Hong Kongers have been downward-dogging and cat-stretching themselves in yoga studios across the city for some time now. Yet for many, hot yoga remains uncharted territory. Unlike hatha yoga or flow yoga, the various asanas (poses) of hot yoga are held in a heated environment. After dropping in on a HOT 1 class at Pure Yoga, I stole a minute with one of their veteran instructors to hear a little more about this intense form of yoga.
It was early one Tuesday evening, the windows were steamed up and minimally-dressed people filed into the room. Each one selected a spot and laid a large towel over their mat. I quickly snuck out of the room to grab one too. Everyone settled into various yoga poses waiting for the class to begin.
The cheerful instructor quickly introduced himself. His next words were: “Find a reason for being here and hold on to it when it gets tough because I can promise you it’s going to get tough.” I could only smile–we hadn’t started the practice and I was already feeling the heat. The temperature of the room was 40 degrees. It felt like a large roomy sauna minus the steam and minus the relaxation.
After working through the tough class, I was even more curious to learn about this perspiration-inducing activity. As a practitioner of hot yoga for ten years and an instructor for five years, Managing Teacher Tanya Boulton was a perfect source. She explained that in hot yoga, the poses tend to focus on strengthening the body. Often there will be long-standing postures for instance. Boulton says non-heated yoga classes, on the other hand, tend to flow more. Plus, in non-heated yoga, teachers often incorporate inverted postures (headstands, shoulder stands etc…) into the class but in the hot yoga studio, these types of inversions are not emphasized.
So what makes it all so challenging?
Boulton says that in hot yoga, our body is coping with two types of heat both external and internal and this requires stamina and endurance. Yet on the plus side, hot yoga’s has many benefits such as detoxifying the body, reducing stress, improving mental clarity, increasing endurance, and creating flexibility.
People often associate hot yoga with weight loss, and Boulton explains that it actually does help people shed a few pounds. Hot yoga improves metabolism and helps to balance hormones that affect our food cravings. As a result, this can facilitate weight loss. “Yoga also brings awareness into your life which helps us become conscious of what we are putting into our bodies,” Boulton adds.
Stepping out into the cool evening air, I felt rejuvenated but I have to admit I was also relieved. Hot yoga is a hard-nosed activity that truly pushes the limits of the body and mind.
Tips for Hot Yoga Beginners:
- Be prepared for an intense workout
- Hydrate throughout the day, during the class and after the class
- Eat lightly two hours before the class
- Avoid heavy foods (especially those with a high starch content) before the class
- Start with a 60-minute class, not a 90-minute class
- Try a few regular non-heated yoga classes before venturing into the hot yoga studio.
