Health Benefits of Power Yoga
Power Yoga is a vinyasa-style aerobic workout focused on improving stamina, strength, and flexibility. There is a heavy emphasis on standing postures because it increases heart rate, breathing, and metabolism. It is often referred to as gym yoga as it gives a full-on body, physical workout.
In most parts of the world, if you say the word “Yoga,” people might think of you stretching yourself out like rubber bands or standing on your head, just like Master Shifu from Kung Fu Panda. Yoga is so much more than that. Some people find rewards for both body and mind with the ancient tradition. But some people need a little bit more and that’s where power yoga comes in. So why not break the limitations and begin to experience the best with Yoga.
Now, I can imagine how confusing it might be for people who are newish to Yoga and often get baffled with all the different names. Nothing to worry about, we all do! But how to choose the best style for yourself, what is power yoga and why to even incorporate yoga in your routine? Keep reading to find out!
What Is Power Yoga?
Power yoga isn’t an “official” type of yoga but it is based on Ashtanga. It’s more like an adapted version of Vinyasa flow yoga- a style where you coordinate your breath with continuous poses like flowing from one pose to the next through the whole sequence.
When you think of a Power Yoga practice, think of
- Strong, sweaty, and frenetic Workout
- Hot environment to warm up the muscles faster and remove toxins through sweating
- Loud Music to amp up the environment
- High-impact postures and fast-paced movements
Power Yoga is an aerobic workout focused on improving stamina, strength, and flexibility. There is a heavy emphasis on standing postures because it increases heart rate, breathing, and metabolism. It is often referred to as gym yoga as it gives a full-on body, physical workout. However, it might not be for everyone, as the poses can be a little tiring. So prepare to feel the burn if you are not used to fast-paced movements or stretches.
What Are The Benefits Of Power Yoga?
Power yoga offers a wide range of both mental and physical benefits. Here’s a look at some of the amazing benefits of power yoga.
1. Improved Cardiovascular Health
Because of the fast-paced and resistance movements, power yoga helps to increase the heart rate and improves the blood circulation to your muscles and organs. As a result, it helps your stamina, strength, and overall health along with some other significant benefits like weight loss, controlled blood sugar levels, and reduced risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and myocardial infarction.
2. Increased Stamina
Stamina is the ability to remain active for a long period, as well as the ability to resist, withstand, recover from fatigue, increased activity, etc. Power Yoga helps to build stamina through intense movements and postures that are physically challenging. The more you do it means the more you will be able to do it.
3. Improved Strength
The strengthening and conditioning elements of power yoga are characterized by holding poses. Every time you hold a pose for more than a few seconds, it increases the demand on the muscles and the body as a whole. According to a study conducted by the Journal of Human Movement, there was a significant increase in muscle strength over the course of six-month sessions of power yoga.
4. Encouraged Weight Loss
Power yoga benefits weight loss as it is an aerobic exercise that burns calories and fast-paced movements help to reduce fat mass and maximize lean body mass. Daily exercise along with a good diet makes it inevitable to lose weight.
In fact, the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that power yoga makes us more connected and aware of our bodies which can aid in weight loss by making you more aware of when you need to stop smoking.
5. Improves Mental Health
Yoga helps the mind and body to connect. Psychologists and psychiatrists incorporate yoga into their practice. Fast-paced movements and holding postures in Power Yoga increase the heart rate which helps to release endorphins, the ”feel happy” hormone. In fact, according to a study conducted by the Journal of Health Psychology, it was found that the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, decreased after a session of power yoga. It helps people with many mental conditions and disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Along with reducing tension and stress in our brains, it also helps to relieve tension in our bodies. It allows our bodies to naturally de-tense by holding poses and breathing techniques.
Conclusion
It goes without saying that both yoga and power yoga have a lot of health benefits. This vinyasa-based practice is designed to improve your breathing, cardiovascular health, and strengthen muscle. It’s a contemporary-style gym yoga that incorporates Ashtanga techniques that tones the body and makes it firm. All in all, it combines both ancient and modern techniques to help gain the notion of fitness and helps to attain wisdom and discipline along the way.
