The student leading the project decided not to continue.

The purpose of this study is to 1) determine whether racial differences are evident in resting arterial stiffness and ambulatory blood pressure between African Americans and Caucasians 2) compare heart rate, blood pressure and cytokine production responses to exercise (yoga) between African Americans and Caucasians; 3) compare isokinetic muscular strength between racial groups; and 4) determine if correlations exist between these measures.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men between the ages of 18 and 39 (25 African American and 25 Caucasian) that are not professional or collegiate athletes
• Must exercise at least 3 days per week and have no more than 1 month of yoga practice.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having stage 2 hypertension (>130 mmHg for systolic / >90 mmHg for diastolic) or higher or having taken BP medications within the 3 months prior to testing
• Infection within the previous 4 weeks
• Known renal disease
• Prior myocardial infarction
• Known coronary artery disease
• Personal history of stroke
• Heart failure
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Recent chest pain or dyspnea
• Orthopedic limitations that preclude the execution of yoga postures
• Current insulin dependence
• Chronic inflammatory conditions
• Blindness or deafness as participants will need to follow a yoga DVD in order to complete the session
• Having practiced yoga for more than 1 month
• Having parents of mixed racial backgrounds (i.e. both parents must be Caucasian or African American)
• Not being African American or Caucasian
• Being a professional or collegiate athlete
• Being insulin-dependent