Comparative Effects of Hatha Yoga and Aerobic Exercises upon the Circumference of Neck, Chest, and Waist among Overweight College Students

Abstract

Health-related fitness is a blessing that enables a person to perform daily routine tasks efficiently and effectively. Overweight is one of the major factors affecting health-related fitness. The main aim of the present study was to determine the comparative effects of Hatha Yoga training and aerobic training on the circumference of the neck, chest, and waist among overweight college students. Two groups, each consisting of twenty-five subjects aged 20 to 24 years, were selected through PAR-Q. Pre-test data regarding the dependent variables were collected through tape measurements. The subjects in the Hatha Yoga group and aerobic training group underwent ten weeks of training for three days per week on alternate days. After the treatment period, post-test data were collected using the same procedure adopted for the pre-test. The collected data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, paired sample t-test, and independent sample t-test, while the significance level was fixed at 0.05. The results revealed that both training programs had significant effects on neck, chest, and waist circumference. However, aerobic exercises showed better effects on chest and waist circumference, whereas Hatha Yoga demonstrated better effects on neck circumference among overweight college students aged 20 to 24 years. It was therefore recommended that overweight students should participate in Hatha Yoga and aerobic exercises to improve their health-related fitness.