Try This Instructor Trick If You Overheat In Hot Yoga Class
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I fell hard and fast for hot yoga. As a former cardio queen, I struggled with embracing stillness and holding poses. After a few killer hot yoga classes, it quickly became a regular part of my workout routine. I'm in good company with celebs like Dua Lipa, Willow Smith, and Scarlett Johansson who swear by a hot yoga practice.
As the name suggests, hot yoga is simply any yoga practice done in a room or environment with elevated temperatures, says Kelly Clifton Turner, a certified yoga instructor and director of training and experience for YogaSix. “Most commonly, if you see hot yoga being advertised at a studio, it will be in a room that is somewhere between 95 to 105 degrees, though there are some studios that will set their 'hot yoga' below that (as low as 85 to 90 degrees) or above that (upwards of 115 degrees),” she explains. Humidity is usually elevated, too.
Meet the experts: Kelly Clifton Turner, is a certified yoga instructor and director of training and experience for YogaSix. Jorianne Numbers, MS, is an exercise physiologist at Northwestern Medicine.
That may sound sweltering, but the practice is loaded with benefits (hint: flexibility, stress relief, and major caloric burn). “The body acclimates and what is challenging the first time will likely become the thing you crave most with practice,” says Turner. “Like all things, it gets better with time.”
Interested in sweating it out? Read on to find out the exact benefits and downsides of hot yoga, and what you can expect during a hot yoga class from expert instructors.
Hot Yoga Vs. Bikram Yoga
The origin of hot yoga is a bit hazy, but it’s been said that a manufactured hot environment began in the 1970s to mimic the reality of practicing yoga in India, its hot and humid birthplace, says Turner. The supposed founder, Bikram Choudhury, began experimenting with heated studios, and the practice took off with hot yoga studios popping up worldwide.
So, is hot yoga the same as Bikram yoga? Not quite. Remember the geometric expression all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares? Bikram is one particular branded style of hot yoga, but not all hot yoga would be considered a Bikram class, says Turner. “A Bikram class anywhere throughout the world is going to include the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises over the course of 90 minutes,” she explains.
Depending on the style of hot yoga class you take, you may see some similarities or postures found in the Bikram sequence, says Turner. “Truly, any pose that you do in a traditional or unheated yoga class can be done in a hot yoga class, just the environment is different,” says Turner.
“‘If you've tried a Bikram class and didn't like the vibe, you should absolutely try other styles because there are hot vinyasa style classes, where you link together postures with breath,” she explains. If you’re a newbie, Turner suggests looking for class names and descriptions like hot power yoga, hot slow flow, flow yoga, hot vinyasa yoga, Baptiste yoga, and/or Moksha yoga.
In addition to the heat, you can also expect 40 to 60 percent humidity in the room, however some hot yoga studios focus on a dry heat with a lower humidity level, says Turner.
The Benefits Of Hot Yoga
1. It makes you more flexible.
The temperatures are usually up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and the warmer room will make it easier for your muscles to stretch, says Jorianne Numbers, MS, an exercise physiologist at Northwestern Medicine. The steamy temps “allow you to increase their range of motion and stretch deeper within each pose,” since heat makes muscles more pliable, she explains.
So, unlike stretching it out in a standard cool yoga studio, the heat will have you feeling like a pro and extending further than you thought you could.
2. It’s intense, in a good way.
As an added challenge, the heat in a hot yoga studio will make your heart pump way faster, because it needs to push more blood toward the skin in an effort to keep you feeling cool, says Numbers. And more heart-pumping means a better cardio workout than you'd get doing the same yoga sequence in a cooler setting.
3. It helps kick stress to the curb.
Okay, yeah, regular yoga practiced in air conditioning can help you chill out, but the heat’s an added bonus. “Usually, hot yoga makes you focus on your breathing more,” since it’s sweltering in those rooms, says Numbers. Plus, breathing deeper is key to relaxation and stress-relief.
4. It ups your lung capacity.
While you might think a stifling room makes it harder to breathe, the breathing exercises in hot yoga can actually help train your lungs to retain more air, says Numbers. Deeper breaths force them to expand more than usual, which allows for more oxygen to enter the bloodstream and reach other organs.
5. It burns major calories.
“Any kind of movement that increases your heart rate will help burn calories and promote weight loss,” says Numbers. And hot yoga is a pretty good calorie-torcher. Even though you’re not running and jumping around, again, that hot room gets the heart going.
One study from the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found women burned an average of 333 calories during 90-minute slow-moving, heated yoga session. Add a fast-moving Vinyasa practice to that mix (which made the Women's Health list of top calorie-burning exercises) and you'll really feel the burn (pun intended!).
6. It develops mental stamina.
Practicing yoga in a hot, humid environment is not easy. Period. However, the added layer of challenge is a great way for you to practice enduring. It can add an opportunity to focus and overcome hard things which are two skills that come with you off the yoga mat and back into the 'real world,’ says Turner.
