Effects of Vinyasa yoga practice on fitness levels of healthy adults

The number of adults practicing yoga for fitness benefits grows every year, but there is little empirical evidence to support the presumption that yoga improves their physical fitness levels. The purpose of the present study was to establish whether practicing a vigorous style of yoga (Vinyasa) three times per week for eight weeks improved fitness levels of adult yoga novices. Thirty-one healthy participants (M = 24.2 years, SD = 6.1 years) were randomly placed into one of two groups, a yoga training (n = 15) or a control (n = 16) group. Levels of dynamic balance, power and core muscular strength/endurance were measured for each participant at the beginning (Time 1) and end (Time 2) of an eight-week period. To assess dynamic balance participants performed a star excursion test. They then completed a maximum vertical jump to assess power. Finally, participants performed three tests (flexor, extensor, side bridge) to assess core musculature strength/endurance. After baseline testing, the yoga training group participated in two 80-minute yoga classes and one 50-minute yoga home practice per week for eight weeks, while the control group abstained from any yoga practice. At the end of the eight-week training period both the yoga training group and the control group were tested again using the same testing protocol as the Time 1 testing. A mixed multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to test the effects of Vinyasa yoga training. Results showed that Vinyasa yoga training had a significant interaction (Group x Time) effect for a linear combination of five dependent variables (multivariate F (5, 25) = 4.60, p .01, η2 = .48). Subsequent separate univariate ANOVA tests for each dependent variable revealed significant interaction effects for dynamic balance (star excursion; p .01), anterior muscular strength/endurance (flexor test; p .01) and lateral muscular strength/endurance (side bridge test; p .05). Follow-up group comparisons at Time 1 and 2 for each of the three dependent variables showed that only anterior core muscular strength/endurance (p .01) improved for the Yoga Training group compared to the Control. Results from this study demonstrated that Vinyasa yoga training is an effective way for healthy adults to increase anterior core muscular strength/endurance. There were no training effects for posterior and lateral core muscular strength/endurance and dynamic balance. As predicted, there was also no effect for power.