Eur J Appl Physiol (2001) 84: 6468

Springer-Verlag 2001

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Raija M. Laukkanen Merja K. Kalaja

Sami P. Kalaja Eija B. Holmala
Leena M. Paavolainen Margareetta Tummavuori
Paula Virtanen Heikki K. Rusko

Heart rate during aerobics classes in women with different

previous experience of aerobics
Accepted: 18 September 2000

Abstract This study measured heart rate during oor

and step aerobic classes at three intensity levels. A group
of 20 female occasional exercisers [mean age 33 (SD 8)
years, mean body mass index 21 (SD 2) kg m)2
volunteered to participate in six aerobic classes (three
oor classes, three step classes) and in a laboratory test
as members of one of two groups according to their prestudy regular participation in aerobics classes. Subjects
in group A had participated four or more times a week
and those of group B less than twice a week. The
characteristics of the groups were as follows: group A,
n 10, mean maximal oxygen uptake (V_ O2 max ) 38.7
(SD 3.6) ml kg)1 min)1, mean maximal heart rate
(HRmax) 183 (SD 8) beats min)1; group B, n 10,
V_ O2 max 36.1 (SD 3.6) ml kg)1 min)1, HRmax 178
(SD 7) beats min)1. Each class consisted of a warm-up,
a 20 min period of structured aerobic exercise (cardiophase) and a cool-down. The cardiophase was planned
and guided as light, (rate of perceived exertion, RPE
1112), moderate (RPE 1314) or heavy (RPE 1517) by
an experienced instructor. The mean heart rates during
the light classes were 72 (step) and 74 (oor) %HRmax in
group A and 75 (step) and 79 (oor) %HRmax in group
B; during the moderate classes, 84 (step) and 80 (oor)
%HRmax in group A and 82 (step) and 83 (oor)
%HRmax in group B, and during the heavy classes 89
(step and oor) %HRmax in group A and 88 (step) and
92 (oor) %HRmax in group B. Dierences in heart rate

R. M. Laukkanen (&) P. Virtanen

Polar Electro Oy, Professorintie 5,
Kempele, Finland
e-mail: raija.laukkanen@polar.
Tel.: +358-8-5202100; Fax: +358-8-5202170
R. M. Laukkanen P. Virtanen
University of Oulu, Finland
M. K. Kalaja S. P. Kalaja E. B. Holmala
L. M. Paavolainen M. Tummavuori H. K. Rusko
Research Institute for Olympic Sports (KIHU),
Jyvaskyla, Finland

and %HRmax were not statistically signicant between

the groups. However, dierences in heart rate and
%HRmax between the intensities (light vs moderate,
moderate vs heavy and light vs heavy) were signicant
within both groups (all, P < 0.01). Based on the results,
we conclude that intensity management during the aerobics classes was generally successful regardless of the
participants' prior participation in aerobics. However,
some individuals who were older and/or had less prior
participation tended to exceed the targeted heart rate.
Key words Aerobic dance Aerobics Intensity
Heart rate Rate of perceived exertion

Introduction
Aerobic dance is a very popular activity among women.
Regular participation in aerobics programmes has been
found to elicit cardiovascular tness improvements
similar to those elicited by other endurance-type modes
of exercise (Garrick and Regua 1988; Schar-Olson
et al. 1996; Williford et al. 1989). This most probably
holds good when the exercise prescription meets the
threshold criteria; i.e. a training frequency of 35 days a
week, an intensity of 55%/65%90% maximal heart
rate (HRmax); 40%/50%85% of maximal oxygen uptake
reserve (maximal oxygen uptake minus oxygen uptake at
rest); or maximal heart rate reserve (HRmax minus heart
rate at rest, HRrest), and a duration of 2060 min of
continuous or intermittent aerobic activity using large
muscle groups (ACSM 1998). Interestingly, however,
Parker et al. (1989) concluded in their study that an
aerobic dance training programme may not produce the
same cardiovascular adaptations as running training
when performed at the same target heart rate. During
aerobics classes the participants usually regulate their
exercise intensity using the rating of perceived exertion
(RPE; Borg 1982). Heart rate is used as a common
standard in estimating training intensity in position
statements (ACSM 1990, 1998) while RPE is not. The

