Yoga is considered low impact and uses your muscles and connective tissue to support the body in poses and transitions, which improves muscle tone and bone density.
The added heat and humidity can escalate the benefits by heightening the challenge to the physiological system.
In other words, it makes the Yoga practice harder.
Performing the postures in high heat can give your heart, lungs, and muscles a more challenging workout than doing the same poses at a lower temperature, making the body stronger.
Breath is used to move and relax the body. The heat creates an environment that requires deeper breaths with an increased heart rate, improving your cardiovascular system as well as your lung capacity, while increasing blood flow to all areas of the body.
The heat allows the body to lengthen and perform the postures easier and more efficiently, stretching a little farther and achieving greater range of motion in the joints, thus increasing flexibility.
Sweating, and a lot of it is one of the main objectives of Hot Yoga. It can enhance circulation, helping to nourish your skin from the inside, detoxifying the cells, while releasing toxins from the tissues.
An average size person can utilize 100-200 calories per hour with traditional Yoga, depending on intensity. The heat and humidity will kick your body into burning more calories and enable body fat loss due to the increased metabolism.
Yoga reduces stress, eases depression, and can help with mental health by improving mood.
Studies have shown that doing twice-weekly Hot Yoga significantly reduced symptoms of depression and improved other secondary measures including: quality of life, optimism, and cognitive and physical functioning.
The challenges of doing poses in the heat are known to improve balance and posture.
Doing Yoga in 100° heat with 60% humidity can be compared to running a marathon, it is grueling during the event, but so satisfying when you finish, with lasting effects.
I have had much less pain in my body and a better overall feeling of ease since I've been practicing Hot Yoga several times a week.
I would recommend that if you decide to try it out, look into the studio and make sure that they have a class that fits your skill level or at least gives you modifications.
Here are a few other safety tips:
Drink lots of water the day before and after the class.
Wear light loose fitting clothing or shorts
Bring cool water to drink during class
Do not compete with the other people in a class
Modify, modify, modify
Listen to your body and take breaks
Take it slow at first
Know that you can always lie down and rest during class
ALWAYS Check with your doctor to make sure that Hot Yoga is safe for you, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions like:
High or low blood pressure, heart disease, Diabetes, arterial abnormalities, pregnant, heat intolerance, history of fainting, prone to dizziness or Vertigo.
Hot Yoga may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy regular Yoga, and want to add another level, you many want to try it out. #hotyoga #somelikeithotyoga #bikyasa #hotyogacore #hotcore
If you have any questions or want some guidance, please feel free to reach out to me. I can also guide you to the best classes at our Studio.
I teach on Sunday 10am and Wednesday 6:30pm at "Some Like It Hot Yoga Studio and Boutique" in Novato.
I also teach a Hot Yogi Core workout on Thursdays eat 5:30pm, at the studio
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