A comparative assessment of yogasana and karate training on cardio-autonomic function in adolescents: An empirical study.
Bhattacharya Puneet, Chatterjee Sridip, Dilip Roy, Mondal Samiran
Journal of bodywork and movement therapies June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.03.025 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractRegular practice of traditional mind-body exercises may reduce the impact of chronic stress and restore psychophysiological balance. Comparing long-term cardio-autonomic effects of yogasana and karate in 90 male adolescents, yoga practitioners showed the highest parasympathetic activity (HF nu: 45.18 ± 16.00), followed by karate practitioners (43.21 ± 18.14), both significantly above active controls (32.90 ± 15.76). Yoga also had the lowest sympathetic activity (LF nu: 53.90 ± 18.64) and LF/HF ratio (1.40 ± 1.10). Yogasana maintains stable parasympathetic dominance through postures and steady breathing, while karate practitioners exhibit stress resilience with low sympathetic-vagal tone.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional comparative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Male school-going adolescents aged 13-17 years |
| Intervention | karate |
| Keywords | Heart brain wellbeing Karate Neuroautonomic relationship Parasympathetic dominance Psychological balance |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Both yoga and karate practitioners had higher parasympathetic activity than controls, with yoga showing the strongest parasympathetic dominance and lowest sympathetic-vagal tone. |
Abstract
Scientific findings reveal regular practice of traditional mind body exercises may reduce the invasion of chronic stressors and regain psychophysiological balance. This neuroautonomic relationship is assessed through several electrophysiological tools Heart Rate Variability (HRV) being one such measure. The present study compares the long-term cardio autonomic effects of yogasana - the physical aspect of yoga and another eminent but unexplored mind-body martial art form- karate. 90 male school going subjects - 30 experienced yoga (age: 15.5 ± 1.83 yrs); 30 karate (age: 15.23 ± 2.07 yrs) practitioners and 30 active age-gender matched controls (age: 15.46 ± 1.77 yrs) were conveniently sampled, after effect size calculation. Time and frequency domain HRV was compared using One-way ANOVA followed by LSD Post Hoc Test after normality distribution of the data was checked. High frequency power normalized unit (HF nu) showed significantly higher values among yoga practitioners (45.18 ± 16.00 nu) followed by karate practitioners (43.21 ± 18.14 nu) compared to the active control group (32.90 ± 15.76). The Low frequency normalized unit (LF nu) was at (53.90 ± 18.64 nu) and LF/HF Ratio at (1.40 ± 1.10) in the yoga group showed significantly lowest values. Yogasana maintains stable parasympathetic dominance through its postures and steady breathing patternology, while karate practitioners being stress resilient show low sympathetic-vagal tone with a steady heart brain wellbeing.