title: Positive effect of yoga on cardiorespiratory fitness: A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries. An integral part of primary prevention is physical activity. One form of physical activity to be potentially used is yoga, but this activity is associated with lower energy expenditure than that recommended for prevention. The study aimed at assessing the effect of regular yoga sessions on the aerobic capacity of the practitioners and comparing it with the normal population performing physical activity recommended by guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight persons (16 males) with a mean age of 50.0 ± 11.06 years comprising the yoga group practiced yoga for at least 1 h a day for over 2 years. They underwent spiroergometry under maximal exercise testing to assess basic performance parameters. Their results were compared with those in 54 age-matched controls (16 males mean age of 48 ± 11.86 years performing a regular aerobic physical activity for at least 7 h a week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The yoga group had statistically significantly higher maximum performance per kilogram (P = 0.007) and maximum oxygen consumption per kilogram per minute (P = 0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite low energy expenditure, yoga practices are better in some cardiorespiratory fitness parameters than other aerobic activities recommended by current guidelines for CVD prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Medicine and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eliška
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sovová
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Medicine and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vít
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Čajka
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Medicine and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Dalibor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pastucha
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Medicine and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malinčíková
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Radová
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Markéta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sovová
keywords: Cardiorespiratory fitness; prevention; yoga