Physical demands of wheelchair Dance Sport

The Wheelchair Dance Sport (WDS) it is an adapted sport modality of the ballrom dance and practiced in Brazil since 2001, however, no the re are studies that approach the physiologic answer s to the effort that the wheelchair dancers submits in a competition of WDS. Objective: to verify the behav ior of the heart rate (HR) of wheelchair dancers during a competition of WDS, to compare the physical load between the rounds and the specific heart answer am ong the dances Samba, Rumba and Jive, besides comparing the HR peak (HRpeak) obtained by the athletes during all competition, front the maximum heart rate calculated (HRcal) foreseen by the age. Methods: HR of nine wheelchairs dancers was analyzed (5 women and 4 men; 34,6 ± 10,5 years) that competed during the VII Brazilian Championship of WDS. Results: the graphic representation of the curve of HR was demonstrated compatible with intermittent physical activity, the average of the physical load of the rounds was of 89,9%HRpeak not having significant difference among the same ones. In rela tionship the dances, there was significant differen ce of intensity, being most intense Jive (p �0,05) than the Samba and the Rumba not having difference among those two. The average of HRpeak (189 bpm) it was larger (p �0,05) than the average of HRcal (165,3 bpm). Conclusion: WDS is a modality with intermittent characteristics, the intensity average during th e rounds is compatible with an activity of high inten sity and very probably the athletes reach HR maximal during the competition.