m ade in randomised balanced order on the same day. The mean oxygen cost s of dance ranged from 1.29 l.min(-1) for low impact style to 1.83 l.m in(-1) for high impact style with arm work; mean heart rates were 135 and 174 beats min(-1) respectively. Low impact dance raised heart rate s 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 r ates 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. Analys is 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 oxyge n uptake found in dynamic activities with large muscle groups such as stepping.