7. It decreases sore muscles and stiff spots.
Practicing yoga in a cold or unheated room often means you’ll feel it the next day, says Turner. “After practicing in a heated environment, you are less likely to feel stiff and tight the next day as your body's muscles have been supported in opening and stretching throughout the practice,” she explains. In other words, there’s less recovery time.
8. It’s multi-sensory.
Whether you realize it or not, yoga is a multi-sensory practice, says Turner. By tuning into the warm air against your skin, the beads of sweat dripping down your body, and the different ways the air feels moving in and out of your lungs, you’re able to connect with your body and environment in new ways, she explains.
9. It releases feel-good hormones.
“While I don't subscribe to the notion that hot yoga is detoxifying your body, there is a definite psychological benefit that comes with a good sweat session,” says Turner. In fact, research shows that a sweaty workout increases the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters (endorphins) and blood flow in your body which can boost your mood and decrease tension or stress.
How To Prepare For Hot Yoga
1. Come to class hydrated. “Focus on getting in regular hydration the full day leading up to class, as opposed to chugging a liter of water right before,” says Turner. It can also help to add some electrolytes or a pinch of Himalayan sea salt to your water an hour or two before class to prep your body and avoid feeling depleted, she adds. In the same vein, if you eat before yoga, leave a two-hour window between the meal and the class for proper digestion, says Numbers.
2. Wear tight activewear. Think leggings or biker shorts and a sports bra or tank top in active materials. “Baggy cotton or hemp clothes will quickly get soaked and weigh you down making it difficult to move easily, so focus on wearing form-fitting clothing made of a moisture wicking fabric,” explains Turner.
3. Bring yoga gear. You should also bring a yoga mat, water bottle, small hand towel, and optional mat towel if you get extra sweaty, says Turner. If you don't have a mat towel (which is cut to the dimensions of a standard yoga mat), a beach towel will do just fine, she adds.
4. Arrive early to acclimate. “Try to get to your studio at least 15 minutes before so you have a little bit of time in the room to acclimate before the class begins,” says Turner. From there, keep an open mind and let the instructor guide you. If you’re a beginner, Turner also suggests calling the studio in advance to see if they have a foundational class so you can familiarize yourself with the movement patterns and test out the heat.
The Downsides Of Hot Yoga
You risk heat exhaustion.
Even if you passed your last check-up with flying colors, if you can’t stand the heat in a hot yoga studio, your “blood pressure may drop, making you feel dizzy or nauseated,” says Numbers.
And this sensation can totally sneak up on you. So while you might feel great—all purified and sweaty—for the first 30 minutes of class, it's important to take note of how you're feeling throughout the flow, especially if you're a hot yoga newbie.
2. You might become dehydrated.
You’re going to sweat out a lot of water during a hot yoga session, which means you need to drink ample water before and during class to compensate. “The hotter room temperature can cause fainting and muscle cramping,” according to Numbers, as well as vomiting. But staying adequately hydrated can help prevent these issues.
3. You might injure yourself.
“Due to the increased flexibility of the muscles and the warmer temperatures, it's possible to overdo it,” says Numbers. “You may push yourself too far in a pose or stretch and you may not actually feel that until after class."
4. It’s not healthy for everybody.
If you're pregnant, have a heart condition, or suffer from a cardiovascular disease, you should probably look for a different form of exercise. And if you do fall into any of these camps, at least be sure to talk to your doctor before attempting yoga that involves heat, advises Numbers.
Or, honestly, if you just don't feel comfortable in a super heated, humid room, this probably isn't the best workout for you—no matter how many of your friends swear by it. Try one of these other types of yoga, instead.
Hot Yoga Safety Tips
Stay hydrated. Remember to hydrate before a hot yoga class and consider adding electrolytes to ensure your body stays balanced, says Turner.
Avoid eating within two hours. Do your best to avoid eating within two hours of class to minimize any nausea, bloating, or indigestion, says Numbers.
Slip-proof your setup. Things can get pretty sweaty and slippery. You want to avoid slipping on your mat by bringing a towel or invest in a non-stick, sweat absorbing mat. Turner’s go-to’s are Lululemon’s The Mat and Manduka’s GRP Mat.
Lie flat to cool down. If you start to feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, or breathless during class, it’s a sign to take a break, says Turner. “While you can leave the room to escape the heat, first try lowering to the ground either in a child's pose or savasana or corpse pose to let your body acclimate and get grounded,” she explains. “Remember that heat rises, so temperatures will likely be 15 to 20 degrees cooler than at standing height.”
Talk with your doctor. If you are pregnant, have high or low blood pressure, and/or a heart condition, always talk to your doctor before proceeding with a hot or heated yoga class, notes Turner.
Bottom line: Hot yoga is a perfectly safe and effective form of exercise for most people. Follow pre-class safety measures, pay attention to your body, and be sure to talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
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