How Good is Hot Yoga for You

Hot yoga, or Bikram, is the biggest trend in yoga today. It’s basically doing yoga in a hot and humid room. It is thought to help deepen the stretch of muscles because of he extra heat. It also is good for relieving stress, detoxifying the body, and relieving aches and pains. These are just a few of the health benefits of hot yoga.

The Benefits of Hot Yoga

Anyone who practices hot yoga swears by the health benefits. One that is very talk about it detox. It is said that the heavy amounts of sweat during hot yoga helps to flush out toxins in the body through the skin. As well it is proven that the heat can help you go deeper safely into the stretch during yoga. The heat warms the muscles faster to give them an easier stretch. The heat of hot yoga also helps to make the body work harder, improving cardiovascular health. When you are in a warmer temperature the body works harder which elevates the heart rate and improves the overall health of the heart. Hot yoga can help the body relax quicker and improves breathing which leads to better mental concentration during and after the workout.

Preparing for Hot Yoga

It is important to prepare yourself for a hot yoga class to reap all the benefits. The biggest things is to keep hydrated. While you don’t want to fill up on water during the class to make it harder to do the poses, it is important to hydrate before. You should drink at least two liters before the class. Make sure you aren’t overfilling the body with food or water right before class because it can make it hard to get into the postures. Stay hydrated and fuel, but do so throughout the day, not right before class. After the class is over, replenish your electrolytes with a fortified drink such as Gatorade. Make sure to go at your own pace to avoid injury.

A Few Cautions

Just like any exercise program, there is a chance of injury. If you are working over your body’s level of flexibility you could over-stretch the muscles which will lead to pain. As said before, listen to your body, and don’t overdo it. It’s also important to take note of any prior conditions. Hot yoga might not be the best for pregnant woman or someone with heart or blood pressure issues. A more gentle form of yoga, such as Hatha is probably more suitable.

After Hot Yoga

After a hot yoga class, you are probably going to be a sweaty mess, but I doubt you will ever feel a better stretch. Be confident and let the sweat flow, your body is doing its job. Embrace the heat and enjoy the stretch.