Yoga spans a vast expanse, comprising multiple styles, schools and formats. And between these numerous divisions, it has a pose for everyone. So, whether you take up yoga to manage weight, or support recovery from an ailment or injury; to bolster physical health or promote mental wellbeing—you are in for holistic welfare.
One of the most popular types of yoga, especially among the fitness folks, is power yoga. What it refers to can differ depending on where you practice it, but power yoga, elementally, means using high-impact, high-intensity asanas, adapted to carry out a fast-paced, full-body cardiovascular workout.
Power yoga is, often, based in Vinyasa Yoga, where you sync your breath and movement (but can also be inspired by Ashtanga or Hatha Yoga)—made into a dynamic, aerobic workout. The focus, across all kinds of power yoga, essentially, remains on:
- Building strength, endurance, and flexibility.
- Burning calories and upping the heart rate.
How is it different from other types of yoga?
For the body more than the mind: The traditional branches of yoga are usually calming and meditative, laying emphasis on the unison of the mind and body. But power yoga is all about clocking in an exhausting cardio workout.
Fast and fiery: As opposed to the slow poses that yoga is typically linked with, power yoga poses are swift and vigorous. And are performed in accelerated, non-stop momentum.
Different modus operandi: More than breathing techniques and the posture, in power yoga, you pay heed to the movements, that are done as series in a continuous flow, not as stand-alone poses, unlike regular yoga.
What are the benefits of power yoga
- A big advantage of power yoga is that it helps in weight loss and toning, torching calories faster than standard yoga. Power yoga can burn up to 237 calories in 50 minutes, according to a report. It can also boost heart rate to 62% of heart rate max.
- Because Vinyasa Yoga also makes for good strength training, it builds muscle, and increases flexibility and mobility as well. These pros get passed on to power yoga as well.
- Boosts cardiovascular health. Aerobic workouts and resistance training are both great for the heart, as several studies, including this, corroborate. Vinyasa Yoga, in itself, is found to improve lipid profiles and support cardiorespiratory fitness. Power yoga boasts the features of all of the above.
- Reduces stress. A report showed that participants found it more energising, and just one session of power yoga “may be effective in decreasing stress.”
- Betters motor skills, and can help with degenerative conditions like Parkinson’s.
Poses that you can be used in power yoga:
- Plank Pose
- Cobra Pose
- Downward Dog Pose
- Four-Limbed Staff Pose
- Warrior Poses
Precautions for safety:
- If you suffer from any health conditions or injuries, consult your doctor before pursuing power yoga.
- Don’t practice power yoga if you’re pregnant, opt for pre-natal yoga, instead.
- Power yoga requires a certain level of fitness and basic understanding of the basic yoga poses. Consider beginning slow, with regular yoga first—to familiarize yourself, and get in shape, too.
- It is advised to start power yoga first under an expert’s guidance. They will also be able to correct your movement and technique when needed, as well as modify the flow/duration as per your requirement.
