Hot Yoga!

Alright, a new yoga place has opened up near my house where you can take 'Hot Yoga' classes & I'm interested in joining. It's normal yoga, but it is done in a really hot room ... im pretty sure. Has anybody ever done this type of yoga? Would you reccomend it?

I have done hot yoga as well as regular yoga. let me caution you. I consider myself to be in fairly good shape and probably above average for a 45 year old woman. I spend 4-5 days in the gym doing cardio and some weights as well. I have dont 4-5 hot yoga classes. Although I love yoga and find it challenging at times- the hot yoga was pretty tough the first go around. I had eaten about 2 hours before going in. that was a big mistake. The room was heated to about 120. You will not want to wear a lot of clothing. I had to sit about half the way through (it was a 90 minute class)as I thought I was going to throw up from the food in my belly. I was able to resume after about 10 mins. They cautioned me not to gou out into the cool air if I was feeling ill. PACE yourself and go at your own pace.  The first half was standing postures and the second half was on the floor. Although it was tough it was pretty good feeling afterwards. I did all the other classes in succession. Overall GREAT experience. Just dont go with food in your belly.

I had never been a big fan of regular yoga because it never felt like a workout for me and my adult-onset-ADHD would kick in and I would want to crawl out of my skin after 5 minutes.  But, I have been doing hot yoga for about a month and I love it!!  It has solved a bunch of fitness problems for me because it provides the one component I was missing in my workouts-stretching-while still giving me a good workout and burning calories.  It is also tightening up my "problem" areas (like my 43-year-old butt and upper arms) that had gotten a "little loose" after I lost 50 lbs.  Anyway, I am addicted to it.  It burns 400-500 calories, works every muscle, and I feel awesome afterwards.  Mastisalisa is right, though, I get sick to my stomach if I eat too soon before the class, but if you look on websites about hot yoga, they say that is normal at first.   The room is 105, and it is totally okay to stop doing the poses or sit down if you feel sick or light-headed.  I absolutely love it and I would encourage anyone to at least try it a couple of times before they decide.   I am envious it is near your house.  I have to drive a ways to get to it.  Good luck.  If you do try it, I hope you love it as much as I do.

Also, be careful not to sit next to the heat vents on the ceilings.  Usually, the back of the room is the best, and they'll open the doors sometimes.  Work your way up to the heat, don't push yourself to much at first.  It's a good workout.  I don't do it often anymore because of the price and the timing.

I don't recommend hot yoga.  My sister just started going, and I'm scared for her.  Judging from what I've learned in physiology, and what I learned from the fitness instructor I just asked about it today, it's dangerous.

Exercising in heat is a great way to get heatstroke.  Your electrolyte balance is affected by hot yoga, which can cause heart palpitations, dizziness, confusion, nausea.  My sister tells me that when she went she felt lightheaded, dizzy, and ill, and the instructor encouraged her to work through it (she acknowledged that some people feel like collapsing, but said not to lie prone; "don't lie down if you can help it.  It's harder to get up.  Try to stay on your knees," the yoga instructor said).  Feeling ill is a defense your body is mounting against the assault of the extreme stress hot yoga puts on it.  Scary.  I know people can reach altered mental states doing hot yoga, but it's not healthy to achieve that through heatstroke.

People lose weight fast doing hot yoga, but it's water weight.  You sweat a lot.  You would lose just as much weight if you went for a hot mineral wrap.  If you go, please hydrate well before and after.  I would recommend a Gatorade or similar drink to replace electrolytes.

Yes, if you're going to do it, make sure you're well hydrated.  Take water with you.  I like to freeze a bottle of smart water (contains added electrolytes) and take that out in the morning for a few hours before going so that it's slightly melted, and it melts as the class progresses.  The first time I went, I had two full liters during the class.  Also, you can take a pinch of sea salt earlier in the day to help with electrolytes.  You should not work through it as many instructors will recommend.  You know your body better than they do, so if you feel you need to take a break, do so, but you should sit on your knees instead of lying down.  If you lie down, you'll only feel worse when you get back up.

Obviously there are dangers in working out in heat (and working out in general for that matter), but if you are careful about it, you will feel the benefit.  I always feel years younger and energized for few days after a session.

