The health benefits of power yoga are roughly the same as its traditional ancestors: a combination of controlled breathing and stretching relaxes the muscles, increases flexibility, and energizes the body while calming the mind.
However, there are a few surprising twists involved in power yoga because the vigorous nature of the exercises opens the door to unique fitness benefits never before utilized in classic yoga schools.
What are the benefits of Yoga? Power Yoga in particular…
Keep reading to find out the three most surprising health advantages that power yoga has to offer:
1. The Health Benefits of Power Yoga Depends on the Instructor
While some instructors still focus on spiritual development in the classroom, the majority choose to concentrate on the fitness, weight loss, agility, or health benefits of power yoga – it all depends on the educational background and preferences of your teacher. This is a boon for students who have a particular health goal in mind.
2. Flexible Vinyasas Boost the Health Benefits of Power Yoga
Although the well-known Ashtanga yoga could be classified as a type of “power” yoga, the power yoga taught in Western progressive studios today is vastly different from its Ashtanga inspiration. Where Ashtanga is defined by a set series of postures, power yoga allows the instructor to create a customized “flow” that can be adapted to the skill set, goals, or needs of the class to maximize health benefits.
3. Power Yoga Makes You WANT to Work
Some students lose interest in traditional yoga because it is too slow or too difficult – but power yoga gives these picky yogis something to look forward to. The low-impact, high-intensity flow of the typical power method is invigorating, exciting, and ever changing.
Go ahead and visit the local power yoga studios in your area – you might be surprised at what you find! Every instructor has a different style and may be willing to direct you to a class that suits your needs. The health benefits of power yoga are worth the trial and error, so don’t suppress that healthy curiosity!
