Wednesday, February 9, 2011

WOTD: Hot Yoga

...aka Bikram yoga. I signed up for a $30 for 30 (days) at Sunstone Yoga and went to my second hot yoga class today. They offer various types of yoga classes and some are 60 minutes and some are 90 minutes. The class I went to was 60 minutes.

In hot yoga, the room temperature is set at about 98.6 degrees, with about 60% humidity. It may vary on the location you are taking the class. To the best of my knowledge, Bikram Yoga is a brand of hot yoga, so there should only be slight variations if any between Bikram and other hot yoga classes. The 90-minute hot yoga class at Sunstone consists of 34 postures and is labeled a "health & vitality" class. Here is a bit of information on Heat, Humidity, and You if you are unfamiliar with hot yoga.

The benefits I was informed about from my previous Bikram Yoga classes:

  • Heavy sweating helps detoxify the body 
  • Helps you improve flexibility and range of motion
  • Some people claim that it helps them get rid of pain
  • May aid in weight loss

Some of my tips for taking a hot yoga class:

  • Stay hydrated the day before you attend a class and hydrate throughout the day of class
  • Wear light, breathable clothing; perhaps a tank top and yoga pants
  • Take a towel with you since you will sweat a lot
  • Take a full water bottle with you to hydrate throughout the class when needed
  • Just like doing any other workout, do not eat right before your yoga practice; eat at least 1.5 to 2 hours beforehand
  • You may want to take a pair of clothes to shower and change into afterward since you will be covered in sweat by the end of class; there will most likely be showers available as well
  • Get to class a few minutes early and set up your mat and towel; lay down and get acclimated to the environment before the yoga practice begins
  • Most importantly, take breaks when you need them!!

I initially took a few Bikram classes this past summer as a way to work on my flexibility and get a different kind of workout. Due to lack of time and distance (as well as expense of it) I could not continue. I'm glad I was able to sign up for this current offer at Sunstone Yoga. So far I have only tried their hot yoga classes but they offer many other types of yoga that I plan to try soon. As for hot yoga, I really enjoy it. Every time I am done with a class I feel great! 

4 comments:

  1. I've heard so much about this. And the 30 for $30 sounds like an awesome deal

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  2. Im really interested in going...Thanks for sharing.

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  3. I love Bikram yoga!!! Cold, cold coconut water afterwards is the best!!!

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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