Power Yoga is the Western version of the Indian Ashtanga Yoga. It was given the term Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher and the author of Power Yoga. Power Yoga has been brought to the west by followers of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, a renowned Sanskrit scholar who inspired Western Yogis with his Ashtanga Yoga Style and philosophies.

Power Yoga is characterized by the practice of a series of Yoga Poses without stopping and accompanied by Vinyasa or riding the breath in order to flow from one pose to another. It is a vigorous exercise that physically and mentally challenges you in order to help you connect to your inner power. Poses are done in a fast pace, some poses are even held longer than the required five breaths. This practice can increase your physical endurance and ability to focus on any task for a long time without breaking your concentration. It is primarily a shortened and modified version of the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga, but also adapted certain practices of Bikram and Iyengar Yoga. Like Bikram Yoga, Power Yoga practice also requires the execution of basic Yoga Poses which provides vigorous work-out and challenge which can be done even by Beginners. It also adapts the Iyengar Yoga practice of putting emphasis on good alignment and form, and holding the pose longer in order to achieve maximum benefits.

Power Yoga sessions are done in a heated room and composed of rigorous cardiovascular exercises designed to build strength and flexibility, improves your ability to focus, release tension, increase stamina, tone your body and remove toxins from your body through sweat. The poses involved are linked on the backbone of Sun Salutation so beginners should be familiar with this Yoga Exercise. Power Yoga should also be practiced by people who are physically fit and not suffering from chronic ailments since Power Yoga Sessions are rigorous and not gentle.

Power Yoga still focus on the general aim of Classical Yoga - uniting the body, mind and spirit. It uses Yoga practices in order to help you connect to your inner core of power; it also recognizes power in several levels. First is the physical power which is developed through the poses which develop the body's strength and improve health. Second is the mental power or the will which is released by drawing your mind from scattered thoughts and concentrating on your practice. Last is the spiritual power which is the power behind the physical and mental power. Through this, Power Yoga connects your body, mind and spirit in the deepest level.

Power Yoga serves as great training for athletes and also aids in injury prevention and rehabilitation. The exercises involved in this kind of Yoga increase stamina, make the body more flexible, correct structural and muscular imbalance caused by overuse of a particular part of your body, improve heart efficiency, and increase lung volume. It can benefit those who want to improve their performance in particular sports like Cycling, Golf, football and swimming. Health clubs also use Power Yoga as transition from Aerobics to Yoga.