Baron Baptiste, Beryl Bender Birch, And Bryan Kest: Fathers Of Power Yoga
There are three main founders of Power Yoga: Baron Baptiste, Beryl Bender Birch, and Bryan Kest are all said to be the founders and “fathers” of Power Yoga. All three have individual ideas about power yoga, but have a common thread that is: to help strength and improve flexibility throughout the body through both the physical body and ones mind. Vinyasa means to move without resistance (1), which is a key point in Power Yoga. One must be able to listen to their own body, and breath in order to keep Power Yoga fluid. Power Yoga is described to have many benefits much like other types of yoga. It is said to help: increase better circulation and oxygenation; slow pulse rate so the heart can beat stronger to be able to push more amounts of blood
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in fewer beats; transport nutrients and oxygen to organs, skin and the brain; lower the respiratory rate to help strengthen a persons lungs; increase body endurance; strengthen organs and the immune system to help prevent disease; and to increase ones awareness of pain and be able to better notice when something is wrong (2). Power Yoga is done in a hot room to help increase blood flow and warm up the body’s muscles. It is meant to incorporate strength and flexibility, balance, cardio and mental and physical stamina. It became popular in the mid-1990s as an attempt to expand Ashtanga yoga to western students. Power Yoga is typically known as the “gym yoga” (4).
Baron Baptiste took over Baptiste Yoga from his father Walt, which founded it in the 1940’s. For over 25 years, Baron has devoted his life to bring Baptiste Yoga to individuals through non-profit ogranizations. He has described Power Yoga as “the perfect blend of sweat and serenity” (1). Through his program he works to empower people with an inner focus and training to achieve one’s desired results. He attempts to help transform people by encouraging one to reach their full potential, discover inner creativity and awaken passion and confidence within themselves (3).
Beryl Bender Birch, located out of New York City, began to seriously study Yoga in 1987 under Pattabhi Jois, and travelled with him around the USA. It was not until a few years later that she came up with the term Power Yoga as a way to distinguish it from Ashtanga Yoga, and to “have people know that it was a serious workout, designed to build strength and concentration as well as flexibility” (4). She described that the sequence of postures is well balanced as a way to develop strength and flexibility simultaneously. A unique style of breathing keeps the entire practice of Power Yoga flowing and live. A hot room is necessary to be able to stretch the muscles in the practice properly and avoid injury. She states that “strength, not gravity, develops flexibility”, as many people believe that by participating in traditional stretching routines will be what aids one to increase room within their muscles, neglecting to understand that without the strength to hold the flexibility, stretching is nothing (5).
Bryan Kest has been practicing Yoga since 1979, initially studying under David Williams.
Kest stresses the importance of acceptance of oneself as vital in yoga and in life. He speaks about how life is a messy web, and that people’s egos make it impossible to attempt to clean up the world. Yoga has been designed to bring awareness to life’s messes and help direct one to be able to start the cleanup. Kest states that his main objective in his yoga practices is to “turn more and more people onto a healthier, more peaceful lifestyle, that continually challenges them to grow- to teach a system of exercise that fully integrates the body, mind, and spirit” (6). He explains that ego creates vulnerability and is what aids in everyday occurrences to become out of control. People ignore what they truly need by feeding their ego with desires. This causes imbalances and one ends up working against what their goal is. Kest explains that as a society, we need to quiet down, stop thinking and controlling and start listening. Our bodies are in the natural world even though we live in an unnatural environment. If we listen to what our bodies need instead of telling it, we can feed ourselves naturally and properly and become harmonious with the natural world. “Real health and vitality comes when we stop comparing and competing with each other and start listening to the voice within that tells us what we need. By turning off the controlling mind, we can finally listen to the innate wisdom that waits to be heard” (6). Kest’s Power Yoga is directed to maintain the highest level of energy, vitality and freedom. The first step to do that is to quiet our mind and release tension. Power yoga allows one to do that and embrace lightness, balance, and
connectedness. Power Yoga is intended to create a balance within the body, between strength and relaxation, tension and flexibility, and spirit and mind. It creates a lifestyle that is based on quality not quantity. And helps alter our relationships with ourselves and others for the better, and helps increase a positive view on our bodies and our hearts.
in fewer beats; transport nutrients and oxygen to organs, skin and the brain; lower the respiratory rate to help strengthen a persons lungs; increase body endurance; strengthen organs and the immune system to help prevent disease; and to increase ones awareness of pain and be able to better notice when something is wrong (2). Power Yoga is done in a hot room to help increase blood flow and warm up the body’s muscles. It is meant to incorporate strength and flexibility, balance, cardio and mental and physical stamina. It became popular in the mid-1990s as an attempt to expand Ashtanga yoga to western students. Power Yoga is typically known as the “gym yoga” (4).
Baron Baptiste took over Baptiste Yoga from his father Walt, which founded it in the 1940’s. For over 25 years, Baron has devoted his life to bring Baptiste Yoga to individuals through non-profit ogranizations. He has described Power Yoga as “the perfect blend of sweat and serenity” (1). Through his program he works to empower people with an inner focus and training to achieve one’s desired results. He attempts to help transform people by encouraging one to reach their full potential, discover inner creativity and awaken passion and confidence within themselves (3).
Beryl Bender Birch, located out of New York City, began to seriously study Yoga in 1987 under Pattabhi Jois, and travelled with him around the USA. It was not until a few years later that she came up with the term Power Yoga as a way to distinguish it from Ashtanga Yoga, and to “have people know that it was a serious workout, designed to build strength and concentration as well as flexibility” (4). She described that the sequence of postures is well balanced as a way to develop strength and flexibility simultaneously. A unique style of breathing keeps the entire practice of Power Yoga flowing and live. A hot room is necessary to be able to stretch the muscles in the practice properly and avoid injury. She states that “strength, not gravity, develops flexibility”, as many people believe that by participating in traditional stretching routines will be what aids one to increase room within their muscles, neglecting to understand that without the strength to hold the flexibility, stretching is nothing (5).
Bryan Kest has been practicing Yoga since 1979, initially studying under David Williams.
Kest stresses the importance of acceptance of oneself as vital in yoga and in life. He speaks about how life is a messy web, and that people’s egos make it impossible to attempt to clean up the world. Yoga has been designed to bring awareness to life’s messes and help direct one to be able to start the cleanup. Kest states that his main objective in his yoga practices is to “turn more and more people onto a healthier, more peaceful lifestyle, that continually challenges them to grow- to teach a system of exercise that fully integrates the body, mind, and spirit” (6). He explains that ego creates vulnerability and is what aids in everyday occurrences to become out of control. People ignore what they truly need by feeding their ego with desires. This causes imbalances and one ends up working against what their goal is. Kest explains that as a society, we need to quiet down, stop thinking and controlling and start listening. Our bodies are in the natural world even though we live in an unnatural environment. If we listen to what our bodies need instead of telling it, we can feed ourselves naturally and properly and become harmonious with the natural world. “Real health and vitality comes when we stop comparing and competing with each other and start listening to the voice within that tells us what we need. By turning off the controlling mind, we can finally listen to the innate wisdom that waits to be heard” (6). Kest’s Power Yoga is directed to maintain the highest level of energy, vitality and freedom. The first step to do that is to quiet our mind and release tension. Power yoga allows one to do that and embrace lightness, balance, and
connectedness. Power Yoga is intended to create a balance within the body, between strength and relaxation, tension and flexibility, and spirit and mind. It creates a lifestyle that is based on quality not quantity. And helps alter our relationships with ourselves and others for the better, and helps increase a positive view on our bodies and our hearts.