AIM: to compare and analyze function of Yangko and Taijiquan in keeping fit for middle and aged women. METHODS: This investigation was conducted from July 2003 to January 2004. Ninety women were selected by questionnaire for observation and they were all volunteers. They were randomly divided into three groups: Yangko group with 30 persons, Taijiquan group with 31 persons and control group with 29 persons. First, the persons in the Yangko group and Taijiquan group were tested on their bodies before exercise. They took differently Taijiquan of Yang and Yangko made by myself, 3 to 4 times a week, 1 hour for once, lasting six months in all. Before the experiment and after the experiment, to monitor, compare and analyze the indexes of their height, body mass, waistline, thickness of wrinkles on belly, blood pressure, rest heart rate, vital capacity, the power of gripping, sit-and-reach, frequency of stride-sideways-to-and-fro, time of close-eyes and stand-on-one-foot, time of response simply, step index. RESULTS: Yangko group and Taijiquan group had dropped 9 and 8 volunteers, respectively. The indexes of the control group before exercise and 6 months after exercise and the indexes of Taijiquan group and Yangko group proved no significant differences which would not be further analyzed in this paper. At the end of the research, two groups (21 in Yangko group and 23 in Taijiquan group) were involved in the final analysis. (1) Own-control before exercise and 6 months after exercise: the Yangko group's indexes of body mass, thickness of wrinkles on belly, fat rate (%), body mass index (BMI) and rest heart rate reduced significantly (p < 0.05). The indexes of vital capacity and step index rose significantly (p < 0.05 to 0.01); While the Taijiquan group's indexes of thickness of wrinkles on belly, fat rate (%), and rest heart rate reduced significantly (p < 0.05) and the step index rose significantly (p < 0.05). Except the power of gripping, sit-and-reach, frequency of stride-sideways-to-and-fro, and time of close-eyes and stand-on-one-foot increased significantly (p < 0.05 to 0.01) and time of simple response shortened obviously (p < 0.05). (2) Comparison between the two groups after the exercise: The Yangko group's indexes of body mass, thickness of wrinkles on belly, fat rate (%), BMI were significantly lower than the ones in Taijiquan group (p < 0.05); The vital capacity and step index were significantly higher than those of the Taijiquan group (p < 0.05). Compared with the Yangko group, Taijiquan group's indexes of sit-and-reach and time of close-eyes and stand-on-one-foot increased markedly (p < 0.05), while the frequency of stride-sideways-to-and-fro was significantly lower than that of the Yangko group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: the middle and aged women taking part in Yangko and Taijiquan can effectively improve their body qualities, keep fit and lose weight. However, Yangko is superior in body figure, body elements, respiratory system and the cardiovascular system and the harmony and agility of lower limbs than Taijiquan, while Taijiquan is greatly superior in the balance and resiliency than Yangko.

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