Failure of target heart rate to accurately monitor intensity during aerobic dance

Fourteen untrained females (age 19 +/- 1, range 18-21) were studied to examine the heart rate-VO2 relationship during a single aerobic dance training session. These findings were used to help explain the changes in VO2max resulting from an aerobic dance training program. VO2max and body composition were determined before and after an 8 wk training period. In addition, the heart rate-VO2 responses to an aerobic dance training session were monitored and compared to the heart rate responses of treadmill jogging performed at the same VO2. The aerobic dance session elicited a significantly lower oxygen pulse than did treadmill exercise (7.2 +/- 0.3 vs 8.1 +/- 0.8 ml.beat-1; P less than 0.01). There were no significant changes in percent body fat, whereas VO2max increased by 11% (34.4 +/- 0.9 vs 38.1 +/- 0.8 ml.kg-1.min-1; P less than 0.05). No significant changes in any of the parameters tested were observed in 10 untrained controls. These findings indicate that the heart rate elicited from aerobic dance represents a lower relative exercise intensity (VO2) than that of running. Therefore, the assumption that aerobic dance training produces the same cardiovascular adaptations as running training when performed at the same target rate may be unwarranted.