Lai J S, Wong M K, Lan C, Chong C K, Lien I N
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, R.O.C.
J Formos Med Assoc. 1993 Oct;92(10):894-9.
Tai Chi Chuan (TCC; shadow boxing) is a traditional Chinese conditioning exercise. To evaluate its beneficial effect on cardiorespiratory function, 21 male and 20 female TCC practitioners, ranging in age from 50 to 64 years, voluntarily participated in this study. The control group comprised 23 male and 26 female sedentary subjects. Breath-by-breath measurement of the cardiorespiratory function was obtained during the incremental exercise of leg cycling. At the maximal exercise level, the oxygen uptake (VO2), O2 pulse and work rate of the TCC group were significantly higher than the respective values of the control group (p < 0.01). At the ventilatory threshold, the TCC group also showed a higher VO2, O2 pulse and work rate (p < 0.05). The results imply that TCC training may be beneficial to the cardiorespiratory function of older individuals. To estimate the exercise intensity of TCC, heart rate (HR) was monitored in 15 men and 15 women while they performed the classical Yang TCC. During the steady-state performance of TCC, the mean HR was 130 +/- 14 bpm for men and 127 +/- 13 bpm for women. The mean HR during TCC exceeded 70% of their HRmax. Our data substantiate that TCC is aerobic exercise of moderate intensity, and it may be prescribed as a suitable conditioning exercise for the elderly.
太极拳是一种中国传统的健身运动。为评估其对心肺功能的有益影响，21名年龄在50至64岁之间的男性太极拳练习者和20名女性太极拳练习者自愿参与了本研究。对照组由23名男性和26名女性久坐不动的受试者组成。在腿部蹬车递增运动期间，逐次呼吸测量心肺功能。在最大运动水平时，太极拳组的摄氧量（VO2）、氧脉搏和工作率显著高于对照组的相应值（p < 0.01）。在通气阈值时，太极拳组的VO2、氧脉搏和工作率也更高（p < 0.05）。结果表明，太极拳训练可能对老年人的心肺功能有益。为估计太极拳的运动强度，在15名男性和15名女性进行传统杨氏太极拳时监测心率（HR）。在太极拳的稳态运动期间，男性的平均心率为130±14次/分钟，女性为127±13次/分钟。太极拳运动期间的平均心率超过其心率最大值的70%。我们的数据证实太极拳是中等强度的有氧运动，它可以作为适合老年人的健身运动来推荐。
