Effect of a 12-week pilates course on body composition and cardiopulmonary fitness of adults living in an urban community

Abstract

Engagement in regular physical activity is helpful in enhancing physical fitness, which greatly outweighs the potential risks involved.Pilates is a non-contact physical activity, as it involves no physical contact with other people. Pilates is considered a relatively safe physical activity.The purposeof the presentstudy was to explore the effect of the PolestarTM Pilates method of exercise on the body composition and cardiopulmonary fitness of adults. The design of the study was quasi-experimental. The experimental group comprised 53 participants (44 females, 9 males). The control group consisted of 35 participants (31 females, 4 males). Only the experimental group received Polestar^TM Pilates exercise training, which was presented by a certified Pilates trainer. Both groups received a pre- and post-test of body composition and cardiopulmonary fitness. After 12 weeks of Pilates training, the cardiopulmonary fitness of the experimental group was significantly enhanced (p<0.05), but changes in body composition were not statistically significant. For future research, it is recommended that continuous tracking for 3 to 6 months at the end of the intervention period to follow up the intervention effectbe included in the research design. Longitudinal research can provide a greater understanding of the potential long-term benefits of cardiopulmonary fitnessand body composition.

Keywords: Body fat percentage; Cardiopulmonary fitness; Pilates exercise.

South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 2013, 35(2): 183-195