Effect of asanas training with and without pranayama on breath holding time among female college students

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of Asanas Training with and without Pranayama on breath holding time among female college students. Forty-five (45) female college students aged between 18 and 22 years were randomly selected from Alagappa University College of Physical Education. The subjects were randomly assigned into three equal groups, namely Asana Training Group (n = 15), Asana Training with Pranayama Group (n = 15), and Control Group (n = 15). The experimental groups underwent their respective training programmes for a period of twelve weeks, while the control group did not participate in any specific training. Breath holding time was measured in seconds using a standard breath holding test before and after the training period. The collected data were statistically analyzed to determine the significance of differences among the groups. The results of the study revealed significant improvement in breath holding time among the experimental groups, particularly in the Asana Training with Pranayama Group, when compared to the control group. The findings of the study indicate that the combined practice of asanas and pranayama is more effective in enhancing respiratory endurance among female college students.