The effects of moderate aerobic exercise and satyanda yoga on long-term stress, selected cognitive and somatic measures, and learning of a motorskill in response to an acute stressor

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the effects of a 10 week training program of moderate aerobic exercise and satyanda yoga on long-term stress, selected cognitive and somatic measures, and learning a motor skill in response to an acute stressor. The subjects were 44 female (mean age = 19.5yrs) undergraduate students from the University of Wollongong who were considered to be of below average fitness and had no formal stress management experience. All subjects based on their scores on the Jenkins Activity Survey were categorised as Type B. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) a moderate aerobic exercise group in which subjects participated in a 10-week fitness program consisting of weight training and aerobic/floor stations; (2) a group which practised 10 weeks of satyanda yoga techniques; (3) a placebo group which met once per week for 10 weeks to attend weekly lunch time musical performances; and (4) a no stress control group which underwent initial testing without being exposed to the acute stressor, prior to and at the end of a 10 week period