Let’s Talk about Heat 🔥
Let’s talk about HEAT; why it’s good for you and why the type of heat matters!
We like our classes hot for sure, but there’s a lot more to keeping things hot than just adding a heater, and we know a thing or two about the amount of heat for the type of class, the kind of heat, the equipment and room set-up, and why we use heat for our classes.
First of all, why do we practice yoga in the heat?
Heat is a tool to help us stretch more easily, sweat more, add intensity to the moves for cardiovascular and respiratory benefits. Here are all the details and benefits:
Increased Flexibility: The heat helps warm up the muscles, which can lead to increased flexibility and a greater range of motion. This can reduce the risk of injury and improve performance in other physical activities.
Enhanced Detoxification: Sweating profusely in a heated environment can help flush out toxins from the body through the skin, promoting overall detoxification.
Improved Circulation: The heat causes blood vessels to dilate, improving blood flow and circulation. This can enhance cardiovascular health and ensure that more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to tissues.
Weight Loss: The intensity of hot yoga can lead to increased calorie burn. The combination of heat and physical exertion can boost metabolism and contribute to weight loss.
Stress Reduction: Like other forms of yoga, hot yoga incorporates breathing exercises and meditation, which can help reduce stress and promote mental well-being. The heat can also promote relaxation.
Enhanced Lung Capacity: Practicing yoga in a hot environment can help improve respiratory function. The controlled breathing exercises can increase lung capacity and improve overall respiratory efficiency.
Improved Skin Health: Sweating can help clear out pores and improve skin health. The increased circulation also brings more nutrients to the skin, promoting a healthy complexion.
Greater Strength and Endurance: The challenging nature of hot yoga helps build strength, endurance, and muscular tone. Holding poses in a heated environment requires additional effort, which can enhance muscle development.
Better Balance and Coordination: The practice of various yoga poses, especially in a challenging environment, can improve balance and coordination, which are important for overall physical stability.
Boosted Immune System: Regular practice of hot yoga can boost the immune system by reducing stress hormones and promoting better sleep and overall health.
Why is it so hard to move in the heat? Moving your body in the heat requires calm breathing and self-awareness, knowing your limits, knowing when to push and when to relax. However, the heat is NOT a punishment and more heat is not the ultimate goal. The goal is improving your mind and your body, so after a few classes with the appropriate heat, ventilation, and air circulation (all things our Original Hot room is designed for), you will acclimate and start feeling stronger and better with every class. This is how you maintain a sustainable, healthy yoga practice.
Is one type of heat better than another (for example, Infrared vs. Forced air). Studies have shown that the type of heat does matter! Although many people promote the use of infrared because it’s cheaper and easier to maintain (Infrared heat is a type of radiant heat emitted by infrared radiation, a form of electromagnetic energy. Unlike traditional heating methods that warm the air around you, infrared heat directly warms objects and surfaces), this has been shown to be physically harmful over time. It uses electricity for power and is often emitted through the use of infrared heating panels.
In our studio Original Hot Yoga HB, we use forced air heating with state of the art ventilation, air filtration, UV light to combat bacteria and viruses, alongside premium, supplementary humidification when necessary. We heat the room and not objects in the room or your body parts (like harmful infrared radiation heat). We add humidity when necessary and work with the outside temperature to maintain the right atmosphere for practice.
After years of daily Original Hot Yoga practice, our lifelong practitioners feel and look great! Because of the regular heated yoga and fitness practice, we can look forward to many more years of sustainable yoga practice and a healthy life.