Cardiac Frequency and Caloric Cost of Aerobic Dancing in Young Women

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Abstract
Our primary purpose was to characterize cardiac frequency during aerobic dancing. A continuous ECG tape recording was obtained on 13 women (21 ± .5 yrs; [Xbar]± SEM) during aerobic dance classes. The tape was subsequently analyzed by microcomputer for min-by-min heart rate (HR) characteristics. During the main dancing phase of 35 min, the total elapsed time the subjects' HR was greater than or equal to HR reserve thresholds of 60%, 70%, and 80% was 23.9 ± 2.29 min, 17.2 ± 2.75 min, and 9.5 ± 2.24 min, respectively. The longest continuous time that HRs exceeded the minimal threshold of 60% was 17.8 ± 2.64 min; this value decreased at the higher thresholds of 70% and 80% to 12.4 ± 2.28 and 6.8 ± 1.80 min, respectively. Aerobic dancing can sustain an elevated cardiac frequency, although not all participants demonstrated this response. The caloric cost of aerobic dancing was estimated from HR during dance and the subjects' HR - oxygen consumption relationship determined in the laboratory. The caloric cost during the main dancing phase of the class was estimated to be 8 ± 1.3 kcal/min.

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