ORIGINAL ARTICLE  SPORT CARDIOLOGY 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2017 March;57(3):289-98

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.16.06030-8

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Ten weeks of capoeira progressive training improved cardiovascular parameters in male practitioners

Sérgio R. MOREIRA ¹, Alfredo A. TEIXEIRA-ARAUJO ¹, Aristeu O. DOS SANTOS ², Herbert G. SIMÕES ³ ✉

¹ Graduate Program on Physical Education and Graduate Program Health and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco, UNIVASF, PE, Petrolina, Brazil; ² Group of Capoeira Arte e Luta, Master Mestrinho, PR, Cascavel, Brazil; ³ Graduate Program on Physical Education, Catholic University of Brasília, UCB, DF, Brasília, Brazil

BACKGROUND: The present study analyzed the effects of ten weeks of Capoeira progressive training program on the cardiovascular parameters of male practitioners.
METHODS: Participants were assigned into two groups (capoeira, N.=10; 25.4±3.3 years; 24.2±2.2 kg.m2(-1) and Control, N.=08; 29.6±6.3 years; 26.4±4.4 kg.m2(-1)). The Capoeira group performed ten weeks of Capoeira progressive training program, being one session per week lasting 90 minutes each. The control group was instructed to avoid any exercise training program or intense physical activities during the experimental period. The blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and rate pressure product (RPP), as well as HR variability (HRV) indicators were evaluated on resting, before and after intervention.
RESULTS: A two-way ANOVA revealed a main effect of group by time interaction to HR (F=6.649, η2=0.379; P=0.02), and HRV indicators (RRi: F=5.752, η2=0.313; rMSSD: F=4.652, η2=0.283; SD1: F=4.694, η2=0.409, and pNN50: F=5.561, η2=0.360; P<0.05). A main effect of time condition was verified for capoeira group (P<0.05) on HR (∆=-6.6±6.0 bpm), RRi (∆=80.1±65.4 ms), rMSSD (∆=14.1±11.6 ms), SD1 (∆=10.0±8.2 ms), and pNN50 (∆=11.3±9.7%). The between groups analysis identified significant differences (P<0.05) for the HR after intervention (capoeira: -8.6±6.9% vs. control: -0.7±3.9%). The comparison between capoeira vs. control for HRV indicators (RRi: ∆=10.1±8.5% vs. 0.9±7.6%; rMSSD: ∆=37.8±32.9% vs. 2.9±31.3%; pNN50: ∆=96.2±78.7% vs. 0.3±54.1%; and SD1: ∆=37.7±32.9% vs. 6.5±24.4%; respectively) differed to each other (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that ten weeks of capoeira progressive training program improves both autonomic and cardiovascular parameters in male practitioners.

KEY WORDS: Blood pressure - Heart rate - Brazil - Martial arts