Heart rate in yoga asana practice: A comparison of styles

SummaryYoga is often recommended for stress relief, yet some of the more fitness-oriented styles of yoga can be vigorous forms of exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in heart rate during the physical practice of yoga postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation. Sixteen participants were led through three different styles of yoga asana practice. Polar S610 heart rate monitors were used to measure one minute average heart rates throughout each session. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that there was a significant difference (P<0.05P<0.05) in heart rate between astanga yoga (M=95M=95, SD=12.84) and the other two styles, but not between the hatha (M=80M=80, SD=9.32) and gentle (M=74M=74, SD=7.41) yoga styles. These results indicate that there may be different fitness benefits for different styles of yoga practice.