Short-term water-based aerobic training promotes improvements in aerobic conditioning parameters of mature women.

Aging is accompanied by a decrease in aerobic capacity. Therefore, physical training has been recommended to soften the effects of advancement age. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a short-term water-based aerobic training on resting heart rate (HR), heart rate corresponding to anaerobic threshold (HR), peak heart rate (HR), percentage value of HR in relation to HR and test duration (TD) of mature women. Twenty-two women (65.91 ± 4.83 years) were submitted to a five-week water-based interval aerobic training. Aerobic capacity parameters were evaluated through an aquatic incremental test. After training, there was an increase in TD (16%) and HR percentage in relation to HR (4.68%), and a reduction of HR (9%). It is concluded that a water-based aerobic interval training prescribed through HR of only five weeks is able to promote improvements in aerobic capacity of mature women.