Physical fitness in adolescent competitive yoga practitioners: A cross sectional cohort study

Pages: 1445-1448
Vikas Rawat, Rajesh S. K. and Raghuram Nagarathna (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bangalore)

The benefits of physical fitness are widely acknowledged and extend across many domains of wellness and health. Aim of this study was to investigate differences in physical fitness in healthy individuals, who regularly practice yoga and non-experienced participants. This study compared hundred and ten competitive yoga children with equal number, age, gender, weight-matched healthy yoga motivated children who were naive. Sample consists of 50 boys and 60 girls in each group. Anthropometric measurements, spinal flexibility, hand grip strength and ventilatory function were recorded. Independent-samples t-tests were performed to determine whether statistically significant between groups. Yoga practitioners scored significantly higher on all domains of Physical fitness except on Left handgrip strength when compared with non practitioners. This study has shown children who practice yoga has seem to have higher physical fitness than non practitioners. Hence we recommend that yoga be introduced at school level in order to improve physical fitness and ventilatory functions of students.