What to Expect from Power Yoga

If your idea of yoga is lying on a mat breathing slowly, power yoga may surprise you. It’s a more athletic style. You move through flowing sequences and hold poses that work your muscles hard, and the goal is to build strength and stamina, with some flexibility along the way. A lot of yoga leans toward relaxation and quiet attention. This kind makes you sweat.

What it does for your body

Mostly, it makes you stronger and gives you more staying power. Poses like chaturanga, plank and chair pose ask a lot of your muscles, and over time they get stronger. You’ll probably find you’re more flexible too, which makes ordinary movement feel easier.

What it does for your head

You have to concentrate in a power class, and that can be a relief. It’s hard to keep running through your to-do list while you’re trying to hold chair pose. Paying that much attention to your body and your breath can help quiet things down and take the edge off stress.

If you’re new to it

Start slowly and build up over time. Listen to your body, and change a pose when you need to so you don’t get hurt. Nobody is grading you on doing the full version. Focus on good form and keep coming back, and it does get easier.