Acute effects of commercial group exercise classes on arterial stiffness and cardiovagal modulation in healthy young and middle-aged adults: A crossover randomized trial

Acute group fitness classes induce age-dependent alterations in blood pressure, but not in arterial stiffness or cardiovagal modulation. While the overall cardiovascular effects were generally consistent, differences in autonomic recovery were observed between exercise modes, with prolonged effects seen after indoor cycling. This suggests that exercise prescription should consider both age and exercise modality, as well as recovery time. The findings also emphasize the importance of ecological validity in exercise interventions, highlighting that acute effects on cardiovascular health in real-world settings may differ from those observed in controlled laboratory environments (ID: NCT06616428).