Power Yoga & Weight Loss - A Secrete of Fitness

Power Yoga for Weight Loss

Power yoga, a dynamic fitness based derivative of yoga, is modelled on Ashtanga yoga. With new power yoga centres cropping up in every Indian metro today, it is no longer restricted within the realm of the rich and famous. Power yoga is fast becoming an increasingly budget-friendly and viable fitness option for all of us. If you’ve been wondering about whether power yoga is the right choice for you, or not, look no further. We ask holistic health expert, Mickey Mehta, to tell us about why you should consider switching to power yoga today.

What is Power Yoga?

Power yoga is a general term used in the west to describe a vigorous, fitness-based approach to vinyasa-style yoga. Though many consider it to be "gym yoga," this style of practice was originally closely modeled on the Ashtanga method. The term came into common usage in the mid 1990s, in an attempt to make Ashtanga yoga more accessible to western students. Unlike Ashtanga, however, power yoga does not follow a set series of poses, so classes can vary widely. With its emphasis on strength and flexibility, power yoga brought yoga into the gyms of America, as people began to see yoga as a way to work out.

Due to its up tempo and brisk nature, power yoga is essentially like an aerobic workout, where yoga poses are done faster and in continuation. Power yoga when practised regularly and under supervision helps your body achieve stability, balance, posture and tone. It is a fast paced work out and can be practised by anyone who enjoys exercising.

Whether you're a beginning yoga student, or just new to CorePower Yoga Studios, CorePower Yoga offers a truly unique yoga practice that’s accessible more than traditional.

Set to energizing music, CorePower Yoga strengthens, balances, detoxifies and exhilarates the body and mind. CorePower Yoga classes will have you moving, breathing and sweating. No matter your age, strength or flexibility level, CorePower Yoga has a yoga class to meet you where you are.

Power Yoga Benefits

1. Calorie burning.
2. Increases stamina, strength, flexibility and tone.
3. Promotes blood circulation and boosts the immune system.
4. Alleviates stress and tension.
5. Eliminates toxins through sweat.

Power yoga Works

An hour of power yoga burns only up to 200 calories per hour; which is lesser in comparison to other workouts like aerobics (400 calories per hour), swimming (350 calories per hour at moderate speeds) and jogging (300 calories per hour at slow speeds). But, power yoga tones your body without stressing your joints and muscles too much, which might be a plus point for older people.
Moreover, since the asanas target the spine, It is a type of yoga which  helps maintain proper posture while strengthening your back. An added advantage of the strenuous repetition of asanas is the stamina you build over each session. Every power yoga asana involves concentrating on your breathing and the part of the body that is being worked upon, improving your focus.

Power Yoga to the People

If your aim is to burn fat and lose weight, you are better off opting for another kind of cardio workout like running or swimming and later take up power yoga to tone your body further. Whether it competes with strength training or not, completely depends on how regularly you practise power yoga. You’ll find equal numbers of supporters on both sides of the spectrum, some who consider strength training a far superior physical workout, and some who say that power yoga is a more holistic approach to physical fitness. The bottom line remains that whether you’re pushing weights or completing rigorous power yoga asanas, you are always supposed to focus on your breathing and regularity of workout. Aerobic exercises like power yoga and anaerobic exercises like weight lifting, both, heavily depend on the human body’s breathing function to burn calories, or build muscle tone, while strengthening your body and building stamina.

Though power yoga classes can vary widely from teacher to teacher, they will most likely appeal to people who are already quite fit, enjoy exercising, and want a minimal amount of chanting and meditation with their yoga. Prepare to work hard and work up a sweat.