Power yoga is an exceptional workout, stress reliever and complement to my normal program.

 

Power yoga complements your normal gym workout in two ways: It counteracts some of the negative aspects of weight work and sports training, and it's a terrific way to build functional strength. 

 

"Lifting weights, running, racket sports, cycling and other activities are highly contractive," says Steve Ilg, who's competed in world championships in four sports (snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, mountain biking and sandshoeing) and authored a book, The Winter Athlete. "Combined with sitting at a desk all day, you end up with chronically compressed connective tissue and tight, restricted muscles in your shoulders, hamstrings, hips and lower back." The result: a kinked-up, hunched-over posture and a greater susceptibility to injury. 

 

The antidote? A once-a-week shot of power yoga. Its dynamic mix of stretches, squats and presses, all done while struggling to maintain balance, leaves you with supple muscles, a taller walk, and increased strength under natural movement, what Ilg calls "functional strength."

 

Men's Fitness Workouts - The Power Yoga Workout

Even if you can’t get to a power yoga class, you can tap its power on your own. To approximate a short power-yoga routine that will work you from head to toe, Ilg recommends the following six movements, flowing from one to the next with no break. Done right, the whole group should take you 30 minutes. 

 

All the movements should be done once (on both your right and left sides) in the order shown, with the exception of the five-step yogi push-up series, which consists of strength exercises that are highly aerobic when done consecutively. For an advanced super-workout, perform this complete five-step cycle three to five times in between each of the other movements. That sounds like a lot, but you’ll be surprised how little time it takes. 

Since no yoga movements should be done cold (the first 20 minutes of a standard 70-minute power yoga class consists of warm-up exercises), warm up for 10 minutes before starting this workout.