Power Up Yoga: 3 Practices Worth Your While

The man who has been bringing yoga to the masses through Gaim DVDs since the 1990’s, Rodney Yee, has recently released a new instructional video to his collection:  Power Up Yoga.

Yee, who was a ballet dancer before studying Iyengar yoga, brings a unique spin to his yoga practice. He tends to provide transitions from pose to pose that, as a yoga instructor, inspire me when developing class sequences to teach at studios or private classes.

Power Up Yoga is divided into three 20 minute sections:  “Connect,” “Energize,” and “Breathe.”  If you’re in need of grounding down, engaging the leg and core muscles, and working on toning the whole body, then “Connect” is the perfect sequence. Infused with sun salutations, this section encourages you to connect with your breath while breaking a sweat.

“Energize” focuses on moving from one pose to another in a quicker fashion, and is more of a cardio workout than the other sections. Yee also works in plenty of flexibility, with poses like revolved triangle and half moon. Plenty of back bends are included in this sequence, as they are known to increase energy. This sequence ends with supine twists, which neutralize the spine and are a perfect complement to the back bends.

Lastly, “Breathe” works with the power of the mind. Yee connects breath with movement in this section, and it is the least strenuous of the three. At the end of this sequence, your hips will be open, your mind will be clear, and your breath will be steady. Complete with a refreshing savasana, this section is a great choice for athletes who are looking for some light activity to recover from a strenuous workout, or for beginners looking to relieve stress.

All in all, Yee’s DVD is a well-rounded introduction to power yoga.

As someone who both practices and teaches power yoga, I can say that this sequence is not as sweat-inducing as I would have anticipated.

However, Rodney Yee’s DVD contained excellent cueing, original sequences, and is split into segments that anyone can squeeze into their day. Yee’s descriptive language is great for beginners who might not be familiar with poses.

As a caution, I would recommend going slowly through the practice, or even watching the video before practicing, especially the back bending sequence.

I would suggest this DVD to anyone who is looking to expand their yoga practice, focus their mind, and hone in on poses that build strength.