Power Yoga Improves Aerobic Capacity

Category: Fitness

The different styles of yoga offer workouts that range from gentle to vigorous. For example, hatha yoga is a gentle, widely available style of yoga in which participants move slowly through yoga poses. Power yoga is a vigorous flow-style of yoga in which participants move rapidly through yoga poses. Now research reports that power yoga provides some aerobic benefit in experienced yoga practitioners.

The study, commissioned by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), examined the aerobic effect of hatha yoga and power yoga in participants with intermediate level yoga experience. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, either administered a 50-minute hatha yoga videotaped class or a 50-minute power yoga videotaped class to 15 intermediate level yoga practitioners. The participants' exercise intensity was monitored as they participated in the yoga sessions.

The researchers found that the power yoga group burned about 237 calories in 50 minutes and boosted heart rates to 62 percent of maximum on average. This provided a light aerobic workout. In comparison, the hatha yoga group burned about 144 calories with no aerobic benefit. The amount of calories hatha yoga practice burned is equivalent to a slow walk.

The researchers caution that increasing the aerobic benefits of yoga will result in less flexibility, balance, and relaxation benefits. "By moving quickly through the poses, you will not get the same (muscle and tissue) stretch as you would in slower poses," says study researcher, John Porcari, Ph.D.

Posted by Kristopher Foster on April 13, 2013 11:00 AM