The Origin's of Power Yoga... Beryl Bender Birch... an Inspiration

Have you ever wondered how Power Yoga developed and who originated the style of yoga which provides a strong flowing cardiovascular practice?  Well look no further because Beryl Bender Birch is the woman who began the evolution of this increasingly popular style of yoga.

Beryl Bender Birch studied under

Sri K, Pattabhi Jois and says I immediately began to teach what I was learning and I have been teaching either the Ashtanga series, or some vinyasa variation of the various asana series ever since. I never diverged from teaching Ashtanga. 

Power Yoga was simply a name, the name I came up with in the late 80’s to let people know that this ashtanga yoga practice – unlike most of the yoga taught in the 70’s – was a serious workout – designed to build significant strength and concentration as well as flexibility. It also was a way for “western mind” to relate to this rather obscure version of yoga called ashtanga. 

In my first book, Power Yoga, published in l995, I detailed the Primary Series of Ashtanga, along with specific alignment instructions, modifications for athletes and beginners, and cautions for poses with potential for injury. I taught Power Yoga in New York City for 22 years from l980 to 2002. My husband Thom Birch, a world class runner and one of the tightest people I had ever taught yoga to, taught with me for many years and together, we trained over 100,000 people through our classes at the New York Road Runners Club.

By the early 90’s we had full time yoga classes going round the clock. I taught privates in the mornings, corporate classes at lunch, and power yoga classes for athletes in the evenings on Mondays and Wednesdays and advanced ashtanga classes downtown on Broome Street on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I started a teacher training program in l985 that continues through my The Hard & The Soft Yoga Institute today.

Beryl is a truly inspirational power yoga teacher and has recently published a book detailing how to practice yoga no matter what your age specifically designed to optimise your yoga practice no matter what your age.