Effect of a 12-week bungy pump training on cardiorespiratory fitness, metabolic syndrome factors and body composition in postmenopausal women

The study examined the effect of a 12-week Bungy Pump Training (BPT) program on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), metabolic syndrome (MetS) factors and body composition in postmenopausal women (PW). Fifty-six participants were assigned to the BPT group (n = 30) and the Daily Activity (DA) group (n = 26). The BPT group completed 60-minute sessions 3 times a week, and the DA group performed daily activities. Body composition, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), heart rate, blood pressure (BP), glucose and lipid profiles were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. In the CRF and MetS factors, BPT produced a significant group-by-time interaction for VO2max, with increases of 7% (L/min) and 9% (mL/kg/min) compared with DA. Time effects in BP and total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed in both groups, but significant within-group improvements occurred only in BPT. In body composition, significant interactions were found for basal metabolic rate (BMR), visceral fat area (VFA), percent body fat (PBF), and body fat mass (BFM), with BMR increasing by 2% and VFA, PBF, and BFM decreasing by 7%, 5%, and 7%, respectively. Both groups showed improvements in MetS factors over time, whereas the 12-week BPT performed 3 times a week was superior only for VO2max and specific body composition (BMR, VFA, PBF, and BFM). This finding supports considering BPT as a non-pharmacological intervention for PW. Trial registration: Clinical Trials. NCT06781541