Yoga Maa Shakti

Why would anyone want to do yoga in a 98.6-degree room? In recent years, a large number of yogis have begun to do just that. Hot yoga has spread like wild fire around North America and simply consists of doing yoga in a very hot room. Even though this sounds crazy, there are some crazy benefits to doing yoga in an extremely hot room that you simply cannot get from doing yoga in a cooler, more comfortable environment.

Detoxification is a major benefit that comes from intensely sweating during practice. Heavy sweating helps to flush out toxins from the skin. The elevated heat also literally warms up the body. The warmer the body, the deeper the poses. These deeper poses are safer to practice with the body warmed up. The heat also elevates the heart rate which causes the body to work harder. This provides a cardiovascular workout alongside the strength and flexibility that is developed through yoga.

Hot yoga comes in several different styles.

• Bikram yoga is practiced at certified studios and is considered the original form of yoga. These classes include 26 postures and tend to focus on endurance.
• Moksha yoga integrates an environmental component into hot yoga. Studios that practice Moksha Yoga incorporate energy-efficient heating and sustainable flooring into their practice. Its purpose is to practice yoga while not harming the environment.

To have a pleasant hot yoga experience, you have to be prepared. Before class make sure to drink mass amounts of water. The body must be well-hydrated to practice in such a hot environment. It is also not recommended to eat before class. The stomach could become upset during practice due to the intense heat. Do not be afraid to take as many breaks as needed. Hot yoga is very intense and can be overwhelming for beginners. The key is to not get overwhelmed and to take water breaks often. After class, some extra steps should be taken to recover. Make sure to replenish lost minerals and electrolytes with drinks such as coconut water or Emergen-C.

Along with the benefits of hot yoga, there are also some dangers. It is more likely to get injured in hot yoga due to over-stretching in the heat. The heat makes it harder to tell when the body has reached its limit. Some people are not advised to practice hot yoga such as those with heart conditions, high or low blood pressure, or pregnant women. For everyone else, hot yoga can be packed full of benefits if done correctly.

After practicing hot yoga, the body should feel well-stretched and relaxed. It will also feel very sweaty. Everyone will be drenched from top to bottom so do not feel self-conscious. Just let the sweat continue to flow until you naturally cool down. This way you are still burning calories well after class has been let out. Also, if you would like to shop the yoga pants like the ones from the pictures above, go here.

Hot yoga is a super intense form of yoga that should be tried by anyone that is able to practice safely. It detoxifies the body and can be a helpful aid to weight loss due to the amount of sweat that it produces. This is the sweatiest form of yoga, but brings so many wonderful health benefits. Thanks for reading!