Analysis of the assessment of caloric expenditure in four modes of aerobic dance.

Aerobic dance has been purported to help with weight management; however, it is not known if various forms of dance are as effective as traditional modalities. This study estimated energy expenditure by heart rate for 28 women participating in 4 modes of aerobic dance (Bodycombat [i.e., TAEBO]; Pump; Step; and RPM [i.e., spinning]) compared to 2 running speeds. Pump had significantly (p < 0.01) lower energy expenditure (8.0 +/- 1.6 kcal.min(-1)) compared to the other classes (RPM: 9.9 +/- 1.9 kcal.min(-1); Step: 9.6 +/- 1.8 kcal.min(-1); and Bodycombat: 9.7 +/- 2.0 kcal.min(-1)) and running at 8.05 km.h(-1) (9.16 +/- 1.53 kcal.min(-1)). Also, Step (p < 0.01), Bodycombat (p < 0.01), and RPM (p < 0.01) had significantly higher caloric expenditures than running at 8.05 km.h(-1) but significantly lower than running at 8.37 km.h(-1) (10.30 +/- 1.72 kcal.min(-1)). In conclusion, RPM, Bodycombat, and Step aerobics were equally as effective as jogging between 8.05 and 8.37 km.h(-1), and they met American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for weight modification and maintenance. Additionally, heart rate assessment provided a quantitative method for estimating energy expenditure and the effectiveness of different aerobic programs.