ENERGY-COST OF REHABILITATION CALISTHENICS

This study examined the relationship between total energy cost and cardiac effort for a set of graded calisthenics that have been used in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Cardiac effort was quantified by calculating myocardial oxygen cost from the product of heart rate and systolic blood pressure. Total energy cost was determined by measuring oxygen uptake during steady-state exercise. Results indicate that total energy-cost values accurately reflect the cardiac effort required during the performance of these calisthenic exercises by normal subjects.