By Faye Martins
Does Power yoga for strength make sense? Power yoga is a hybrid form of physical yoga that emphasizes physical fitness over yogic philosophy and wisdom. Power yoga teachers come from Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Hatha backgrounds, which leads to a lot of variety within lesson plans and the exact emphasis in classes. There are many different types of yoga, each with its benefits. Power yoga is a type of yoga that emphasizes strength and power.
What is the Attraction of Power Yoga?
It can be an excellent workout for people looking to build strength and improve their fitness. However, some people question whether power yoga makes sense from a strength standpoint. After all, you are not lifting weights or doing other traditional strength-building exercises. However, Power Yoga can be a very effective way to enhance strength. The key is to focus on the breath and use the muscles in the body to create resistance. In this way, Power Yoga can be an excellent way to build strength and improve fitness.
Power Yoga for Strength and Healing
Power Yoga is a type of yoga that is practiced to build strength and heal the body. The movements in Power Yoga are slower and can be more controlled than in other types of flowing yoga, and the focus is on proper alignment and breath control. Power Yoga can help to improve flexibility, balance, and strength. It can also help to heal injuries, reduce stress, and improve overall health. Teachers who are running therapeutic power classes should label their classes accordingly. This will draw a mix of students seeking recovery but don’t want a Restorative class.
About Muscle Mass
Power yoga is an excellent way to gain muscle mass. The key is to focus on the poses that work for the largest muscle groups. For example, Warrior III is a great pose for building quads and hamstrings. The Chair Pose works the glutes and core, while the Downward-Facing Dog Pose strengthens the back, chest, arms, and shoulders. By incorporating power yoga into your workout routine, you can quickly see increased muscle mass results. Power yoga does not produce big bulky muscles but increases muscle mass. Aging causes a gradual loss of muscle mass each year. Therefore, if we want to take action toward aging well, we should incorporate resistance training such as weight resistance training, physical forms of Yoga, or Pilates.
Healing Aspects of Practice
Power Yoga is a proven method for building strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility. First, it can also be very therapeutic, helping to relieve stress and tension. Second, asana practice helps to massage the organs and improve circulation. Third, deep breathing (Ujjayi Breath) helps to oxygenate the blood and relax the mind. Of course, Power Yoga uses different poses and breathing techniques to help tone the muscles and improve overall fitness. In addition to physical benefits, Power Yoga can also help to improve mental well-being and promote relaxation.
Yoga for Pain
Power yoga is a type of yoga that is focused on building strength. It can be helpful for people dealing with pain, as strengthening the muscles can help support the joints and alleviate pain. Power yoga can also help to improve flexibility and range of motion. If you are interested in trying power yoga for pain relief, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider first to see if it is right for you. The right teacher can design a series of therapeutic Yoga techniques. However, it is up to the student to practice them regularly.
Reduce or Prevent Pain
The difference is that physical therapy is truly focused on the physical. In contrast, power yoga for strength works holistically to address the health of an entire person on all levels of existence. Students become more aware of methods to build strength and reduce or prevent pain.
Developing Self-Awareness
This self-awareness is also why people with ailments like depression or anxiety try yoga. Not only are there physical and hormonal benefits derived from the exercise part of yoga, but achieving personal balance and complete awareness can lead to improving problems rooted in the psyche and the body.
Power Yoga: Exercise or Therapy
Power Yoga for strength is a physical challenge. The answer to whether it can be used as therapy depends on the problem as well as the approach of the instructor or therapist. Many therapists prefer clients to work through poses at a slower pace. The reason is to allow for more concentrated effort on each pose. The goal of Power Yoga is to build heat in the body, which then leads to sweating and detoxification. Many people see Power Yoga as more of an exercise than therapy, but it can be both. It is a safe way to get in shape and improve overall health.
Individual Needs
Clearly, because of the individualized nature of Power Yoga can also be used as a form of exercise, therapy, or adjunct therapy, for mental and emotional balance. However, because it can be challenging, it is not always the preferred Yoga school for cases where students have physical ailments. Yet, Power Yoga for strength is accepted as a low-impact exercise option.
© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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Resources
A, Ross, S.J. Thomas. The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a review of comparison studies. 2010, 16:3-12.
