Power Yoga: Challenge Yourself with Spiritual Sports

Power Yoga is a form of yoga in which you train strength and endurance. What’s the trick? We’ll give you a hit, it has to do with your breath!

Are you considering doing power yoga? Read here where this spiritual sport comes from, what this type of yoga can help you and why breathing is the key to success!

What is Power Yoga Exactly?

Power yoga is a series of spiritual movement exercises based on Ashtanga Yoga. Because of the highly physical nature, you can often find classes at gyms. Many people therefore think that power yoga is strength training. In a way that’s right, but there is also a mental and meditative aspect to it. You can see this in the emphasis on breathing and the careful shifting of physical or mental boundaries. The flow of such a series also brings many people inner peace. Such a nice contrast!

What Does Power Yoga Do To Your Body?

Power yoga exercises train both physical and mental strength. For one person, the dynamic exercises are therefore a full body workout with which they achieve a flat stomach or a desired level of flexibility. There are also people who lose weight through power yoga or try to maintain their weight with it. But when it comes to power yoga, weight loss isn’t always the main goal. Others may push physical boundaries by learning to breathe effectively or regain their emotional perseverance during power yoga classes. So from this yoga you get what you put into it and for many practitioners that goes deeper than the physical exertion.

Elements of a Power Yoga Workout

A sporty yoga session usually includes a warm-up followed by a series of dynamic asanas that train muscle strength, breathing, and endurance. The sun salutation, or surya namaskara, usually forms the basis of the lesson and is performed several times fluently, at a fixed pace. There are a lot of variations possible on this series, so lessons can vary by theme. This sweat-inducing flow is often followed by abdominal exercises, balance postures and sitting postures for the much-needed cooling down.

These Are Power Yoga Exercises For Beginners

Power yoga for beginners usually consists of learning Sun Salutations A and B to the rhythm of the breath. Once those postures are baked into your muscle memory, you can start working on effective breathing. According to yogis, you can use this as an instrument to train mindfully. So if you are looking for power yoga exercises for home, then immerse yourself in the Sun Salutations and a good breathing technique!

How to Choose the Perfect Power Yoga Mat

How do you know which is the Best Yoga Mat for You to start exercising? From a purely practical point of view, you need a sturdy, somewhat thicker mat that offers enough grip. It should not only be sticky on the floor so that it doesn’t stretch or move, but also slip resistant to your sweaty hands and feet. Slipping can be very dangerous when you are doing dynamic series! So purchase a mat made of non-slip material such as PVC or natural rubber. TPE is also possible, although it has a relatively soft surface. For some people this feels unstable with standing yoga poses. If you already have a mat at home, but it isn’t slip resistant don’t worry. You could consider putting a non-slip yoga towel over it instead of replacing it.

Check Out Our Yoga Mats

… And That’s How You Keep It in Top Shape

A power yoga mat has to endure a lot in its life. However, if you take good care of it, this sturdy practice partner will last a long time! After all that sweating, don’t forget to give your mat a nice soapy water, for example with a (homemade) spray and always transport it safely in a bag to your yoga classes. How exactly do you approach maintenance? Here you can read Tips for Cleaning a Yoga Mat.

Curious About Yoga?

There are now many types of yoga to choose from and it can be a bit tricky to find the right one when you’re just getting started. Are you a sporty type and do you like a challenge, then Ashtanga Yoga might be something for you. Maybe you like to go with the flow and move more freely, then Vinyasa Yoga could be right for you. If you especially want to relax very deeply, take a peek at Yoga Nidra. This form is focused on relaxation and surrender. Finally find out about the Difference Between Yoga and Pilates, so that you can make a good choice. The two are often confused with each other!

Happy Workout!