The Power Yoga 101
What Is Power Yoga?
A Vinyasa practice, Power Yoga is a fitness-based workout. It finds its roots in the Ashtanga branch of yoga and shares common qualities and benefits. Much like Ashtanga Yoga, when you practice Power Yoga, your body builds internal heat and increases your stamina. With regular practice, you become strong, flexible, and stress-free. Power Yoga is becoming increasingly popular around the world. It gives your whole body a good workout. It is, of course, strength building, and also includes the properties of a good aerobics or cardio session. Power Yoga is a modern form of yoga that is a good fusion of the traditional values of yoga with the need of the hour – fitness and weight loss. Therefore, this is a very upbeat form of yoga, which makes it interesting and more sought after. Yoga of this kind suffices the need of those who feel that they have had a good workout only if they have profusely sweated.
The Benefits Of Power Yoga
Power Yoga has all the benefits of a usual yoga workout and more. These are some spectacular benefits of this kind of yoga.
When Not To Practice Power Yoga
The stream of yoga you choose to practice depends on what your aim is. If you want to get rid of pain and are looking for a healing practice, then no, this form of yoga is not for you. Also, it is best to avoid Power Yoga, or do it under supervision or with a doctor’s permission, if you are: a. Pregnant b. Suffer from serious injuries c. Have had a recent surgery d. Have a serious disease or disorder
Power Yoga Vs. Cardio
Let’s be honest. If you do an intense hour-long session of cardio, you will lose twice the number of calories as compared to how much you will lose with Power Yoga. However, Power Yoga feeds the muscles. It works on the core and streamlines your body, building the core muscles. Building lean muscles is effective for weight loss and increasing metabolism, which means burning a considerable amount of fat. You do burn calories in a cardio session, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you burn fat. Also, excessive cardio can deplete the muscle reserve, and this is not ideal for a long-term weight loss plan.
Power Yoga And Weight Loss – The Ideal Plan
If you are looking to lose weight, you could add about two to three Power Yoga sessions to your usual cardio practice every week. If you only do Power Yoga and do not lift weights, it will prepare your body and strengthen the muscles so that you can lift weights. The combination of Power Yoga and cardio is a good plan for sustainable weight loss. In another scenario, if you are either a weightlifter or a runner, continuous practice could contract your muscles. Power Yoga will help you lengthen those muscles through intense stretching, and will be a good addition to your workout routine. It will help you add leanness and flexibility. Watch this video and get an insight into what a Power Yoga session will entail:
How long should you do power yoga to lose weight? Regular power yoga practice (3-5 times a week for an hour) may make a visible difference in body composition within 2 weeks. However, weight loss depends on numerous factors such as age, diet, starting weight, and genetics. Thus, the weight loss rate may vary among individuals. Can power yoga reduce belly fat? Yes, power yoga can help reduce belly fat as it is a form of cardiovascular exercise that helps burn calories. However, it is important to remember that you cannot spot-reduce fat. You need overall weight loss for a reduction in belly fat. How many calories does 45 minutes of power yoga burn? Forty-five minutes of power yoga may help you burn around 270 calories. Can I do power yoga every day? You should do power yoga 3-5 days a week with rest days in between for muscle recovery.