So What is Hot Yoga?
by Amanda Blackly
In the simplest of terms hot yoga is a series of yoga postures practiced in a heated room maintained at a temperature of between 90-100ºF (35-39ºC). The extremely beneficial mixture of yoga and heat is becoming increasingly popular as a challenging and incredibly effective work-out for the body and mind based on a demanding sequence and environment.
Hot yoga can contain elements of two major Hatha yoga disciplines – Vinyasa yoga, a series of flowing postures, and Bikram yoga, a sequence of static asanas.
Vinyasa yoga combines a flowing sequence of asanas that link together to loosen the muscles and stimulate circulation. The Bikram series is a static sequence that is ordered specifically for each movement to make way for the next, and preparing the body to go deeper as the series advances.
In both styles the heat acts as a catalyst that favours the relaxation of the body, whilst sweating helps the body’s natural process of elimination as well as strengthening the muscles and internal organs.
Living yoga master Bikram Choudry (born Calcutta 1974) is possibly the most well-known name within the field of hot yoga. His individual method of 26 yoga poses originally created in India, has been copyright registered to the Yoga College of India in Beverly Hills that own studios all over the world. Teachers must be certified and licensed by Bikram to instruct the series to his prescribed method (each asana repeated twice and including two pranayama exercises) and with the same studio setup using mirrors.
Today there are several channels of hot yoga instruction that teach the Bikram method and its multiple variations. The authorized College of India Bikram studios teach the traditional method whilst there are also a number of certified instructors that are teaching their own variations (Baron Baptiste, Jimmy Barkan, Tony Sánchez, Moksha, Absolute yoga etc.)
It is a particularly attractive method for any level of practice; beginners will find huge motivation in the static character of poses and through repetition experience rapid improvement. Whilst the challenging physical work-out for the whole body is extremely engaging for professional athletes and more advanced yoga students.
WHY THE HEAT?
When the body is cold it contracts and makes movement more difficult. As the muscles and joints warm up they gradually loosen and move with greater ease and less resistance. Practising yoga in a hot atmosphere means the body receives heat both internally and externally; whilst the asanas create heat from inside to out, the external temperature simultaneously penetrates the body meaning there is a greatly reduced risk of injury.
The intensity of the series and hot atmosphere can also evoke a certain mental state – that works on the individual capacity for concentration, patience, and a healthy combination of motivation and restrain.
THE TOOL KIT
Once a regular practitioner it is a good idea to have a personal yoga mat and towel since hot yoga generally involves sweating a great deal! Students also opt to wear lighter clothing for this reason!
It is essential to avoid dehydration by drinking enough water before and after the class. Whilst practising students will be instructed to when it is suitable to drink a little during the class. It is not advisable to eat two hours before attending a class.
