The Impact of Pilates and Yoga for Eight Weeks on Respiratory Gas Exchange Indices of Young Women at Anaerobic Threshold

Background and Aim: Today, Pilates and Yoga are particular popular among various groups of society. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of Pilates and yoga training on the respiratory gas exchange indices of young women at anaerobic threshold moment.
Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 36 female volunteers were divided into control, Pilates and yoga groups, each including 12 subjects. The maximum consumed oxygen, anaerobic threshold and anthropometric characteristics of the subjects were measured before and after eight weeks. After the maximal test session, participants in the Pilates and yoga groups had exercise training for 8 weeks, 3 sessions in each week. Each session took 75 minutes until the eighth week and the intensity of activity gradually reached 70-85 percent of the maximum consumed oxygen. During the workout sessions, the control group did not exercise. The considered respiratory indices of the maximum test session were measured before and after eight weeks. Independent one-way ANOVA and dependent t-test were used for statistical analysis.
Results: The results showed that despite changes in respiration indices, changes in the consumed oxygen of the anaerobic threshold moment between the three groups, as well as changes before and after eight weeks of RER in the yoga group have been significant only (p> 0.05); while changes in VT, VE,, EQO2, EQCO2, PETO2, PETCO2 and VE/VCO2 were not significant at the intra- and inert-group levels (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: The research results showed that eight weeks of yoga and Pilates activities resulted in positive but insignificant changes in some indicators on the cardiovascular system of active women, such that the volume of consumed oxygen, current volume and moment verge were increased on reaching anaerobic moment. This effect is higher in yoga than Pilates; while indicators related to the efficiency of respiratory system to meet the needs of activity time after regular Pilates practice are more affected.