Hot yoga is becoming more popular because it’s a great workout with many other benefits. Because it is done in a heated space, hot yoga can be more challenging for your heart, lungs, and muscles than regular yoga. Hot yoga classes are usually taught with more challenging poses and sequences. It would help to read up on hot yoga before signing up for a class. This will help you understand what it is, how to prepare, and what to expect.

What is Hot Yoga

Hot yoga is a form of Hatha Yoga performed in humid, hot conditions. This causes a lot of sweating. Although hot yoga and Bikram are often used interchangeably, they aren’t the same. Bikram is more serious, taking place in a heated room of about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) with a relative humidity of 40 percent. Bikram yoga is a sequence of 26 poses and two breathing exercises. Each pose is repeated twice during each class. Bikram Yoga classes are held in studios with bright lights, carpeting, and a mirror front wall. Bikram sessions can last up to 90 minutes, while hot yoga classes may be between 60 and 90 minutes. Hot yoga studios are typically between 80-100degF or 27-38 degC. Many yoga studios offer classes that are warm but not too hot. Hot yoga classes combine many different poses into diverse sequences. Hot yoga classes include music, and the instructor interacts with participants.

What is the history of hot yoga

Bikram Choudhary invented the first hot yoga style in 1972. Bikram Choudhary arranged yoga poses differently for his health to promote healing and physical and mental health. Choudhury developed a successful hot yoga franchise and trademarked his 26-pose sequence to deter competition from other hot yoga styles. Choudhury was accused of sexual harassment in 2013 by a former Bikram yoga student. Four more women sued him for sexual misconduct a year later. Choudhury was reportedly moved from California to Maharashtra in India to avoid arrest warrants after racking up $16.7 Million in legal judgments. (A new Netflix documentary charts the rise of Bikram’s global empire. Since then, many Bikram Studios have left the franchise. They now call their classes hot yoga. There are currently very few hot yoga teacher-training programs, as most new hot yoga instructors have more traditional backgrounds.

What are the benefits of hot yoga

Hot yoga offers all the benefits of Hatha yoga but with the addition of heat. This is because the heated environment makes it harder to practice yoga. Hot yoga has many benefits.

Fewer injuries. A hot yoga studio increases vasodilation. So, more blood reaches the muscles, and they become more elastic.

Hot yoga is an excellent way to cleanse your body.

Increases lung capacity. When breathing normally, we only use 50 percent of our lung capacity. Deep breathing practices enhance the lungs’ capacity, making them capable of holding huge volumes of oxygen.

Improves blood circulation. Hot yoga is great for working out the cardiovascular system, enhancing blood flow to all body parts.

Strengthens the immune system. Practicing hot yoga regularly can help your immune system to fight infection. Sweating profusely during a workout magnifies the benefits of exercise. Most seasoned yogis do not get sick often, and when they do, the ailments are less severe and shorter because their bodies are healthier overall and better equipped to recover.

Boosts the lymphatic system. Sweating helps get the lymphatic system moving. A clogged lymphatic system is associated with cellulite and a low immune system. A clean lymphatic system means a less dimply and lighter body and radiant and glowing skin.

Increases the flexibility of the muscles. Hot yoga can increase muscle flexibility more than other types of yoga because the heat enhances the stretching process beyond your body’s limits at room temperature. The external heat enables the muscles to contract and expand to more significant limits, allowing participants to achieve higher flexibility without injury. Therefore, hot yoga is useful for dancers, athletes, trainers, and people who want to fine-tune and improve their flexibility.

Supports weight loss. Hot yoga can boost your metabolism to support weight loss. The multiple challenging poses you must hold and the increased heat makes your heart pump faster, and your body build lean muscle. One ninety-minute Bikram yoga session can burn up to 1000 calories. Besides, the poses can benefit your endocrine and digestive systems, further boosting your metabolic rate.