Hot Yoga

In the spirit of trying something new, I joined a hot yoga studio called HotSpot. Going into a hot room - approximately 38-40 degrees Celsius is reported to have inherent benefits including greater flexibility because your body does not have to warm up. 

Going into a hot room never appealed to me in the past, but the studio is right around the corner and as mentioned, I’m embracing change and being open to new things.

Upon entering the hot yoga room, it was immediately evident that “hot yoga” is a misnomer. I would have called it “Sahara hot” as opposed to merely “hot” but the humidity was too high. “Too F-ing hot” also came to mind. I was convinced the room was 130 degrees F and was a bit disappointed that it was 38-40 C. 

At this temperature you sweat. You sweat even when you’re sitting still. When going through the more challenging poses, I swear my eye balls are sweating. I leave with wet clothing. 

Do I like hot yoga? 

Absolutely. I’m going almost daily. My focus has been on the hips class - I want to keep nimble for curling. I also like the “reset” class as a way to stay balanced. I have yet to attend a “flow” class. I’m not sure I could keep up for a full hour of flowing from one move to another, although I successfully completed a flow / reset combo class. The “fire” class terrifies me and I have no intention of checking out that class, but I am working up to a full flow. 

Discoveries?

This practice is very good for my body. I don’t have a new osteopath yet, and I question whether I would have needed monthly treatments if I had been practicing yoga. I feel taller afterwards and more fluid. Tired, as well. Moving and and ongoing change put more stress on my body than I realized. I carry stress in my neck and shoulders and this helps immensely. I had to get new leggings though - the lightest possible, and also a warm coverup for afterwards.

My only criticism with this studio is that they do not offer instruction. I’ve only seen an instructor “adjust” a person’s pose once. In the past, the instructor was always making suggestions and helping people achieve poses. In the past, I reflected on the fact that I had been taking yoga instruction for 3 years, and they continued to adjust and correct my downward dog. 

Another discovery at one of my early classes involved a vivid flashback to my childhood on the farm. It was wintertime and I was bundled up to get to the barn, but upon entering the pig barn, my glasses steamed up and I was assaulted by the heat (and smell). Like hot yoga, it was also humid and you immediately had to start removing clothing due to the heat. So many pigs create a lot of heat and like hot yoga, I’m pretty sure it was 38 to 40  degrees Celsius. 

What’s next?

I’m excited about my home gym in the new house but my vision has changed. Yes, I’ll have my weights and treadmill in the space - I also have secured a bench, but I’m also visualizing doing yoga in this room. It won’t be hot, but I will incorporate subtle lighting with “fake” candles and look for some guided practice. 

So I continue to attest that “hot yoga” is a misnomer, but I don’t have a particularly better name that doesn’t include profanity. It may well be a fad, but I plan to continue to do hot yoga for the foreseeable future.

Namaste