65

RPE has been shown to correlate well with blood lactate

concentrations ([La)]b), heart rate, pulmonary ventilation, and the oxygen uptake (V_ O2 ) responses to exercise
(Robertson and Noble 1997). Hawley et al. (1990) reported a moderate correlation between the RPE of the
aerobic dancers and estimated energy expenditure
(Londeree and Ames 1976). Later, it has been shown
that participants generally underestimate their level of
cardiovascular strain by RPE compared to physiological
estimates such as heart rate and maximal oxygen uptake
(V_ O2 max ) (Clapp and Little 1994; Schaeer et al. 1995;
Thomas and Long 1993). Several experiments (e.g.
Clapp and Little 1994; Thomsen and Ballor 1991) have
shown that the intensity level of performance of the instructor and the participants dier dramatically during
aerobics classes, and that the physiological responses to
exercise are individual. Gillett and Eisenman (1987)
emphasized the importance of tailoring the intensity
of the exercise to the individual and concluded that
changes in cardiovascular tness in overweight women
are greater when the exercise intensity is tailored to
their ages and level of tness. According to Hawley et al.
(1990) instructors tend to create separate exercise
routines at low and higher intensity levels. From the
instructors' point of view, dierences in the ages,
tness levels and skills of the participants can make it
dicult to design a single class so that everyone can
exercise at moderate to heavy intensities, within the
55%90% HRmax range (ACSM 1998) that can be
considered as appropriate to produce an eective
response to training.
The aims of this study were:
1. To investigate how an experienced instructor succeeds in preplanning oor and step classes for dancers
with dierent aerobics experience by modifying exercise movements to attain the selected intensities of
less than75% HRmax, 75%85% HRmax, and 85%
90%HRmax
Table 1 Anthropometry and performance characteristics of
groups A and B. Group A experienced aerobics participants, group
B inexperienced aerobics participants. BMI Body mass index,
HRrest heart rate at rest, HRmax maximal heart rate, V_ O2 max
Group

Age (years)
Body mass (kg)
BMI (kg m)2)
Body fat (%)
HRrest (beats min)1)
V_ O2 max (l min)1)
V_ O2 max (ml kg)1 min)1)
HRmax (beats min)1)
HRR (beats min)1)
[La)]b,max (mmol l)1)
*P < 0.05 (between the groups)

A
(n = 10)

2. To investigate how dancers with dierent frequencies

of participation in aerobics classes can control/attain
the appropriate intensities during the classes.

Methods
Subjects
The subjects were recruited from the clients of a private tness
club. A group of 20 women (age range 1947 years) volunteered
to participate in the study and they were divided into two groups:
group A [n 10, mean age 30 (SD 6) years], participating regularly four or more times a week in aerobic dance classes; and
group B [n 10, mean age 36 (SD 9) years] participating less
than twice a week in aerobic dance classes. All subjects were
healthy and did not smoke or use regularly any medications. Each
subject signed an informed consent before entering the study.
Each subject participated in the laboratory test procedure and six
aerobic classes.
Laboratory tests
The subjects were asked to abstain from heavy meals and coee
drinking for 23 h before entering the laboratory, and from unusually heavy physical eort during the preceding 24 h.
The anthropometric and physical characteristics of the subjects
are described in Table 1. Body mass and stature were measured in
light clothing without shoes and the percentage of body fat was
estimated from the thickness of four skinfolds (biceps, triceps,
subscapular, suprailiac; Durnin and Rahaman 1967). Body mass
index (BMI) was calculated by dividing mass (kilograms) by the
square of height (metres squared). The HRrest was measured before
the exercise test after a 10 min rest during which a plateau was seen
in the heart rate. After that, the subjects performed an incremental
uphill walk-jog test to exhaustion on a treadmill to gain measurements of maximal aerobic power (V_ O2 max ) and HRmax using a
portable telemetric gas analyser (Cosmed K4, Italy) and a telemetric heart rate monitor (Polar Vantage NV, Polar Electro Oy,
Finland). Before and immediately after the test the oxygen and the
carbon dioxide sensors of the gas analyser were calibrated with
standard calibration gases. The V_ O2 max was taken as the mean of
two highest consecutive 30 s V_ O2 values. The initial speed and
inclination of the treadmill were 3.0 km h)1 and 2.3, respectively,

