Power yoga has got its cues from Ashtanga master Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. His students were Beryl Bender Birch and Bryan Kest who are associated with power yoga.
Power yoga is swift
Power yoga is an intense sort of workout that makes one sweat. Traditional Ashtanga practice follows a series of poses that one has to hold for 5 breaths but in power yoga the poses are made to move with an even faster rhythm. It will so swift that you will be doing one asana after another with very few moments in between.
It is good for strength training
The other yoga forms are ideal for meditation and flexibility but in power yoga you will constantly lift and hold your entire body weight. The power yoga sessions are serious business as you will be getting your entire body into gear. Power yoga makes one feel calm but energetic.
Physical benefits of power yoga
1) Power yoga increases strength, flexibility and stamina. This also helps in reducing the risk of injury while doing other physical activities.
2) It helps in eliminating toxins through sweat and helps in enhancing your immunity even more than hatha yoga. While doing yoga, there is an increase in the drainage of ‘lymph’ which is a fluid rich in immune cells. Drainage of lymph helps the lymphatic system in fighting infection, destroying cancerous cells and disposing off toxins in the body.
3) Power yoga strengthens the bones.Traditional exercises where you have to lift weights strengthen the bones and keeps osteoporosis at bay. Power yoga does the same but without weight lifting.
4) Power yoga (or any other yoga for that matter) thins the blood by making the blood platelets less sticky and reducing the level of proteins that promote the formation of clotting. Why is blood thinning essential Thinner blood reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes; clots are the main cause of these.
5) Power yoga promotes weight loss not just by burning calories (200 in 1 hour) but also by helping in building lean muscles mass. One you gain lean muscle mass you will burn calories even when you just sit around.
My Yoga Experience and Weight Loss
Mental benefits of power yoga
1) By practicing power yoga, you improve your mood. GABA is a brain chemical and low levels of it are linked to depression. Doing power yoga can increase the levels of this brain chemical by 27%.
2) Yoga helps in boosting self-image and confidence. A study has found that women who did yoga had a 20% higher body satisfaction than those who did aerobics.
3) Yoga lessens stress and improves one’s concentration and memory. This is more than what cardio can do.
4) Power yoga improves the quality of sleep. In a study, insomniacs fell asleep 15 minutes faster and were asleep 1 hour longer after a 45 minute yoga session. Even if you are not an insomniac, power yoga can help you get a more restorative kind of sleep.
BDST: 1709 HRS, FEB 23, 2015
