I have been practicing yoga on and off for the past 8 years, more regularly during the last 3 years. It has helped me stay healthy mentally and physically, helped reduce my back pain, fatigue , digestion, helping in maintaining an inner 'calm and content' me almost every day.
To try something new in yoga, I decided to join the hot yoga classes. For beginners, hot yoga is performed in a heated room (around 105 F/ 40 C) , consists of two sets of 26 different yoga poses done for 90 minutes. You will need a yoga mat, enough water to drink through the session (do not underestimate, always keep an extra bottle than what you anticipate), a big towel to put on your mat to avoid any slippage, and a small towel to wipe out your sweat though it is not recommended to do so as sweat will help you cool your body. Dress comfortably/ minimally as you will be sweating a lot during the 90 minutes. It is absolutely okay if you cannot do 2 sets of each pose, u can skip poses/ rest in between if you want and catch up on the next pose as the main goal in initial classes is to stay in the room and get used to the heat.
After reviewing the internet I came across a lot of positive and negative comments about hot yoga and decided to experience it myself before reaching any conclusion. Most of the controversy lies in the addition of 'temperature' as yoga has been practiced in normal temperature since its origin thousands of years ago in India. Heat will help you stretch better, sweating more and giving a feel of 'detoxification' however there is a risk of overstretch that can cause injuries to your muscles. I took 15 classes of Bikram hot yoga in San Mateo through 'group on' coupon which turned out to be an awesome deal. I tried to attend three classes per week.
Below are the Pros and Cons I felt about Hot Yoga.
Pros :
1. Improved flexibility and balance: The workout was pretty intense and within one day I could feel a whole lot of difference. Though in the first few classes I had to skip few poses, slowly it improved.I also got accustomed to the heat with each class.Always listen to your teacher, follow the instructions and focus on getting into each pose gradually, improving on the pose with each class. It is okay to spend more time on getting into a pose and doing it right than hurrying into a pose and doing it wrongly.
2. Variety of poses : The poses consists of breathing exercises, standing, sitting, lying postures which is a good combination focusing on almost all body parts. The heart beats faster during the class and you can actually feel the blood flowing into the spine from the very beginning till the end.
3. Overall 'feel good' : The sweating gives a feel of detoxification and you may feel your skin to be smoother. Overall you feel rejuvenated after the session, a sense of achievement of having endured the whole session . Of course any exercise can give you the feeling of rejuvenation, however its different for the hot yoga. Its like spending 90 minutes focusing entirely on the different joints, posture, breathing and your heart.
Cons:
1. Duration and time invested: 90 minutes in the heat can feel like a whole lot of time. Sometimes you may just want to get some 'cool air' to breathe . Depending on the weather and external factors some days can be very humid and will seem tougher. Drink a lot of water and keep yourself hydrated throughout the session. If you feel giddy, go slow, skip few poses rest and get back your balance before proceeding.
2. Time taken to accustom to the practice: Initial sessions can leave you with a sore body, unable to give your 100 %. It is important to give your time, not to rush into practicing, with time and sessions it gets better. Overstretching can lead to pain, injuries and should be avoided. As I mentioned earlier, key is to get into the pose gradually at your own pace. Do not compare your body to other students in the class, keep working on perfecting your pose.
Less significant cons would be cleaning your mat and towel after each session as it will be too sweaty and of course getting a shower (usually you never sweat in regular yoga ).
I also noticed at the end of the session students just get up quickly as they just wanna get out of the room asap, without completing the last shavasana and waiting for your heart rate to become slower/ back to normal.
As with any practice, motivation is the key. Though I feel the benefits are similar in both regular and hot yoga, I feel the hot yoga is very intense for me. I want to stick to more of regular yoga and may be join occasional hot yoga classes for the 'intense' exercise feel.
To try something new in yoga, I decided to join the hot yoga classes. For beginners, hot yoga is performed in a heated room (around 105 F/ 40 C) , consists of two sets of 26 different yoga poses done for 90 minutes. You will need a yoga mat, enough water to drink through the session (do not underestimate, always keep an extra bottle than what you anticipate), a big towel to put on your mat to avoid any slippage, and a small towel to wipe out your sweat though it is not recommended to do so as sweat will help you cool your body. Dress comfortably/ minimally as you will be sweating a lot during the 90 minutes. It is absolutely okay if you cannot do 2 sets of each pose, u can skip poses/ rest in between if you want and catch up on the next pose as the main goal in initial classes is to stay in the room and get used to the heat.
After reviewing the internet I came across a lot of positive and negative comments about hot yoga and decided to experience it myself before reaching any conclusion. Most of the controversy lies in the addition of 'temperature' as yoga has been practiced in normal temperature since its origin thousands of years ago in India. Heat will help you stretch better, sweating more and giving a feel of 'detoxification' however there is a risk of overstretch that can cause injuries to your muscles. I took 15 classes of Bikram hot yoga in San Mateo through 'group on' coupon which turned out to be an awesome deal. I tried to attend three classes per week.
Below are the Pros and Cons I felt about Hot Yoga.
Pros :
1. Improved flexibility and balance: The workout was pretty intense and within one day I could feel a whole lot of difference. Though in the first few classes I had to skip few poses, slowly it improved.I also got accustomed to the heat with each class.Always listen to your teacher, follow the instructions and focus on getting into each pose gradually, improving on the pose with each class. It is okay to spend more time on getting into a pose and doing it right than hurrying into a pose and doing it wrongly.
2. Variety of poses : The poses consists of breathing exercises, standing, sitting, lying postures which is a good combination focusing on almost all body parts. The heart beats faster during the class and you can actually feel the blood flowing into the spine from the very beginning till the end.
3. Overall 'feel good' : The sweating gives a feel of detoxification and you may feel your skin to be smoother. Overall you feel rejuvenated after the session, a sense of achievement of having endured the whole session . Of course any exercise can give you the feeling of rejuvenation, however its different for the hot yoga. Its like spending 90 minutes focusing entirely on the different joints, posture, breathing and your heart.
Cons:
1. Duration and time invested: 90 minutes in the heat can feel like a whole lot of time. Sometimes you may just want to get some 'cool air' to breathe . Depending on the weather and external factors some days can be very humid and will seem tougher. Drink a lot of water and keep yourself hydrated throughout the session. If you feel giddy, go slow, skip few poses rest and get back your balance before proceeding.
2. Time taken to accustom to the practice: Initial sessions can leave you with a sore body, unable to give your 100 %. It is important to give your time, not to rush into practicing, with time and sessions it gets better. Overstretching can lead to pain, injuries and should be avoided. As I mentioned earlier, key is to get into the pose gradually at your own pace. Do not compare your body to other students in the class, keep working on perfecting your pose.
Less significant cons would be cleaning your mat and towel after each session as it will be too sweaty and of course getting a shower (usually you never sweat in regular yoga ).
I also noticed at the end of the session students just get up quickly as they just wanna get out of the room asap, without completing the last shavasana and waiting for your heart rate to become slower/ back to normal.
As with any practice, motivation is the key. Though I feel the benefits are similar in both regular and hot yoga, I feel the hot yoga is very intense for me. I want to stick to more of regular yoga and may be join occasional hot yoga classes for the 'intense' exercise feel.
