Heat It Up With Hot Yoga: Everything you need to know!

I have been practicing Hot Yoga for about 4 years. I don't claim to be a yogi, but I do really enjoy going to yoga once or twice a week when my body is feeling like it needs some more attention. The workouts I typically do at the gym are very high intensity, heavy weights, and taxing on my body. It is important I don't over train or injure myself, so when I feel tight or tired I hit up a yoga class, hot yoga in particular.

What is hot yoga?
Hot yoga can refer to any yoga class done in a heated room. The room is usually maintained at a temperature of 95-100 degrees F . I enjoy these classes in comparison to Bikram, because each instructor gets to create their own flow. Bikram classes, on the other hand, will ALWAYS be the same series of poses wherever you practice (even if you go to a class on the opposite side of the world).

Why is it good?
- YOU SWEAT MORE- meaning your body is speeding up it's ability to detoxify! The additional heat and increased body temperature encourage toxins to be released via the sweat and active/deep breathing exhalations. The sweat is good!!
- YOU BURN 30% MORE CALORIES- heated yoga classes are shown to burn up to 1,000 calories per session. The heat improves circulation and metabolism and strengthens the cardiovascular system.
- IT'S AEROBIC EXERCISE- The heat & humidity of the environment create a much higher oxygen demand from the body than in a normal room. The requirement for more oxygen forces the lungs to expand to a greater capacity to hold more oxygen, meaning your working your cardiovascular system moreso.
- YOU GET A DEEPER STRETCH- When the room is heated, your muscles loosen up a bit faster. You are able to get a deeper stretch during the series of poses when the room is heated. Be careful to not push it too hard!

How to I arrive to the studio?
- Try not to eat an hour and a half before, you want the blood to flow to your muscles not your stomach
- Arrive a bit early to check in, lay out your mat, etc.
- A yoga mat, hot yoga or regular (if you have a regular you will need to bring a big towel to lay over your mat)
- A water bottle
- A smaller towel (sweat towel)
- Tight athletic clothes (loose clothes soak up the sweat, and tend to droop)