The Concept of Power Yoga

A few decades ago, the west took to ‘yoga’ like a fish takes to water. The art of yoga and its poses were incorporated into the American lifestyle since we saw its benefits. It not only helped enhance physical wellbeing, but also did wonders for one emotionally and mentally. It focused on making a person fitter in all the aspects of life.

Now, years later, another term related to yoga has taken the world by a storm – POWER YOGA.

WHAT IS POWER YOGA?

Power yoga is a term which is used to describe the more vigorous and power packed method of yoga, which has been designed on the lines of Ashtanga method of yoga. The term came into use at around the middle of the 1990 decade and has become popular a little more recently. Power yoga, perhaps, was the answer to the question – How can Ashtanga yoga be made more accessible for its students in the west?

Power yoga, unlike its predecessor Ashtanga yoga, isn’t a follower of the methods of posing. It focuses on two aspects of a workout – flexibility and strength. Power yoga began to catch up soon, since it was now being viewed as a way to lose weight soon and keep it off given its focus on overall wellbeing.

WHAT IS ASHTANGA YOGA?

Ashtanga in Sanskrit would mean ‘eight limbs’. It refers to the eight limbs of yoga that have been garner mention in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This method was interpreted from an ancient text called Yoga Korunta; and it was used to describe what is a unique system developed by Vamana Rishi – known as hatha yoga.

THE INVENTION OF POWER YOGA –

Power Yoga was perhaps simultaneously invented by two people – Bryan Kest, who’s based in Los Angeles and Beryl Bender, based in New York. It is a matter of coincidence that they both were students of Ashtanga master Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois.

By using the term ‘power yoga’ in place of yoga, both these pioneers ended up changing the overall impression that most Americans had held of yoga – that of it being associated with meditation, and peace and calm. They differentiated it from just being that.

Another name, namely that of Baron Baptiste, gets frequently associated with the invention of power yoga. Baptiste, however, lets only teachers that he certify to teach this form of yoga.

IS POWER YOGA THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR ME?

The answer to this one may not be as simple as it sounds. Power yoga will give the maximum benefits to those who already have some form of fitness regime that they’re used to. Turning to power yoga will help them include some meditation and chanting to their existing routine. But another aspect that is of due importance is that the methods and the routines will differ a little from teacher to teacher.