Cardiorespiratory Responses of Qi-training: A Pilot Study

Six volunteers (mean $age=25.7{\pm}1.7$, $height=173{\pm}1.9$ and $weight=63.4{\pm}2.3{\;}kg$) participated in a graded exercise test and one hour of basic form of ChunDoSunBup (CDSB) Qi-training to investigate the cardiorespiratory responses and exercise intensity of Qi-training, a Korean traditional psychosomatic training. In the maximal exercise, the trainee showed $96.2{\pm}8.89{\;}l/min$ in ventilation (VE), $46.0{\pm}4.4$ in breath frequency (BF), $1.31{\pm}0.05$ in respiratory exchange ratio (RER), $180.7{\pm}3.0$ in heart rate (HR), and $2.6{\pm}1.1{\;}l/min$ or $40.7{\pm}2.3{\;}ml/kg/ml$ in oxygen consumption $(VO_2)$. Qi-training induced significant changes in BF, RER, HR, and $VO_2$. The exercise intensity of Qi-training were 42.3%, 46.9% and 38.7% of $HR_{max}$ during the sound exercise, slow motion (haeng-gong) and meditation respectively and the average was 46.2% of $HR_{max}$. We conclude that Qi-training is an aerobic exercise of a light (mild) intensity exercise, and it leads to decrease the metabolic rate in the trainee by breathing efficiently and relaxing them. In addition, Qi-training may affect cardiorespiratory function of BF, RER, HR and $VO_{2max}$ in trainees.