Yoga On The Quick

Incorporating the slow-and-steady exercise in your fast-and-crazy life.

In today's world, everything is fast and furious. Hence why you find yourself eating at fast food restaurants six times a week. And while you've been dreaming of getting in some yoga on a regular basis, it seems the relaxed pace of yoga would be a poor way to spend your time at the gym. If only there was a way to squeeze some yoga poses into your daily routine and still sweat.

There is! It's called power yoga. So what is power yoga and what can it do for you?

Power Yoga Defined

At its core, power yoga is everything that is great about yoga rolled into an Americanized package. With power yoga, you'll move, you'll sweat, and you'll leave the gym feeling great. Focusing less on meditation and chanting than other versions of yoga, power yoga is the yoga of choice for athletes and others who want to get in some creative yoga poses and break a sweat at the same time.

The yoga mat is a good place to turn when talk therapy and antidepressants aren't enough
- Amy Weintraub

The term "power yoga" has only been about for 10 or 15 years, and was created to make another version of yoga (Astana yoga) more appealing to Americans. Unlike Astanga, power yoga does not always have the same series of poses. This makes it possible to have a variety of options when you go to yoga class, which decreases burnout.

Power Yoga Visualized

Poses for power yoga practitioners are varying, but all of them are performed to help individuals gain strength both physically and mentally. During a power yoga session, participants will find themselves standing, sitting, balancing, bending over backwards, twisting, bending forward, and more.

In order to provide the best workout, power yoga does not pause between poses. Rather, participants are required to move from one yoga pose to the next seamlessly. Poses also may be held for longer periods than is typical in other forms of yoga.

Power Yoga Praised

After finishing up a series of power yoga classes, you're sure to reap substantial benefits. Though yoga technically means "union," if done right, power yoga can also mean a great workout.

The most obvious perk of power yoga is how it tones your body and increases your flexibility. In addition, the longer poses and seamless transitions between poses increase your strength and stamina. Add on power yoga's ability to reduce stress, help you become more mentally focused, and maintain a straighter spine and it's clear why many on-the-go individuals make time in their workout regime to squeeze in some power yoga.

Other Types

Whether you plan to implement some power into your yoga routine or not, you may be curious about the other types of yoga that are out there.

The following are some of the non-power yoga techniques available to you:

• Ananda yoga maintains focus on gentle postures that help your body get aligned, while getting the brain prepared for meditation
• Bikram yoga is usually performed in 105-degree heat in order to loosen up the muscles and force the body into a state of sweatiness
• Hatha yoga is the slow and gentle yoga that most people associate with the exercise; it is great for yoga users of all ages and stages
• Lyengar yoga uses coordinated breathing and poses and results in increased flexibility, endurance, balance, and strength
• Kundalini yoga has an emphasis on proper breathing, while including plenty of chanting and meditation mixed in with rapid poses
• Restorative yoga is the practice of lying on blankets and other surfaces to allow the body to relax