WHAT IS HOT YOGA?
Hot yoga, including the well-known Bikram style, is a dynamic practice performed in a heated room that challenges both body and mind. Bikram yoga follows a precise sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises in a room heated with increased humidity, while other hot yoga classes may vary in structure and temperature.
Practicing hot yoga can help improve flexibility, build strength and bone density, boost cardiovascular fitness, burn calories, and promote balance. The heat allows for deeper stretching and increased range of motion, while the intensity of the workout supports detoxification, stress reduction, and a sense of renewal after each class.
BENEFITS OF HOT YOGA
Hot Yoga (also referred to as Bikram Yoga) is more than just the best exercise you’ll ever have – it can be a great way to heal from injury and cleanse your body that leaves you focused and relaxed. Hot Yoga classes are designed to help you burn calories, improve flexibility, and even relieve stress.
The practice is designed for beginners, but as you build strength and focus you’ll find it’s easy to continue building the workout into an intermediate or possibly an advanced practice. Hot Yoga is completely customized to your own physical fitness level – work at a pace that makes sense for your body. Some of the benefits can include:
BURNING CALORIES
Give your heart a workout! Hot yoga postures are carefully designed to have you working hard to hold your balance as well as strengthen your muscles. This results in a heart-pumping workout that will definitely raise your heart rate and burn calories. It can also stretch and compress internal organs while stimulating metabolism. The practice is low impact and designed to use your own body as resistance. You will work every muscle in your body during one Hot Yoga class!
RELIEVING STRESS
We all have stress in our lives, and Hot Yoga can bring relief. First we start with breathing – over time you will learn to exercise while breathing through your nose; this reduces adrenaline and enables participants to more fully relax (while still raising your heart rate and getting a great workout). By minimizing adrenaline, your workout moves from a “heart thumping routine” to one where you are focused and calm. Hot Yoga also increases the flow of endorphins, which is another way to fight back against stress and bring you a new inner peace. And you might find yourself sleeping better, too!
IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY
The high room temperature enables you to safely stretch your muscles. This is particularly helpful if you are recovering from an injury and looking for a safe way to start using muscles again. Regular class participants find that over time their bodies become more flexible and relaxed.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF HOT YOGA CAN INCLUDE:
- Detoxify muscles and the rest of your body
- Improve range of motion
- Enhance immune system
- Improve balance and posture
- Elevate mood
- Enhance concentration and focus
Hot yoga is an ongoing learning process. Our teachers are trained to talk you through the postures as part of a moving meditation; listening to these directions enables participants to focus on the words, forget about distractions, and be in the moment. Over time, as you continue practicing Hot Yoga, your body will go deeper into every posture, enabling you to get more and more out of your practice. If you come to class willing to learn, Hot Yoga Twinsburg instructors are ready to help you take your yoga to a whole new level!
The practice never gets easier, because the postures are always the same. However, many students comment that the practice SEEMS easier over time – this is because YOU get stronger. It’s a great way to measure that your body is changing and getting stronger!
Come in today and try out a class – Hot Yoga could change your life!
PREPARING FOR CLASS
There are a few things that you can do to prepare for Hot Yoga, to ensure you get the maximum benefits from each class:
- Ensure you are fully hydrated before class.
- Drink a big water bottle before you come to class, and bring another full water bottle (filled with ice water!) with you to drink while you are in class.
- Avoid drinking alcohol the night before.
- Eat light – yoga is best done on a lightly-filled stomach with healthy foods such as fruits or other foods that are light and easy to digest.
- Bring a yoga mat and a full size towel. If you don’t have one, you can borrow one for your first class.
- Arrive at least 15 minutes early to sign in and get situated.
- Set up your yoga mat towards the back, so that you can see people in front of you who can demonstrate the poses.If you have a recent injury or an ongoing physical condition, be sure to let your teacher know before class so that we can give you instructions for a safe class.
- You’re going to sweat – a lot! So dress accordingly. Most classmates wear sports bras, bike shorts, or similar tight, spandex clothes – don’t be shy! Try to wear clothes that show your knees.
- Think of it as going on a 90-minute tropical vacation with no need for sunscreen.
HOW HOT YOGA CLASSES WORK
Hot Yoga is 90 minutes of form-slimming, toxin-dumping, ego and mind-melting exercise!
Your goal is to stay in the room for the whole class. Each Hot Yoga class is 90 minutes long and is comprised of the exact same 26 postures and two breathing exercises, which are all performed twice.
The room is heated to a high temperature with high humidity for the following reasons:
- Encourages maximum flexibility and detoxification
- Protects muscles to allow for deeper stretching
- Opens your pores to detoxify the body
- Increases heart rate for an optimal cardiovascular workout
- It doesn’t matter how strong or flexible you are right now – just try every posture to the best of your ability.
- If you need to sit down and rest – do it – we’ve all had a first class, too.
Hot Yoga works through a tourniquet effect, by stretching, balancing and creating pressure all at the same time. The blood supply in arteries is being cut off, creating pressure. When released, the tourniquet effect is achieved. This enables the blood to rush through the arteries and flush them out!
Be ready to learn! Hot Yoga Twinsburg instructors do not demonstrate poses, but instead are trained to talk you through the postures as part of a moving meditation. Try to do the postures how the instructor describes them – if you try your best, concentrate, and follow directions then you are doing your perfect posture for today.
Come in and out of postures slowly and safely – focus on your movements.
If your mind starts to wander, just focus on your breathing and stay in the moment. Give your head a rest and let your body take over.
If you’re hot, just be hot.
If you’re tired, just be tired.
Just stay in the room – sit down if you have to, and focus on your breathing.
Hot yoga is different than any exercise class you have ever taken – just give it a try, it could change your life!
Come in today and try out a class – Hot Yoga could change your life!
STUDIO ETIQUETTE
Below are a few things to assist you in creating the best possible experience while you’re at the studio.
- The Studio Opens and Closes about 15 mins before and after classes.
- Please be timely, we start on time, please no late admittance, and plan to stay for the entire class.
- All you will need for class is a yoga mat, a BIG towel and some water. Please leave all personal belongings in the lobby areas or in locker rooms, including cell phone.
- Please no cell phones in the Yoga room. In addition, please turn off your electronics or put your electronics in Airplane mode.
- Find a spot in the Yoga Room, quietly, respecting those around you. Sometimes this is the only quiet time people get, so please enjoy your conversations outside of the Yoga Room.
- Place your yoga mat in between the blue lines. Please bring a BIG towel and place it over your yoga mat. We will sweat! Yoga is achieved through stillness – therefore we don’t recommend hand towels for wiping sweat.
- When everyone understands and respects the Yoga Rules, we know that every member of the class will leave feeling confident, connected, and changed for the better.
- We want you to feel welcome and part of the community. Please feel free to ask questions before and after class.
