Power yoga classes in Pokhara
Strong, athletic flow that builds heat.
Power yoga is a fast, strong, athletic style of flow yoga that grew out of Ashtanga in the United States in the 1990s. It keeps the breath-linked movement but drops the fixed sequence and most of the spiritual framing, so classes feel close to a demanding fitness class.
No classes scheduled in the next two weeks.
What Power yoga does for you
You get heat, strength and a proper sweat, with long holds in lunges and planks that wake up your legs, core and shoulders. The pace leaves little space for wandering thoughts, so many people find their head clears simply because they are busy breathing. It is a satisfying way to feel strong and spent in an hour. If you come from running, the gym or team sports, it often feels familiar from the first class.
It suits you if
- you want a strong, sweaty class
- you come from running, the gym or team sports
- you like upbeat music while you move
- you are short on time and want intensity
Read the full guide to Power yogaWhat a class is like, your first time, history and the words you will hear
What a class is like
Classes usually last 45 to 75 minutes and move quickly through sun salutations, standing sequences, core work, arm balances and long holds, often repeated on both sides. Some studios heat the space a little, and you will sweat either way. Music is common and usually upbeat. The facilitator calls poses at a brisk pace, often with fitness-class energy, and offers options to make things harder or easier. There is usually a short rest at the end, but stillness is not the focus.
Your first time
- Wear fitted, sweat-friendly clothes and bring a towel and plenty of water.
- Eat lightly a couple of hours before, not right before class.
- Tell the facilitator about any injuries and take the easier options in your first class.
Good to know
- Some power classes run in a heated space; if you are pregnant or have a heart condition or high blood pressure, check with your doctor first.
- The pace can push you past your limits; resting in child's pose is always allowed.
- It is light on philosophy and quiet, so it may not suit you if you want a meditative class.
Where it comes from
Power yoga appeared in the United States in the early 1990s, almost simultaneously, through two American students of K. Pattabhi Jois: Beryl Bender Birch in New York and Bryan Kest in Los Angeles. Both took the breath-linked, heat-building structure of Ashtanga and loosened it for Western students who wanted a strong practice without the fixed sequence or the Sanskrit.
Bender Birch's book Power Yoga (1995) brought the name to a mass audience. Jois objected in a letter to Yoga Journal that year, dismissing the trend as "ignorant bodybuilding". Baron Baptiste later developed his own influential version, and many others followed with their own branded takes.
The style fit naturally into gyms and fitness chains and spread through Europe from the late 1990s, often as the way in for people who would not have walked into a traditional yoga studio. Today "power" on a schedule usually signals a fast vinyasa class with extra strength work, sometimes heated. In Berlin it shows up in gyms and studios alike, often in early-morning and after-work slots.
Words you will hear
- Chaturanga
- A low push-up position with elbows hugging your ribs, repeated throughout class.
- Utkatasana
- Chair pose, a deep squat with arms overhead; the name means fierce seat.
- Bakasana
- Crow pose, an arm balance with your knees resting on the backs of your upper arms.
- Balasana
- Child's pose, a kneeling rest you can take at any time.
- Core
- The deep muscles of your belly and back that stabilize your trunk.