maximal oxygen uptake, HRR heart rate reserve (HRmax minus

HRrest; Karvonen et al. 1957), [La)]b,max maximal blood lactate
concentration
B
(n = 10)

All
(n = 20)

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

29.6
58.1
20.6
23.9
63
2.25
38.7
183
119
9.2

6.3
5.9
1.4
5.3
7
0.30
3.6
8
10
2.5

35.5
60.3
22.0*
25.2
69
2.17
36.1
178
109*
8.3

9.0
7.7
2.5
5.8
9
0.35
3.6
7
11
1.9

32.6
59.2
21.3
24.5
66
2.21
37.4
180
114
8.7

8.1
6.8
2.1
5.5
9
0.32
3.7
8
12
2.2

66
and the speed was increased by 1.0 km h)1 and the gradient by
1.1 after every 3-min until exhaustion. Maximal eort was dened
as having been achieved by attaining a plateau of V_ O2 (increase less
than 2 ml min)1 kg)1 body mass between two consecutive gas
collections) and at least one of the following parameters: a heart
rate more than 85% of the age-predicted HRmax or a respiratory
exchange ratio greater than 1.05. The RPE was recorded at each
stage during the treadmill test and provided an RPE baseline for
the classes. Fingertip blood samples were taken for maximal criteria after each running speed to determine [La)]b by an enzymaticelectrode method (EBIO 6666, Eppendorf-Netheler-Hinz GmbH,
Germany).

Aerobics classes
Within 2 weeks after the laboratory tests each subject participated
in six aerobics classes as a member of either group A or B. Each
group performed a light, a moderate and a heavy oor class, in that
order, and, after these, step classes in the same order of intensity.
Randomisation of the classes was not possible because of the
limited resources available (only one instructor) and the structure
of the classes (it was most appropriate to proceed from light to
moderate to heavy). Each class consisted of four phases: a 10-min
warm-up, a 20-min aerobic phase, a 5-min cool-down and a 10-min
stretching period. The aerobic phase of both the oor class and of
the bench step class was structured by an experienced instructor to
be of light intensity (at most 75% HRmax) corresponding to an RPE
of 1112, moderate intensity (at most 85% HRmax) with an RPE of
1314, or heavy intensity (at most 90% HRmax) with an RPE of 15
17. The intensity of the classes was planned and controlled by
modifying the range, the direction and the impact of the movements, as well as varying the muscle masses involved (through
deeper movements, increased bending, arm activity), and in step
classes, by modifying the bench height. The bench height varied
from 10 to 20 cm and was adjusted as necessary. The eects of the
size of the active muscle mass, the movement tempo, the step cadence, the step height and the range of the arm movements and arm
positions (Carrol et al. 1991; Darby et al. 1995) were taken into
consideration in planning the movement routines for each of the
dierent phases (warm-up, aerobic phase, cool-down) in the
classes. During the aerobic phases, the instructor gave alternative
movements for the participants to choose from (e.g. arms low or
high) to help them regulate their intensity.
The music tempo was held constant during all the aerobic
phases of the classes for a group: for group A, 140 beats min)1,
and for group B, 127 beats min)1. During the warm-up and the
cool-down the music tempo in both oor and step classes was
127 beats min)1. The target of the aerobic phase for each class
(light, moderate or heavy) was verbally explained at the beginning
of each class. The subjects were asked to adjust their exercise
intensities during the dierent phases of the class according to
subjective RPE alone, and to take previous laboratory exercise
stress test experience as a reference. The RPE scale was demonstrated at the front of the classroom by drawings of facial
expressions corresponding to intensities from extremely light to
extremely heavy.
Throughout the classes the heart rate of each subject was recorded at 5-s intervals using a telemetric heart rate monitor (the
same Polar Vantage NV model used for the laboratory stress tests).
The participants were not able to see their heart rates during the
aerobic classes. The data were later downloaded and analysed using
a computer program (Polar Advantage Interface System with Polar
Precision Performance Software, from the same vendor). The mean
values of the heart rates for each participant at each phase (warmup, aerobic, cool-down) were calculated from preselected samples
of the heart rates. The samples were from 4- to 6-min periods in the
middle of the warm-up and cool-down and from three 6-min phases
located at the beginning, middle and end of the aerobic phase.
Exercise heart rates were also calculated as percentages of HRmax
and heart rate reserve (HRR, heart rate at maximal exercise intensity minus HRrest; Karvonen et al. 1957).