I wouldn't say it's great for weight loss though.  I forget whether it's supposed to be 600cals/hr or 600cals/session (90mins).  The main benefits are the cleansing and the loosening of muscles. 

I teach yoga (not "hot" yoga) and would concur with just about everything that's been said here.  First, let me say that ALL yoga should be done in a relatively warm environment to protect your stretching muscles.  However, hot yoga takes it to a much greater degree than normal.  One thing that has not been mentioned that should be is that when you do yoga (or any kind of stretching) in very warm temperatures, your muscles will relax much more quickly than they normally would.  This can lead to folks going much deeper into postures that they may not be ready for and can lead to injury.  I've had several students come to me after taking Bikram classes (which are done in 120 degree temperatures) with injuries from just this type of thing.  If you are going to try this type of yoga, keep the following in mind:  1.  Don't eat for at least two hours before you  practice; 2.  Drink plenty of water before, during and after your practice; 3.  If you feel lightheaded or nauseaus, stop and rest.  4.  Don't go further than you would normally in a pose -- take it slowly and gradually increase the depth of your pose.  5.  Always practice this type of yoga with an experienced teacher.  6.  Get medical clearance to practice this type of yoga if you have any medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or other circulatory or respiratory problems.

The benefits to a warm environment can be wonderful as long as you keep safety and sanity first and foremost :).  Namaste.

I take Bikram yoga and really like it.  It has been great for the arthritis pain in my knees.  They advise us to have a small amount of food before coming.  I usually have an apple about a half hour before.  Take lots of cold water (room temp water will end up warm and yucky).  We are advised to try to stay in the room, but if you feel nauseous or dizzy, it is okay to leave.  At first, I could only stay for half the session, but every time I was able to stay longer.  Some days, if the class is very crowded, it will be warmer and then it is harder to stay in.  If you are doing "Bikram" hot yoga, it is a series of 26 poses, each performed twice.  While I was learning and increasing my endurance, I would only do one of the two sets.  Also, as I tried to increase my time, I would watch the clock, which made the time creeeeep by.  Then, another student advised my to just try to stay for one more pose each session.  That worked much better.  It's not for everyone, but I feel great afterwards (excepting the first session...I had to take a 4 hour nap).

I practiced Bikram (hot) yoga for two years, it was the first kind of yoga I had ever tried and it is designed to cater to beginners as well as more advanced students alike. This kind of yoga can become highly addictive! There are many benefits to this kind of yoga - you'll notice your figure changing shape as fat is redistributed throughout the body, and although you may not necessarily lose a lot of weight, your clothing will start to fit better. The more frequently you practice, the more physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual  & overall lifestyle changes you will notice. You'll sleep so much better, your complexion will glow, you'll find yourself actually wanting to eat healthier & drink more, and the peace of mind and self confidence that you gain from the practice is immeasurable. While the first few classes might literally feel like a torture furnace, the heat really does become easier to deal with. Tip on water drinking: If you can manage it, save the water chugging for before and after class. Sip on water as you need it during class, but the more full your stomach becomes during class, the more difficult a lot of the asanas become (especially the floor series).

 

Having said all of that, please please please let me say a few words of caution: I have attended many different Bikram studios (even in Paris!!) and in so many of them, and this may not be true for you, but in so many of them the teacher will push you so hard you end up hurting yourself! I developed a severe case of sciatica from doing Bikram yoga and it took over 18 months to recover, plus a dozen expensive visits to the chiropractor!  Even though the heat does have many healing benefits, it's a double edged sword because your body thinks it has more flexibility than it actually has, and that's when you end up hurting yourself. My biggest lesson from Bikram was in listening to my body, and learning to back out of a posture when I felt like I was going past my edge of discomfort. And of course, it took sustaining an injury to learn this! So pleeease be careful!

 

Since then I have discovered Vinyasa yoga, which is much more "dance-like" and flowing, and also a great workout with more creativity (no one class is the same). Vinyasa is taught in both heated and non-heated rooms. Try a few different styles of yoga to see what suits your personality the best.

 

I wish you best of luck in your yoga journey!