Ashtanga, Kundalini, Yin - there are now many types of yoga. And you may have come across the term Power Yoga here and there. If you're still looking for the perfect style for you and like intensive classes without a big focus on spiritual aspects, you could be in the right place. We'll show you what Power Yoga is all about, what benefits it offers and where the style actually comes from. Roll out your mat now, namasté!
Content
1. power yoga - the origins of the modern interpretation
2 What is Power Yoga and what is special about it?
3. power yoga - advanced and beginners can train on the mat
Power Yoga - the origins of the modern interpretation
For a long time, yoga was something that was mainly practiced in India. Classic Ashtanga yoga was represented by Krishna Pattabhi Jois in the 1960s and became increasingly popular thanks to stars such as Madonna. Several other types developed from this, including Power Yoga. The founder of this style is the American yoga teacher Bryan Kest. He studied with Pattabhi Jois and developed this style from Ashtanga: a workout for body, mind and soul. He initially founded two studios in America, but quickly became known all over the world for his special style. In the 1990s, Power Yoga also conquered fitness centers for weight loss - because unlike the more classic styles, it contained fewer spiritual elements and focused more on the sporting aspects. As a result, more people who did not feel addressed by the spiritual path were inspired.
What is Power Yoga and what is so special about it?
Power yoga is often referred to as a less spiritual discipline that is more "picking up" Western students or athletes. Whether this applies to you depends entirely on where you want to focus your practice.
This style is dynamic and powerful, as the name suggests. Bryan Kest usually guides his students through several vinyasas - so there are no individual postures as in hatha, but each asana is fluidly connected to the next with a transition and breathing; like a choreography. Power Flow Yoga mostly uses asanas from the first Ashtanga series - for example downward-facing dog, the warrior poses, but also some inversion poses. Basically, the Power Yoga exercises are no different from those in Ashtanga or Vinyasa Yoga. Nevertheless, there is one important detail: the spirituality.
Power yoga: more of a workout than a spiritual journey
While Yin Yoga and other classical styles also incorporate many spiritual aspects into the practice alongside the asanas, this tends to remain in the background with Bryan Kest. Usually, fewer meditations or mantras are incorporated into the classes; philosophical aspects in general are also incorporated much less frequently. In short: you won't find any chanting or long periods of sitting on meditation cushions here. Breathing is relevant for the transitions from one asana to the next, but there are fewer isolated breathing exercises. Instead, Bryan Kest in particular is known for grounding his students with rather simplified wisdom: "Don't take your shit to the mat", "It doesn't matter what it looks like; it matters what it feels like" or "Don't bring your shit into yoga and turn yoga into your shit", for example, are sayings that are used in his classes. As a yogi who has already traveled a lot, you might find this irritating at first, but it has its advantages!
In this way, Bryan Kest has reached people who had reservations about other styles and would probably never have taken to the mat otherwise. In a way, his style became an open door for all those who could not relate to the originally prevailing esoteric image of classical styles.
Nevertheless, it is of course not just a purely physical practice, but more than that. Power yoga can help you lose weight as it is faster and more physical. At the same time, it also helps us as beginners to find easier access to the body and inner peace. The body-oriented practice offers an approach without direct impulses.
Power Yoga - there are no definitions
Although it was founded by teachers such as Bryan Kest or Baron Baptist, it is not a protected term. The styles often become somewhat blurred and are interpreted freely by the teachers. If you go to one of these classes at a local yoga or fitness studio, you can expect a lot. Therefore: try it out!
Our tip: If you need a little rest after intensive classes and want to do something good for your muscles, an acupressure mat is ideal. Acupressure supports muscle regeneration and can therefore support you in your practice.
Power yoga - advanced and beginners can train on the mat
Are you a beginner and new to yoga? Or do you already know your way around and have wandered through different styles and have now landed on this one? The Power Yoga poses and classes are basically suitable for everyone and pick you up where you are. Nevertheless, there is often a division of the levels into beginners and advanced. If you generally have no experience with asanas and the like, you should definitely take a beginner class or start with a calmer style so that you can perform the exercises correctly and know what to look out for.
What is definitely important for your practice: as the asanas flow smoothly into one another and the vinyasas are relatively quick, you need a mat. And not just any mat, but one that offers you the perfect mix of cushioning and slip resistance - like our yoga mat.
Your dynamic yoga style?
Many people have already taken a liking to energy yoga. What about you? Generally speaking, every style can and should be tried out. If you have previously found yoga too spiritual for you, Power Yoga according to Bryan Kest could offer you exactly the path you have been missing. It's physical, dynamic and leads to peace in a different way. Relaxing and exercising at the same time - many people find it easier to integrate this style into their daily routine. If you are looking for a calmer style that is less invigorating and more meditative, you should roll out your mat for yin or kundalini yoga. Or: How about classic Ashtanga as the origin of power yoga?