Power yoga: origins, practice, benefits

Power yoga, or dynamic yoga, helps maintain challenging postures, improves strength and frees you from energy blockages. Let's find out better.

Meaning of Power yoga

Power yoga is a rather dynamic style of yoga . The term Power Yoga, introduced in the mid-90s, indicates a work aimed at the development of a purely physical "Power" that allows to maintain demanding postures for a long period, which improves strength and endurance.

Many practitioners and teachers refer to the term power also a mental value in which strength is created for the condition of liberation from energy blockages .

Origins and philosophy of Power yoga

The revisitation of the classical yoga positions from a dynamic and enhanced perspective derives from the United States of America . There is no real progenitor in the practice of Power yoga, in fact it is a mixture of postures, fluidity, breathing and stretching, so it has rather happened that the way of practicing in the West has led to the formulation of the style.

If it is not a class anchored to the legacy of pure fitness and stretching, it may not be bad at all, just find a teacher who does not force students.

Practice

This type of yoga is based primarily on the First Series of Ashtanga Yoga, but the sequence is reduced; in particular one works less starting from the Lotus or half Lotus, asanas that cannot be made dynamically if the beginner still has the hips very closed (opening the hips takes time and work and above all breath). The complete execution of the First Series takes at least 1 hour and a half.

In the Power Yoga series the postures are connected to each other by transitional movements that generate dynamic and constant tension and each movement is synchronized with the breath ( vinyasa ).

Better to practice on an empty stomach and the sequences occur with open eyes. As in all the techniques in the universe of yoga, Bandhas are used , meaning that one works by activating the muscles around a specific articulation and allowing a work that has effects also on the energetic side to work.

The power yoga among yoga practices useful for losing weight

The benefits of Power yoga

If you do not force yourself and stay with the breath, the benefits are considerable. The structure strengthens and the muscles gain strength. Improves elasticity of muscles and tendons, control and listening ability of the body in general.

Important benefits are obtained, for example, in the case of depression, against insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks etc.

It also benefits the internal organs of the body, on the regulation of the endocrine glands and on the nervous system, thus helping to create the premises for a total psycho-physical health. You gain in terms of balance, strength and power. Harmony between body and mind is sought.

Masters and schools

It is important that the power yoga teacher does not force the student too much, which can happen. in the powerful flow, in fact, listening to the self can fail, this is the risk. In the West it is easy to happen that many Power Yoga courses are held in Pilates studies.