Power Yoga And Ashtanga Yoga

What is the difference between power yoga and ashtanga?

Ashtanga yoga poses have been developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois from ancient texts known as Yoga Korunta. There are six series of Ashtanga yoga poses that a student can practice based on his/her own capacity. The primary series of the Ashtanga yoga poses have been described in the yoga mala. These postures help increase flexibility and strength, detoxify the body, and align the spine. The series consists of around 75 poses that takes about two hours to complete. It starts with the sun salutation and goes on to the standing, seated and other variations before coming into relaxation. The second or intermediate series is called the Nadi Shodana, which means the purification of the nervous system. It helps to strengthen and clean the nervous system and energy channels in the body. Ashtanga yoga poses in this series are performed only when the postures in the primary series are perfected.
Bikram yoga is a type of yoga in which the yoga postures are performed in a room that is heated to 104 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity factor of 4 percent. Bikram yoga is also sometimes called hot yoga, but the practices differ. Performing Bikram yoga are more vigorous as compared to the other types of yoga poses, such as those in hatha yoga poses. There are 26 Bikram yoga poses that are designed to exercise each organ, tendon, and muscle in the body. These postures have to be performed in a particular sequence to get the most out of them. The Vinyasa yoga poses are also called flow because of the smooth and fluid transition from one pose to the other. The sun salutation is the most simple and basic example of Vinyasa yoga. In the sequences of all the Vinyasa yoga poses, the movements are done while inhaling or exhaling. Vinyasa yoga also consists of movements other than stretching. The strength of Vinyasa yoga is in the variety it possesses. There is no single rulebook or philosophy that reveals everything about it, and so it can fit in individual idiosyncrasies and personalities.
Power yoga poses have been derived from Ashtanga yoga, which emphasizes the development of the physical body and self discipline. Power yoga is done by performing a sequence of yoga poses that synchronizes the breathing patterns of the practitioner to the movements.  Practicing power yoga helps increase flexibility and builds stamina and strength. To get the most out of yoga, it is essential that you follow a proper diet to complement the poses in the development of your body and mind. 

Submitted by A on November 9, 2010 at 06:35

The main difference is that Ashtanga Yoga follows a set sequence of poses so Ashtanga Yoga practitioners go through the same set routine every time. The advantages to this system are that first and foremost you don't have to worry about what comes next. Just practise the sequence and get involved in the asana (physical yoga poses) practice. Secondly, you are really able to perfect the sequence just by repeating the same routine again and again.

While Ashtanga Yoga insists on the same set routine every time, in Power Yoga classes students do something different in every single session. Their premise is that when there are literally hundreds of Yoga postures, why restrict oneself to the same routine day after day? Rather, they feel, focus more on forward bends one day, backward bends another day, strengthening poses the third day, so on and so forth. This seems to make sense to a lot of its followers.

But, both Power Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga have essentially been derived from the same roots and with the same aim in mind. Their emphasis on strength and flexibility is what they share in common is. Both are done at a non stop pace and have for their basis the heat produced by Ujjayi Pranayama (Ocean Breath). Both forms; Power Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga flow gracefully from one pose to another to develop a fit body, generate purifying heat, and give you a calm, peaceful mind. For this reason, oftentimes the terms Ashtanga and Power Yoga are now, even used identically.

In the West the term Power Yoga is used to describe an energetic, dynamic, hearty and enthusiastic style of Yoga. In the mid 1990s the term "Power Yoga" gained wide currency and became quite popular, after a slew of Yoga teachers sought to make Yoga popular among Western students. As against Ashtanga, Power Yoga follows no set sequence of postures. So, different Power Yoga classes vary widely from each other, it has been found. Yoga owes its current popularity to the advent of Power Yoga, after which people – particularly Americans and Europeans – started to consider Yoga a serious and fitting way to work out; and it was Power Yoga that heralded the era of Yoga in America and European gyms.

Ashtanga Yoga, on the other hand is the brainchild of one Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and is a system of Yoga passed on to the modern world in a bid to enhance physical health, strength and stamina. This Yoga style involves coordinating your breath with a set sequence of Yoga poses. This process is known – and is designed – to generate a lot of heat in the body with copious amounts of perspiration that detoxifies both the organs as well as the muscles. As a result you enjoy a strong, lithe and light body, better circulation, and end up feeling calm and peaceful.

Submitted by A on February 16, 2009 at 03:41

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