Statistical methods
Dierences between the groups were calculated using a two-way
repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and dierences
within the groups were calculated using a v2 test. The probability
level was established at P < 0.05.

Results
The study groups did not dier statistically in age,
subcutaneous body fat % or V_ O2 max . The BMI was
larger in group B (P < 0.05) (Table 1).
The mean heart rates during the dierent phases of a
moderate intensity step class for all subjects (n 20) is
illustrated in Fig. 1. During warm-up the mean heart
rate for the dancers was 124 (SEM 10) beats min)1;
during the three aerobic phases 142 (SEM 10) (light),
151 (SEM 12) (moderate) and 154 (SEM 12) beats
min)1 (heavy); and during cool-down period
120 (SEM 12) beats min)1. The mean heart rates of
groups A and B during the aerobic phases of the six
dierent classes are presented in Table 2. The mean
heart rates both in absolute terms (beats per minute) and
as percentages of HRmax and HRR were lower during
the light intensity classes than during the moderate
classes (P < 0.01), and lower in both of those than in
the heavy intensity classes (P < 0.01). These results held
good for both groups and for both oor and step classes.
The mean intensity levels during the classes varied between 72% to 79% HRmax (58%66% HRR) in the
light classes, 80%84% HRmax (69%75% HRR) in the
moderate classes and 88%92% HRmax (80%86%
HRR) in the heavy classes. However, none of the heart
rate values (heart rate, %HRmax or % HRR) varied
signicantly between the groups.

Discussion
The mean V_ O2 max of the study groups in this work
represented the average tness of women of comparable

Fig. 1 Mean and SEM heart rates (HR) of the combined study
group (n 20) at the dierent phases of a moderate intensity step
class

67
)1

Table 2 Heart rates (HR), as beats min (bpm) as percentages

of maximal heart rate (%HRmax) and heart rate reserve (%HRR) in
the groups during three oor and three step classes. For other
denitions see Table 1
Class
Light

Moderate

Heavy

Mean SEM Mean SEM Mean SEM

Floor
Group A (n = 10)
HR (bpm)
%HRmax
%HRR
Group B (n = 10)
HR (bpm)
%HRmax
%HRR
Step
Group A (n = 10)
HR (bpm)
%HRmax
%HRR
Group B (n = 10)
HR (bpm)
%HRmax
%HRR
a
b

136
74
61

4
2
3

46a
80a
69a

4
2
3

62b 4
89b 2
83b 2

140
79
66

4
2
3

148a
83a
73a

3
2
3

163b 3
92b 1
86b 2

132
72
58

2
1
1

153a
84a
75a

4
2
2

163b 3
89b 1
84b 2

134
75
60

3
2
3

145a
82a
70a

3
1
3

156b 3
88b 1
80b 2

P < 0.01 (moderate vs light inside the group)