Bal, B.S.; Kaur, P.J. Effects of selected asanas in hatha yoga on agility and flexibility. J Sport Health Res. 2009, 1(2):75-87.
Ballor, DL., (1996), “Exercise Training and Body Composition Changes”, As Cited in Roche, AF., Heymsfield, SB. and Lohman TG., Human Body Composition, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
Fonda’s J., (1984), Health and Fitness Diary, England: Penguin Books, Ltd.
Gilmore C.P., (1981), Exercising for Fitness, Canada: Time-Life Books, Inc.
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Seven Tips for Physical Assists in Power Yoga Classes
By Gopi Rao
Touch is one of the most powerful tools that we can give to support our students. Yet, there is a problem. Suddenly, one day, all male instructors became “creepy guys.” Yoga studios began “hands-off” policies due to harassment policies and higher liability insurance rates. We now have COVID, and we might never touch students again. For the sake of knowing and remembering how it once was: Here are seven tips for giving students great adjustments during a power yoga class.
Ask Permission
We can’t assume that our students want physical assistance, even while engaging in asana practice. Touch can be a trigger for people who have experienced trauma, and we all have times when we wish to be left alone. Offer students the opportunity to let you know that they do not wish to be touched.
Know Your Students
We have all heard about or experienced an adjustment gone wrong. If you have a new student, take the time to get to know them before offering assistance. A pregnant student and a student recovering from an old spinal injury have different needs, and their conditions may not be readily apparent. For beginners, concentrate on keeping them safe. For more advanced students, find out what they want to focus on so that you can target adjustments.
Practice
Do not perform a trial run of a new adjustment on your students. Work with a yoga teacher or a willing practice subject outside of class. Ask for detailed feedback. Too much pressure can be uncomfortable, and too little can feel inappropriate. When in doubt, stay within your comfort zone. If you are trying to do something that makes you nervous, you will transfer that feeling to your students.
Adjusting is Not a Rush
If you stick to low-risk savasana adjustments while learning, that is fine. Don’t feel pressured to touch students just because you think that is what is expected of you. During power yoga for strength sessions, nothing is done in a rush. The class objective of building muscle mass doesn’t have much to do with you running yourself ragged and making physical adjustments.
Verbal Adjustments
The value of verbal adjustments cannot be overstated. Some facilities require teachers to stick to verbal adjustments. Take classes with teachers who have an assist style that you like. To give good assists, you also have to get them. When practicing Power Yoga, it’s important to be aware of the verbal adjustments that your teacher may give you. These adjustments can help you to improve your alignment and get the most out of each pose.
Know Thyself
If you are sick or tired, be a hands-off teacher for a day or more. If you teach full-time, you may be leading 15 or more classes per week. This can be exhausting, and some assists can be physically demanding. You have to care for yourself to care for your students, and occasionally, you have to make fewer adjustments.
Internal Conflict
Sometimes, a student may bring up particular feelings in you. Maybe they make you uncomfortable, or perhaps you feel attracted to them. Remember that you are a professional, and avoid touching anyone that throws off your mental equilibrium.
Give Yourself Time
When moving through a brisk vinyasa flow, be mindful of the types of assists you offer. If you know, you will have adequate time to assist, then go for it. Otherwise, it is better to withhold the adjustment rather than rush it. If a student consistently makes a mistake in a fast flow, you could workshop the problem area with them after class at a slower pace.
Understand the Asana
Balancing postures will require different support than restorative postures. Understand the goal of your assistance. Is it to explore the range of a student’s flexibility or provide stability? Know where energy is supposed to flow, and use your hands-on work to complement your student’s efforts.
Pay Attention
Even the most experienced teachers need to pay attention to students. Changes in breathing or facial expressions can indicate when an adjustment has been effective and when students have reached their edge. If you are mindful of your students’ nonverbal communication, you can avoid forcing them toward an injury.
Grow and Develop a System
As you grow your practice and explore different styles and methods for assistance, you will develop a system that works for you and your students. Among the many styles to teach, power yoga for strength is more like an exercise class with a common objective shared by most students.
© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
Power yoga for strength is a physical challenge, it can be used as therapy depends on the problem as well as the approach of the instructor or therapist. Nice info.
Thanks for sharing this good article. Power yoga for strength is a form of physical yoga that emphasizes physical fitness over yogic philosophy and wisdom.