Respiratory muscle performance after 12 sessions of training using the apparatus Reformer of Pilates method

ABSTRACT To analyze respiratory muscle performance in exercise practitioners using the Reformer of Pilates method after a 12-session training. This study was carried out with 24 volunteers, healthy young adults, non-smokers and non-regular exercisers, divided into control group (CG) and trained group (TG). The TG participated in a training program executing 6 exercises in the Reformer apparatus. Both groups were submitted to the initial and final evaluations to analyze the performance of the respiratory muscles through the manovacuometry and electromyography of the rectus abdominis muscle. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to verify the data normality. Two-way analysis of variance was used for the comparisons between the groups (TG and CG) and moments (Initial and Final). For multiple comparisons, the Scheffé post hoc test was used. The groups Control and Trained were paired by age and BMI by paired t test. P