Hot Yoga 101
Ever wondered what hot yoga is all about? Delaney Ryde, our amazing Hot Flow teacher (Mondays at 5:30 PM), shares her journey from skeptic to enthusiast and why practicing in the heat might just change your perspective on yoga. Dive in and learn what makes hot yoga so special — and dare we say “addictive”!
To some it might sound crazy to choose to spend time in the heat, but let me tell you about my experience and the goodness hot yoga could bring you!
I began my yoga journey at a hot yoga studio. I was just starting college, into fitness, and I heard some other students mentioning an amazing studio that was close to campus. When I heard they practiced in a room heated to 105, I thought they were crazy! But people just kept talking about how great it was, so I figured to give it a try.
My first class I remember how much I noticed my breath. When the room is hot, worries from the day or to do lists seem to disappear and you begin to sink into a deep sense of presence. In my case this presence was just trying to make it through class. I remember regularly needing to plop down in childs pose and toweling off what seemed like every 10 seconds. But pushing through those challenging poses in the heat and seeing myself come out on the other side, left a lasting impression on me. I left the room looking like a wet dog, but it was a room full of wet dogs, so that somehow made it better.
Ever since then I was hooked. I love the heat, the challenge and the state of bliss when you drop into savasana at the end of class. There were classes where I just tried to make it through and others where I was seeing immense progress, able to get into arm balances and inversions. Hot yoga became a form of therapy. A time to pause my busy brain and sweat it out.
It feels totally full circle and to now be teaching Hot Flow at Asana Mondays at 5:30PM! This Hot Flow class is a great introduction to hot yoga. We don’t keep the room as hot; you can expect it to be closer to 95 degrees.
While my flows are designed to be challenging, if you’ve practiced yoga before you should have no issues. If you’re new to yoga, you might want to try a few other classes at the studio first. I also always offer modifications during class for more advanced poses.
The benefits of hot yoga are vast! According to HealthLine hot yoga can:
- Improve Flexibility
- Build Bone Density
- Supports Cardiovascular Health
- Reduce Stress
- Ease Depression
Interested? Use these tips to prepare for class!
- Hydrate well before and after: try drinking a coconut water or electrolyte mix to show up properly hydrated. Don’t forget to bring water to class and adding mineral salt can also help with hydration. We keep some in the studio near the water jug!
- Bring a towel: a lot of people like to use a mat towel to help catch sweat and prevent you from slipping. A large bathroom towel or beach towel also works.
- Stop eating 2-3 hours before class: no one likes practicing on a full stomach and for some people, the heat can make them nauseous if you just ate. It’s also best for your body not to be expending energy digesting, so you can focus on the flow. If you need a quick snack try a piece of fruit or a date before class.
- Eat balanced meals the day of: to perform our best we need fuel! Making sure to get good meals with protein, carbs, and fat will help us have the energy and stamina to flow and sweat in the heat.
- Listen to your body: you know what’s best for yourself. Every day is different and depending on what’s going on in our lives, hot yoga might be too much. If you’re ever feeling light headed or dizzy during class, it’s a sign you’re going too hard and need to ease off. If feeling out of breath, take a moment to pause in child’s pose and reground yourself. If you’re in a time of high stress, maybe try Lindsay’s Yinyasa on Wednesdays for a mix of vinyasa and yin.
Ready to Practice? Let’s do it!
Register for Hot Yoga with Delaney! Or, if you’re new to our studio, make sure you get our New student welcome week of unlimited yoga!