A Correlation Between Bodyweight, Heart Rate, and Rate of Perceived Exertion

Anthony Sannella

Abstract

Subjects were brought into the

Biomechancs lab to play the video game
Dance Central on the gaming system XBox. The purpose was to see if there was
a correlation between bodyweight and
the increase in heart rate, as well as
bodyweight to the rate of perceived
exertion(RPE).

Results

H0: There is no relationship between

heart rate and RPE.
H1: As bodyweight increases RPE will be
higher than that of the lighter subjects.
There is a positive correlation between
the two variables.
H2: As bodyweight increases heart rate
will increase during play.
Bodyweight affects a persons heart, and if
they become exhausted quicker. By
dancing the body is moving needing more
oxygen and nutrients. By carrying more
bodyweight the body needs to do more
work to keep it moving and push more
blood around the body because there is
more muscle, and fat, thus inreasing heart
rate.
Heart Rate(BPM)

102

100

98

96

Axis Title

The results were collected by

having students of SUNY
Cortland come play different
video games in the Biomechanics
lab. For this study the game
Dance Central was the main
focus. Before playing the subjects
heart rate was taken, as well as
after they played the games. In
addition their weight, height, and
rate of perceived exertion were all
collected. Both males and females
were tested.

Hypothesis

Heart Rate(BPM)

94

92

90

88
Femals130 LBS

Females133 LBS

Males180 LBS
Axis Title

Males185 LBS

Conclusion

After testing 68 males and 57 females the results came back

as follows:
Men that were 180 pounds and lighter had an average heart
rate of 93 beats per minute with an average RPE of 3.7. For
males who were 185 pounds and above their average heart
rate was 101 beats per minute with an average RPE of 3.6.
For the women that were 130 pounds and lower their average
heart rate was 100 beats per minute, with an average RPE of
3.9. Finally for the women who weighed 133 pounds and
above had an average heart rate of 100 beats per minute with
an average RPE of 3.4. The hypothesis was accepted for the
heart rate increasing as bodyweight increased, but as
bodyweight increased the RPE decreased rejecting the
hypothesis.
This study is important in that it can help create a fun way to
get healthy and stay in shape for individuals who do not
enjoy the conventional gym setting. In addition it is a way to
get multiple people working out with their friends enjoying
the game, making it seem as if they are not working out at
all. With the high obesity rates of today people need a fun,
non-conventional way to workout while enjoying themselves
to keep them motivated to keep exercising. Some sources of
error for this study could have been the types of people,
athletes and non athletes, the time of morning, what food
and drink was consumed prior if any, and how many hours of
sleep the subjects had the night before.
To further this study I would bring in non-athletes, as well as
individuals who do not enjoy conventional exercise. They
would be tested with these games over a series of time to see
if bodyweight and fat is reduced, if heart rate decreases, as
well as to see if their RPE decreases.