People of all ages who want to relax and destress often do so by running or heading to the gym for a good workout. While lifting weights, riding a stationary bicycle, or taking an aerobics class can be a great way to unwind, yoga allows you to do so as well. Hot yoga is specifically beneficial for people who not only want to unwind, but who also want to tone their muscles and gain flexibility in their bodies.
What Is Hot Yoga?
Essentially, hot yoga is just what it sounds like—doing yoga in a heated, or hot, room. Hot yoga provides a more intense work as it is performed in rooms with the temperature set at 37°C. Along with your body becoming stronger, toner, and more flexible, it gives your cardiovascular system a good workout as well.
While hot yoga is a type of yoga in itself, there are different styles of it. You can find Bikram hot yoga, Moksha hot yoga, and Baptiste hot yoga groups in many parts of the world. Most of these styles are named for the people, or yogis, who created the variations.
Bikram hot yoga is named after the same man responsible for Bikram yoga, Bikram Choudhury. It is based on the style he created, which involves 26 yoga poses done sequentially and systematically to help in the healing of the mind and body. The main difference with Bikram hot yoga is that the temperature of the room is set at 40°C.
Preparations for Hot Yoga
You shouldn’t just join some hot yoga classes in Philippines, as they can be too intense for people who are not in good shape or are overweight. Before going to a hot yoga class, you need to prepare for it. If you are not ready, you can suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. If you have chronic medical conditions or are pregnant, seek the advice of a doctor before practicing this type of yoga.
To prepare for the classes, drink plenty of water so you’re well hydrated. Just being in the room will cause most people to start sweating, and as you begin the class, you’ll sweat profusely. Afterwards, you’ll want to rehydrate your body with water and/or sports drinks or coconut water to replace the electrolytes lost when sweating.
Do the poses in a relaxed manner so you don’t overwork yourself in the heat. Monitor yourself during the class, and if you start to feel funny, such as dizzy or nauseous, take a break and sip some water or even step out of the room to cool off. The leader of the class should understand, especially if you’re new to the experience of hot yoga.
There are many benefits to practicing hot yoga, including detoxifying your body as the sweat will flush toxins from your system and warming your muscles so poses are easier and safer to do. It may be beneficial to start with a regular yoga class before experiencing the intensity of hot yoga.
