| The purposes of the research are as follow. Different yoga exercises require different exercise methods and intensity, thus having different bodily functions for practitioner. Among them, the Ashtanga yoga requires medium-to-high exercise intensity and the average heart rate is 140-160 times/min; while exercise intensity for Hatha yoga is relatively lower, with the average heart rate being 120-140 times/min. This research tries to test whether the differences will be caused in such indexes as body shape, physical quality, breathing and VO2 max after two young females practice Ashtanga yoga and Hatha yoga respectively, so as to discuss and find out the different effects by the two different yoga for body function and aerobic exercise capacity of young females and the effect of.As for research methods, empirical study is employed. The effects of two different kinds of yoga on the bodily function and aerobic exercise capacity of young females are taken as the main object for this research. The research subjects are 24 young females selected from Xi’an Physical Education University whose ages range from 18 to 25 years old. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups: 13 for Ashtanga yoga and 11 for Hatha yoga, and practiced the two kinds of yoga for 16 weeks in accordance with the exercise prescriptions. Meanwhile, such indexes as body shape, physical quality, breathing and VO2 max were tested before and after the 16-week practice, and afterwards statistical analysis was conducted based on the data collected.The main findings of the research are as follow.(1) The pre-test body function and VO2 max indexes: Two groups of subjects’ had no significant difference in terms of body shape, physical quality and VO2max(P > 0.05).(2) The post-test body shape indexes: In the Ashtanga yoga group, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference were observably improved(P < 0.01), chest circumference declined significantly(P < 0.05) and skinfold index had very significant improvement(P < 0.01). In the Hatha yoga group, extremely significant decline was detected in weight and waist circumference(P < 0.01), and significant decline was also found in hip circumference(P < 0.05); while skinfold index showed no obvious change except in iliac region, and significant changes in scapulas and the abdomen has significant change(P < 0.05), but showed extraordinarily phenomenal changes in other body parts. Compared with the Hatha yoga group, the Ashtanga yoga group had greater decline in weight, waist circumference and hip circumference, and there existed significant differences between the two groups in chest circumference(P < 0.05) and highly significant differences in waist circumference and hip circumference(P < 0.01).(3) The findings concerning the two groups’ post-test physical quality indexes: In the Ashtanga yoga group, significant differences were spotted in choice reaction time, back strength, sit and reach, standing on one foot with eyes closed(P < 0.01). More prominent changes were found in the the Ashtanga yoga group than in the Hatha yoga group in terms of choice reaction time, back strength, sit and reach, with significant difference in back strength, sit and reach and highly significant difference in choice reaction time(P < 0.05).(4) The findings concerning the two groups’ post-test VO2 max indexes: VO2 max, VEmax and HRmax were substantially improved(P<0.01), followed by VO2max-MET(P<0.05) in the Ashtanga yoga group; while in the Hatha yoga group, all VO2 max indexes were improved but no significant differences were detected(P > 0.05). Meanwhile, there was greater improvement in the Ashtanga yoga group than the Hatha yoga group in terms of VO2 max,VEmax and VO2max-MET, with significant differences in VO2 max, VO2max-MET(P<0.05) and even more significant differences in VEmax(P<0.01).(5) The findings concerning the two groups’ post-test anaerobic threshold indexes: the Ashtanga yoga group showed phenomenal improvement in AT-VO2(P<0.01) and also noticeable improvement in AT-HR(P<0.05); in contrast, the Hatha yoga group failed to show and significant changes in the anaerobic threshold indexes, so the Ashtanga yoga group gained more improvement in anaerobic threshold than the Hatha yoga group, with no significant differences though(P>0.05).(6) The findings concerning the two groups’ post-test lung capacity indexes: FVC(L) rose significantly(P<0.01) or noticeably(P<0.05) in the Ashtanga yoga group; while the Hatha yoga group only rose noticeably(P<0.05). The improvement was greater in the Ashtanga yoga group than Hatha yoga group in terms of MVV and FVC(L), and significant differences were found in MVV(P<0.05) and even more significant differences in FVC(L)(P<0.01).Based on the findings above, the following conclusions can be reached.Firstly, the two different yoga exercises have different effects on young females’ bodily function. Both the Ashtanga yoga and the Hatha yoga can improve the subjects’ body shape and physical qualities, but the former can exert more impact than the latter on the subjects’ bodily function, and showed significant differences in multiple indexes such as the body shape and physical qualities. That means in comparison with the Hatha yoga, the Ashtanga yoga plays a more prominent role in improving young females’ bodily function.Secondly, both the Ashtanga yoga and the Hatha yoga can, to a certain extent, improve VO2 max, anaerobic threshold and lung capacity, but the former can do a better job than the latter, especially in the aerobic exercise capacity, which indicates that the Ashtanga yoga performs more significant function in improving practitioners’ aerobic metabolism as well as the ability to use oxygen. Therefore, practicing the Ashtanga yoga is conducive to strengthening and improving young females’ aerobic exercise capacity. |
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