Before your first Power House Yoga class:
What you will need:
In The room:
After Class:
Facilities:
FAQ’s
No. The only similarity Yoga Heat has with Bikram Yoga is the sweat factor!! Bikram Yoga offers 90 minutes of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises delivered in the same order of sequence using the same verbal cues by the teachers all over the world. Yoga Heat offers a variety of all the many different yoga postures and their variations in a vinyasa style format which means we flow from pose to pose. In a 60 minute Yoga Heat class, we have the opportunity to practice anywhere from 40 to 60 different postures allowing a full body work out and stretch coupled with breathing techniques, leaving you feeling balanced, detoxed and refreshed.
Bikram Yoga has been described by many as being quite military in its approach, and while this method is suitable for some, we believe having a compassionate approach better serves each individual. Yoga Heat offers a challenging intensity in its format whilst teaching traditional yogic philosophies of non-violence (ahimsa), self-honesty (satya), contentment (santosha) and self-study (swadhyaya) as well as modern philosophical ideas of mindfulness and presence to create a space for students to safely explore the physical practice of yoga whilst experiencing depths of the soul that may not otherwise have been attainable.
At Power House Yoga, our teachers guide you through the process of transformation offering their knowledge learned from trainings and wisdom learned from their own experiences on the mat. Adjustments, assists and variations are also offered so each student feels comfortable, supported and nurtured in their practice. Your yoga practice is very personal, it is all about you. Power House Yoga offers that personal space for you to have your time on your mat feeling supported with a sense of freedom.
We practice in a heated room for many reasons. Firstly, sweat factor; as BKS Iyengar said: “Penetration of our mind is our goal, but in the beginning to set things in motion, there is no substitute for sweat.” The heat offers an increase in physical intensity which then challenges the mind in a very stimulating way. The heat promotes sweating which acts as a detoxing factor due to our skin being the largest organ in our bodies. The heat also penetrates our connective tissue making it more supple allowing it to glide easier. It also increases joint mobility and flexibility offering our practice an opportunity to explore physical depths that may not be accessible in a cooler environment.
However, the heat can also act as a false sense of security therefore we must always stay mindful of our body’s capabilities and not overdo it. After a hot sweaty practice, we leave the room feeling cleansed and alive!!
Our bodies are constantly changing and each class style offers beneficial approaches to our practice. The practice of yoga is about having a conversation with our bodies and being able to tune into what our bodies require of us in that moment on that particular day, week, month, or year. We offer a variety of classes based on the five material elements (panca-bhuta). Yoga Heat being fire (agni), Yoga Power being earth (prithivi), Yoga Flow being water (ap) and Yoga Balance being air (vata). All class styles also offer the fifth element of ether or space (akasha – meaning radiance) giving our community the tools to illuminate their hearts and then in turn, their lives.
Mixing the classes up as a part of your practice is a great way to find balance and harmony in the body. For the majority of us who live very busy and hectic lives, Yoga Balance is a great way of slowing that very yang style of living down in a yin style of practice which we highly recommend. However, we also need to step outside our comfort zones in order to experience the magic that happens there, so we also encourage you to at least try the different class styles on offer to find what resonates with you.
If our classes are not what you are looking for, then we highly recommend you keep searching for the yoga style and studio that best suits your individual needs. There are so many different styles of yoga, so don’t give up if you haven’t found the style that you absolutely love… it is out there. We just have to keep on looking and experiencing. That experience turns into wisdom.
All of our classes at Power House Yoga are classified open level, suitable for beginners to advanced practitioners. Each class is challenging in its own unique way offering a space for beginners to stay and explore as well as a space for the more experienced to play. We want you to find a class style that best suits you and your practice. We wish for you to try all the different class styles and for you to find the courage to challenge yourself to grow in your practice.
Short answer: As often as you like! As mentioned above, yoga is about having a conversation with your body. It’s about quieting the mind enough to be able to listen to the sensations of the body. In doing so, your body will tell you if it needs more or less. If you participate in other sports or physical activities, it is highly recommended to practice 2 to 3 times per week for maximum benefit and performance. Committed yogis are known to practice 3 hours a day 6 days a week in a variety of ways as they are highly in tuned with their bodies energetic needs. Our advice: Start off slow and remember any practice is better than none.
As heat is not advised for pregnancy, we recommend you not attend any of the heated classes especially if you are new to yoga. For experienced yogis, variations and modifications can be given in Yoga Flow classes and Yoga Balance is suitable and ideal for pregnancy. Please advise our teaching team before class that you are pregnant and we will be more than happy to discuss the modifications required to keep your practice safe and comfortable.
Injuries can occur for many different reasons and in many different ways in and outside the yoga studio. Generally, it is when we are not being mindful and when we are placing our bodies in compromising positions/situations that injuries occur. As frustrating as injuries are, they can also act as a very powerful teacher to us. They force us to slow down and tune into our bodies on a much deeper level. They also force us to spend the time (and sometimes the money) on treating our bodies with wellness, respect and for most of us, some much needed R&R.
Pre-existing:
If you have a pre-existing injury, please consult your doctor or physiotherapist before starting yoga. Once you have clearance to start the yoga practice, slow and steady is the best attitude to have with your body. Maintaining a smooth and steady breath as well as awareness within your body in each posture and transition will help your body to heal. While you are recovering, we advise you to take less strenuous modifications so you don’t do too much too fast. The practice of yoga is about taking the time to listen to your body, so if you are feeling any pain or exhaustion, rest! Use props, modify, warm up appropriately, work on correct alignment and avoid allowing the ego to dictate what your body is capable of. Be mindFULL and compassionate towards yourself and your injury.
Injuries from yoga:
It would be nice to say that yoga does not cause injuries, but that would simply not be true. Unfortunately, the physical yoga practice when approached in an egotistical and rigid way can be very dangerous. If we mindlessly push our bodies past their capabilities or force our bodies into poses we are not yet ready for, injuries can and will occur. The key is being mindful in movements and approaching each posture and transition with respect and intelligence.
We recommend attending at least one Yoga FUNdamentals workshop to learn the safety and basics of the practice and how your body suits it best. These workshops are also great for experienced yogi’s who would like to hone their skills or work on an area of weakness. It is always beneficial to get back to the basics of what we do and reconnect as if we were beginners again looking at our practice with a fresh set of eyes.
