The Incredible Bond Between Power Yoga And Weight Loss
Strengthen your core and build lean muscles with this fast-paced cardio workout.
Sri Yogi Anand has 24 years of experience in the practical and philosophical aspects of yoga and spirituality. He has been teaching yoga and spirituality through his institution, Adwait Yoga School. He integrates scientific and medical approaches with yoga therapy to help in cases of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and disorders and orthopedic and lifestyle disorders.
Read full bio of Sri Yogi Anand
Experience: 3 yearsShirin is a health and wellness writer with three years of experience and specializes in writing articles on yoga and has extensive knowledge about the postures of the asanas. Prior to joining Stylecraze, she interned with an advertising firm as a copywriter and as an editorial intern for a luxury fashion magazine.
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Experience: 8 yearsArshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.
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Experience: 2 yearsHimanshi Mahajan is a Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach. She has a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from Guru Nanak Dev University and two years of experience in writing SEO-based and research-backed content across health and lifestyle genres.
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Power yoga is different from the traditional yoga postures you usually come across or do at home. It is much like a cardio workout. So, is power yoga for weight loss an option worth trying? If yes, how does it help shed some pounds? And how do you plan your session for it to be weight loss-friendly? In this article, we answer all your questions and dig deeper into power yoga, its overall benefits apart from weight loss, and when not to practice it. So, let’s get started to get your body in shape!
In This Article
The Power Yoga 101
- What Is Power Yoga?
- The Benefits Of Power Yoga
- Power Yoga Poses For Beginners
- When Not To Practice Power Yoga
- Power Yoga Vs. Cardio
- Power Yoga For Weight Loss- The Ideal Plan
What Is Power Yoga?
A Vinyasa practice, Power Yoga is a fitness-based workout that promotes wellness of both body and mind. 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 and endurance, and promotes better breathing. 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.
TriviaThe Benefits Of Power Yoga
Power yoga workouts have much to offer. They have all the benefits of a usual yoga workout and more. These are some spectacular benefits of this kind of yoga.
- It helps burn out a fair amount of calories.
- It builds strength, stamina, and flexibility and tones the core and the body.
- Power Yoga gives your metabolism a boost.
- You become more focused.
- Stress and tension are considerably reduced. You become calm and relaxed.
- Even the inactive muscles are toned, flexed, and strengthened.
Here are a few power yoga poses for you to begin with.
Power Yoga Poses For Beginners
1. Child’s Pose
How To Do
- Kneel with your knees hip-width apart, feet together behind you, and your butt resting on your feet.
- Inhale deeply, then exhale as you lower your upper body over your thighs.
- Rest your forehead on the ground and extend your arms in front of you.
- Maintain this position for at least five breaths.
2. Chair Pose
How To Do
- Stand tall, feet a bit wider than hip-width apart, and arms hanging by your sides.
- Raise your arms and extend your wrists and fingers.
- Ensure your shoulders are relaxed and your back is straight.
- Bend your knees and keep them parallel, leaning forward to form a right angle with your thighs.
- Keep your head, neck, and arms aligned with your torso.
- Maintain this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
While these poses are beneficial, there may be times you should not follow them.
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.
Quick TipPower 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:
Transform your body with this power yoga and fat burner workout regime using weights. Click on the video and get ready to sweat and burn calories for a fitter you!
Infographic: Lose Weight With Power Yoga
Power yoga is beneficial for those who are trying to lose weight. Pairing it with a regular cardio session can greatly improve your strength and flexibility. Learn more about how it helps lose weight with the help of the infographic below. Check it out now!
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
To recap, power yoga is a fitness-based yoga plan that promotes balance, mindfulness, and overall wellness. It increases your body’s internal heat and overall stamina. It also has stress-relieving and strength-building benefits. It offers the same effects as cardio or aerobic workouts. Apart from this, it tones inactive muscles and increases metabolism. It gives you long-term weight loss results without the heavy strain of aggressive workouts. You can pair this type of yoga with cardio or strength exercises to aid weight loss. However, if you have an underlying health condition or are seeking yoga for pain relief, then power yoga may be the perfect fit for you. If you do have medical issues, please consult a doctor before starting any yoga for weight loss workouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Key Takeaways
- Power yoga not only helps build strength and stability but also has properties of good aerobics that can give you a metabolic boost.
- Adding this form of yoga to your fitness routine may help tone, flex, and strengthen even the inactive body muscles.
- Pregnant women or individuals with serious diseases or injuries should avoid performing power yoga.
- Adding 2-3 power yoga sessions to your regular cardio each week is a good plan for sustainable weight loss.
Illustration: The Incredible Bond Between Power Yoga And Weight Loss
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team
Read full bio of Sri Yogi Anand
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