Everything you need to know about Hot yoga !!

Any type of yoga practice that takes place in a warm or humid environment is referred to as “hot yoga.” When a class is called “hot yoga,” you can hold poses for a minute or move quickly from one pose to the next. However, two things almost always stay the same: sweating and heat

Samantha Scupp, founder and teacher at Heatwise, a New York City hot yoga studio, is certified by Yoga Alliance, the world’s largest nonprofit yoga association that certifies teachers and schools. “Hot yoga, in the simplest terms, is yoga performed in a heated room,” she says.

What is hot yoga ?

The duration of a hot yoga class can range anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes. According to a 2017 study, participants can lose up to three or four pounds of water in a single class, the majority of which will be replaced once they are fully hydrated. 1) While hot yoga classes frequently incorporate elements of other forms of traditional yoga, such as breathing exercises and postures, Bikram yoga, which was established in the 1970s by Bikram Choudhury, is generally considered to be the first form of hot yoga. Within a room heated to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, each Bikram yoga class consists of a very specific sequence of 26 yoga poses and two breathing exercises performed in the same order within 90 minutes. 2) A California court ruled in 2015 that

Choudhury could not copyright the sequence, despite the fact that Bikram classes are recognized to follow a specific format. This is due to the fact that the method is based on traditional yoga poses. 3) According to Scupp, a vinyasa style of yoga is known as “hot flow” or “power flow.” She says, “It changes every time, the movements flow together, and music is used frequently.”

As they “flow” from one pose to the next in vinyasa yoga, participants are encouraged to coordinate breath and movement; Scupp mentions that the sequence of the poses—and possibly even the poses that are performed—may vary from class to class.

Scupp asserts that the temperature of the room can vary significantly. The majority of studios utilized forced air heat, similar to what is found in typical HVAC systems. A humidifier is used in some studios to make the room really humid. Heatwise is one of the other studios that uses infrared heat, which comes from electric heat panels that are positioned throughout the room or on the ceiling.

According to Scupp, rooms heated conventionally can have a very different feel when using infrared heating. She describes the sensation as being “standing under the sun.”

While Bikram classes are taught in studios heated to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, some hot yoga studios may feel more like “warm” yoga. 2,5) Heatwise, Scupp’s studio, maintains a temperature of 90 to 95 degrees. According to Scupp, the room’s temperature can also be affected by the outside temperature and humidity. The number of students in the class can also affect how hot it is; If you’re in a crowded room, you might feel some heat from the people around you. She adds, “You might have a little bit more space to cool off if you are in a room that is larger.”

How safe is hot yoga? Is It Safe to Avoid It?

According to a study that was funded by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), practicing yoga in a temperature of more than 100 degrees can have a significant effect on your body temperature. Eight out of twenty participants had body temperatures that ranged from 103 to 104 degrees after taking a 90-minute Bikram class in a hot studio. 6) The National Athletic Trainers’ Association has stated in a position statement that exertional heatstroke is characterized by a core body temperature of 104 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, which is linked to signs of hyperthermia-induced organ system failure. 7) Edward Laskowski, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and codirector of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine center in Rochester, Minnesota, states, “While there are certain health conditions that would make hot yoga risky for some people, it is generally safe for someone in good health.” According to Dr. Laskowski, individuals with certain heart conditions, a history of heat injury, heat intolerance, or issues with dehydration should probably avoid hot yoga.

Due to the possibility of overheating, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends against hot yoga during pregnancy. 8) According to Laskowski, it probably won’t be a problem if you’re young, fit, and healthy with no current health issues.

However, he advises that any activity that could put your body under stress, such as hot yoga, should always be discussed with your doctor.
What are some of the advantages of doing hot yoga?

According to Scupp, hot yoga can help you achieve a sense of calm and relaxation without requiring you to work out a lot. She asserts, “You don’t have to work as hard to get the same level of sweat as you would when running 10 miles.”

Hot Yoga Can Be Perfect for Pressure Alleviation

Hot yoga, as different sorts of yoga, can be perfect for pressure help or stress the executives, says Scupp. ” It is a powerful meditation.

Laskowski adds that if you don’t like to sweat, you probably won’t be disappointed in a regular yoga class over a hot one. He elaborates, “There is no evidence that sweating itself provides health benefits, despite the fact that some people enjoy a good sweat.” According to him, sweating is primarily used to regulate one’s temperature.

According to Scupp, hot yoga can help you stretch more deeply because of the hot room. This can be great for people who do other intense workouts that make their muscles really tight. A lot of men come into this room and say, “I don’t do yoga, I’m not flexible.” However, when they enter the hot room, their muscles really relax. She asserts, “They are able to accomplish all kinds of stretches that they have never been able to do before.”

However, because you have more flexibility, you need to be careful not to overwork your muscles and hurt yourself. 9) Laskowski asserts that in order to avoid injury, it is essential to adhere to one’s limits and pay attention to one’s body. It can be tempting to try to keep up with the people around you in a classroom, he says. But in a heated yoga class, where excessive stretching can tear and damage muscles, that may not be a good thing.

Is Hot Yoga a more intense form of exercise than regular yoga?

Scupp asserts, “I would certainly consider hot yoga a form of exercise.”

Yoga, like any other physical activity, burns more calories the more you move. Despite the widespread belief, sweating is not associated with calorie burning or weight loss. Your body’s way of cooling itself is sweating, not a sign of how much weight you’ll lose. 10) To put it another way, just because you sweat more during a hot yoga class compared to a yoga class held at a normal temperature does not necessarily imply that you are working harder or consuming more calories.