Date Approved

1996

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Physical Therapy (M.S.)

Degree Program

Physical Therapy

First Advisor

James Scott

Second Advisor

Brian Curry

Third Advisor

Karen Ozga

Abstract

Water aerobics is one mode of exercise that is gaining popularity. Water aerobics allows adults who participate in an exercise program to improve their cardiorespiratory fitness. The purpose of this study was to determine if water aerobic training is as effective as land dance aerobic training in improving cardiorespiratory fitness in sedentary healthy adults. Eighteen subjects participated in this study; nine in dance aerobics and nine in water aerobics. Before and after eight weeks of training, subjects performed a graded maximal exercise test on a Schwinn Air-Dyne while maximal oxygen uptake was measured via a Beckman Metabolic Cart. ANCOVA was used to analyze the data with mode, age, weight, and prior activity level as covariates. There was no significant difference found in the training effects between the water and land aerobics and both groups improved their maximal oxygen uptake significantly (p-value = 0.004). Therefore, water aerobics appears to be an effective means of improving cardiorespiratory fitness in sedentary healthy adults.

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