Effects of a 26-weeks shallow water head-out aquatic exercise program in the anthropometrics, body composition and physiological response of healthy middle-age women.

• Autor(a) principal: Barbosa, Tiago
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Gonçalves, Catarina, Costa, Mário, Marinho, Daniel, Silva, António
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10314/3330

The aim of this study was to assess the chronic adaptations (anthropometrics, body composition, physiologic) of the middle-aged women participating in a head-out aquatic exercise program during 26 weeks. Twenty-three healthy middle-age female subjects participated in a head-out aquatic exercise program (26 weeks, two sessions per week, and 40 minutes per session). Data was collected before starting the program (pre-test), at the 13th week (post-test 1) and at the 26th week (post-test 2). Anthropometrical data included body mass, body mass index and several anatomical perimeters. Body composition was assessed measuring several body skinfolds. Physiological measures included the resting heart rate, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures. The body mass and the body mass index presented non-significant improvements throughout the program. On the other hand, subjects improved their body composition, decreasing the fat mass. Main improvements happened in the first 13 weeks, since most variables did not presented significant improvements between the post-test 1 and post-test 2. As a conclusion, a head-out aquatic exercise program with 26 weeks promotes a significant improvement in the anthropometrics, body composition and physiological response of healthy middle-age women.