Oxygen consumption during calisthenic exercise in women with coronary artery disease

The results of this study demonstrate that no difference in V̇O₂ exists between healthy women and women with CAD when they are performing calisthenics in the range of 1.6 to 2.9 METs. During exercise below 3.0 METs, the women with CAD had V̇O₂ values similar to those of young, healthy subjects. We found significant differences in V̇O₂ between the four calisthenic exercises studied. Standing hip flexion was found to be the most strenuous, followed by standing bilateral arm exercises, and then standing trunk bending and sitting knee extension. Wide intersubject variations found in response to these activities suggest that, even with careful supervision, it is difficult to precisely predict how any one individual will respond to calisthenic exercise.