Muscle Activity during Yoga Breathing Exercise Compared to Abdominal Crunches
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02Petrofsky-vol5no3 1/26/70 7:59 PM Page 501
Muscle Activity during Yoga
Breathing Exercise Compared to
Abdominal Crunches
Jerrold S. Petrofsky, PhD*
Maria Cuneo, MPT*
Russell Dial, MPT*
Amy Morris, BS†
*Department of Physical Therapy, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
†Department of Physical Therapy, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
KEY WORDS: yoga, relaxation, stress INTRODUCTION
management, posture Yoga, which is commonly used for mus-
cle relaxation,1 can be performed by
most people, including young people
ABSTRACT and cardiac patients.2-5 It has been used
Yoga and yoga-related training have to build core stability during and after
often been touted as providing good pregnancy6 and has been shown to
muscle stretching and relaxation, as well increase creativity and reduce stress,7 as
as being beneficial for overall stress well as to improve muscle power, dex-
management. During forceful muscle terity, visual perception,8 and reaction
contractions of yoga, substantial muscle time.9 However, while strength,
activity can be demonstrated. In the endurance, and muscle reaction times
present investigation, the muscle activity have been previously quantified, little
of the right and left rectus abdominis has been done to quantify muscle use
and of the right and left external oblique during yoga through the use of the elec-
muscles was examined to assess the level tromyogram (EMG).10,11
of muscle activity during one type of The EMG, when measured by sur-
yoga maneuver: a breathing exercise face electrodes above an active muscle,
performed in the seated position. The represents an interference pattern giv-
results showed that while muscle activity ing the summation of activity of the
during this yoga breathing exercise was underlying muscle fibers.12 The ampli-
comparable to that seen during the per- tude of the surface EMG is generally
formance of abdominal crunches, the related to the tension developed in
longer duration of the breathing exercis- muscle.12,13 Therefore, the EMG has
es increased the total work on the proved to be a useful measure in assess-
abdominal muscles up to 5 times greater ing both the extent of muscle activity
than the work during crunches. Because and muscle fatigue.12-17
of the high muscle activity, this form of While some investigators find some
exercise would be good for people who variation in the EMG tension relation-
cannot easily exercise on the floor such ship due to the type of electrode (nee-
as people with disabilities or obese dle or surface) or the size or position of
people. the electrodes,18,19 if the EMG is nor-
The Journal of Applied Research • Vol. 5, No. 3, 2005 50102Petrofsky-vol5no3 1/26/70 7:59 PM Page 502
Figure 1. Subject performing abdominal crunch
malized as a percent of the muscle’s female) aged 17 to 49 years participated
maximum EMG during a maximum in this study. The general characteristics
strength measurement, the EMG is a of the subjects are shown in Table 1. All
reliable tool to measure muscle use.16,17 experimental protocols and procedures
This paper uses the EMG to quanti- were approved by the Human Review
fy abdominal muscle activity during Committee at Azusa Pacific University
abdominal yoga exercises versus tradi- and all subjects signed a statement of
tional curls to understand the magnitude informed consent acknowledging that
of muscle use associated with yoga. This they are fully aware of the purposes and
is particularly important since yoga has procedures of the project.
been reported to increase muscle
strength and the strength of respiratory Electromyogram
muscles (including the obliques and rec- The EMG was recorded through 2 bipo-
tus abdominis muscles).8 lar vinyl adhesive electrodes (silver sil-
ver-chloride) with an active surface area
MATERIALS AND METHODS of 0.5 cm2. One electrode was placed
Subjects over the belly of the active muscle. The
Twenty-nine subjects (14 male and 15 second electrode was placed 2 cm distal
Table 1. General Characteristics of Subjects
Age (years) Weight (kg) Height (cm)
Mean ± SD 38.3 ± 13.4 73.3 ± 15.3 167.3 ± 11.8
502 Vol. 5, No. 3, 2005 • The Journal of Applied Research02Petrofsky-vol5no3 1/26/70 7:59 PM Page 503
Figure 2. Average muscle activity of the (A) left and (B) right obliques and (C) left and (D) right
rectus abdominis muscles during each of the two conditions. Each panel shows EMG activity
expressed as a percent of the EMG during the maximum strength determinations. Yoga breath-
ing exercise is compared to abdominal crunches lying supine on the floor. All data are the
mean result for the entire group ± the respective SD.
to the active electrode. EMG was Measurement of Strength of the
amplified using a 4-channel EMG ampli- Abdominal Muscles
fier whose frequency response was flat Isometric strength of the abdominal
from DC to 1000 Hz. The common muscles was measured in the seated
mode rejection ratio of the amplifier position. To accomplish this, subjects sat
was greater than 120 Db. The EMG was with the hips at an angle of 90º. A modi-
digitized at 1,000 samples/sec by a fied exercise device with strain gauges
Biopac (Biopac Corp., Santa Barbara, was used to assess maximum strength.
CA) 16-bit analog-to-digital converter The strain gauge was linear from
and displayed and stored on a computer 0-200 kg of force. The output of the
for later analysis. The amplitude of transducer was amplified with a strain
EMG was assessed by digitizing and half gauge conditioner amplifier with a gain
wave rectified the raw EMG and calcu- of 1000 and digitized in a Biopac 16-bit
lating the root mean square average analog-to-digital converter and dis-
(RMS) of the EMG. played and stored on a computer. The
The Journal of Applied Research • Vol. 5, No. 3, 2005 50302Petrofsky-vol5no3 1/26/70 7:59 PM Page 504
Figure 3. Work of the (A) left obliques, (B) right obliques, (C) left rectus abdominis, and (D) right
rectus abdominis during breathing compared to work during supine abdominal crunches. Work
is calculated as the product of muscle activity ¥ the duration of the exercise. Since muscle
activity is normalized to each person, it is in relative units.
output was stored and analyzed as the and a maximum contraction was accom-
average strength over the middle of a plished with the abdominal muscles
3-second contraction. Strength was against a closed glottis. This last position
measured by an isometric contraction was held for an average of 6 seconds.
for 3 seconds. At least 1 minute was
allowed between each of 3 contractions Procedures
to allow for recovery. Two series of experiments were per-
formed. In the first, conventional
Breathing Exercise abdominal crunches were accomplished
Muscle activity was examined during by having the subjects lay supine on the
Yoga deep breathing exercise performed floor and contract the abdominal mus-
in the seated position. The breathing cles to bring the elbows and head to a
exercise involved slowly exhaling position to where the shoulders just
through the mouth and then rapidly cleared the floor (Figure 1). The arms
inhaling through the nose to fully were folded on the chest. EMG was then
expand the lungs. Next the air was measured during this activity. A yoga
exhaled through the mouth rapidly using breathing exercise was then performed
the abdominal muscles and the in the seated position as described under
diaphragm as much as possible. With methods, during the contraction, EMG
the air exhaled, the mouth is kept closed was also measured. To normalize the
504 Vol. 5, No. 3, 2005 • The Journal of Applied Research02Petrofsky-vol5no3 1/26/70 7:59 PM Page 505
EMG on both sets of experimental con- work for each muscle group and the
ditions, the maximum strength was total work were higher than that seen
determined for the abdominal muscles with crunches (P02Petrofsky-vol5no3 1/26/70 7:59 PM Page 506
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