P < 0.01 (heavy vs moderate inside the group)

age in the general population that has been observed by

others (Fletcher et al. 1995). Compared to subjects of
previous studies on aerobics (Clapp and Little 1994;
Thomsen and Ballor 1991), the subjects of this study
were less t. This was probably because the age range in
this study was so broad: in group A, 1940 years and in
group B, 1947 years.
The subjects had been grouped according to the frequency of their regular participation in aerobics prior to
the study, and classes were specially tailored for each
group. Grouping according to aerobics background has
also been used in previous studies (Thomsen and Ballor
1991) to replicate the stratied levels of intensity of
classes in tness centres and gymnasiums. The dancers in
group A had participated regularly in aerobics classes
four or more times a week. However, they did not have a
higher mean maximal aerobic power (V_ O2 max ) than
those who had participated twice or fewer times a week.
This is most probably due to the fact that the group B
dancers participated more in other physical activities
than the group A dancers. Aerobic dance interventions
with a duration of 716 weeks and a training frequency
of 24 times a week have been shown to result in 5%
41% improvements in V_ O2 max in adult women (Williford et al. 1989). In the present study, the mean level of
tness of the subjects was higher than in the study of
Williford et al. (1989).
Optimal changes in exercise intensity during an aerobic class consists of a gradual increase of intensity from
the warm-up phase to the aerobic phase, followed by a
return to the warm-up level during the cool-down. In the

present study the mean heart rates of the participants

started to increase during the warm-up, were highest
during the aerobic phase and declined again during the
cool-down. As an example of this, Fig. 1 illustrates the
mean heart rates during a moderate intensity step class.
The mean heart rates during the warm-up and cooldown periods corresponded to 67%69% HRmax, and
during the aerobic phases they corresponded to 79%
86% HRmax.
The following intensity targets had been set for the
aerobic phases of the classes: light when the heart rate
was under 75% HRmax, moderate when between 75%
and 85% HRmax, and heavy when between 85% and
90% HRmax (modied from Wilmore and Costill 1994).
These values are within the heart rate limits, 65%90%
HRmax, recommended by ACSM (1998) for developing
and maintaining cardiorespiratory tness. The subjects
in group B exceeded the target heart rates during light
and heavy classes in oor and during the light class also
in step. This is consistent with the ndings of Clapp and
Little (1994) and Thomsen and Ballor (1991) in inexperienced dancers. Three subjects in group B did not
succeed in increasing their aerobic phase heart rate from
light to moderate or from moderate to heavy step
classes. Those who did not succeed could have beneted
from heart rate monitoring as Grant et al. (1993) suggested. All the subjects in group A increased their mean
heart rate more than 10 beats min)1 between light and
moderate intensity step classes. It seems that careful
preplanning of the classes, guidance and RPE follow-up
during the classes does guide most participants to the
targeted intensity levels which is in accordance with the
ndings of Hawley et al. (1990). In their study, 86% of
the subjects met the criteria of 15 min of continuous
exercise at a minimal intensity of about 60% HRmax
(50% V_ O2 max ). The results of the present study may
partly have been aected by the fact that the classes were
always conducted in the same order from light to
moderate to heavy, which may have increased performance control in moderate and heavy classes. Also, the
instructor of our study was experienced in planning and
guiding the classes. However, many instructors lack
knowledge of scientic concepts of physical training.
Education and detailed training guidelines can improve
the safety and eectiveness of their classes, as Claremont
et al. (1986) also concluded.

Conclusions
This study shows that exercise intensity during aerobics
classes varies among participants. The success of an instructor in planning subjectively and executing classes at
dierent levels of exercise intensity should be checked by
monitoring the participants' heart rates. This feedback
could lead to more eective individual and class instruction. This would be especially important if the
group included older persons and beginners who have
little experience of aerobics dance routines.

68
Acknowledgements This study received nancial support from
Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland.

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