To explore the influence of elastic band aerobics training on cardiovascular risk factors in adults.

Twenty-four health management centers participated in the competition. Each individual participant learned elastic band aerobics through video and tested their own indexes before and after intervention. Height, body weight (BW), muscle content (MC), fat content (FC), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), body fat rate (BFR), resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) were measured. A paired samples t-test was used to analyze pre-and post-test results.

After 8 weeks of elastic band aerobics training, there were significant differences in body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat content, systolic and diastolic blood pressure for male contestants before and after training (P<0.01). These decreased by 1.39%, 1.45%, 0.98%, 3.61%, 2.28%, 2.34%, and 3.05% respectively. Weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist hip ratio, body fat content and rate of female contestants decreased by 1.25%, 1.59%, 0.65%, 0.99%, 4.22%, and 2.38% respectively (P<0.01). There were significant differences in absenteeism between the top 10 and bottom 14 teams (P<0.05). Average absenteeism rates were 2.8% and 10.7% respectively. Overall attendance rate of participants was 92.6%, higher than the clinical standard of an 80% level of compliance.

Eight-week elastic band aerobics training can significantly improve body composition of adults, reducing body fat rate and waist circumference. Using competition as an opportunity to exercise promotes implementation and persistence of sports training programs.

Body composition; Blood pressure; Adherence; Elastic band; Competition