Routine use of external weights during a low‐impact aerobic dance conditioning program: Training benefit

Abstract

The effect of adding external weights to the body of participants in a 10‐week low‐impact aerobic dance program (3 days/week, 50 minutes/session, 60 to 90% of maximum heart rate [HR_max]) on aerobic power and body composition was studied in 20 college women. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a regular low‐impact aerobic dance group (NWT) or to a low‐impact aerobic dance group (WT) whose participants also carried added weights (1.5 lb/ankle; 3.0 lb/hand) during training. Pre‐ and post‐training aerobic power and body composition measurements were made on 17 subjects who completed the program. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant overall reduction in body fat percentage (‐2.9%) and fat weight, and an increase in maximum oxygen consumption (VO_2max; 3.2 mL^‐kg^‐1 min^‐1; 0.2 L‐min^‐1), maximum minute ventilation V_Emax; 10.1 L‐min^‐1) and fat‐free weight following training (p ≤ 0.05). However, there was no group mean difference between any of the same variables in the WT and NWT groups. In addition, no change before to after training was observed for body weight (‐0.3 kg), HR_max (‐2.2 beats/min), maximum respiratory exchange ratio, and maximum rating of perceived exertion (p >0.05). The present findings indicate that low‐impact aerobic dance is an effective modality for increasing aerobic power and changing body composition in college women; however, routine use of external weights carried by a subject during aerobic dance training fails to impart any additional training benefit in addition to that already derived from the activity.

Keywords:

• low impact aerobic dance training
• aerobic capacity
• body composition
• females
• external weights