Fitness Challenges: Power Yoga

by Clarissa Adkins | More from this Blogger

04 Feb 2007 03:28 PM

If you are looking for a challenging workout, then a Power Yoga class may be a great option. Some Power Yoga classes are combined with heat to create names like "Hot Power Yoga Flow" or just "Hot Yoga," but there can be quite a range of interpretations to what exactly these entail. Some of you may have called to mind Bikram Yoga which is known for its use of high temperatures in the studio to keep muscles limber and warm for increased flexibility. The difference between Bikram and a class named Hot Power Yoga, or some other variation, is that Bikram uses the same 26 asanas (or poses).

In your regular Power Yoga you may find that the class changes dramatically from instructor to instructor. Typically, you will spend a great deal of the class time flowing through challenging poses to build endurance, strength and flexibility. Whether or not there is a heater in the room (or the thermostat is turned up) you're going to sweat a great deal. Many of these advanced yoga classes are famous for giving participants an aerobic workout just as powerful, if not more so, as a Step or Dance class.

Sometimes Power Yoga is a class that holds poses for long periods of time. You're most likely going to use some advanced variations of the poses as well. For example, deep lunges combined with twists challenge your balance, breathing and strength. Just holding these poses builds up a sweat and increases the heart rate.

The Power Yoga classes which I'm most familiar with are combinations of the above. Advanced poses are held for longer periods than an average yoga class and flowing combinations of Planks, Downward Facing Dogs and lunges are also used. The point seems to be to challenge students who are regularly practicing yoga. Although many beginners may be able to do a lot of the poses, their unfamiliarity with yoga in general, combined with the pose names being called out at a rapid pace may end up being a bit frustrating for them. If you're interested in trying a Power Yoga class, then be sure to spend a few weeks or months taking Gentle, or Beginning Yoga and Yoga Flex, or Intermediate Yoga classes. Remember that Power Yoga is sometimes simply a code word for Advanced Yoga.

Here are some other challenging fitness ideas:

What is the Body-for-Life Challenge?

My Fitness DVD Wish List

The Firm Ultimate Fat Burning Workout

Learn more about Clarissa Adkins

Clarissa is a wife and mother, a yoga instructor and a freelance writer. She most recently has moved back to her home state of Virginia.

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