Is it hot in here, or is it just... yoga?
One of my Christmas gifts this year was a semester-long membership to a hot yoga studio nearby, The Nest. Easily the best, most used gift yet (thanks mom & dad). Being a fairly cold blooded human with poor circulation, not only do I find the heated studio extremely enjoyable, but it helps me pretend I attend a school by the beach and not by the mountains.
Hot yoga is quite the workout. I'm sure when non-yogis think of yoga, they picture one, big, simple stretching group. Well, their wrong. Kinda. It never fails that I leave class with muscle aches in my arms, legs, glutes, stomach and back - it's a full bod workout ladies and gents (and a stretching group). But really, the benefits of yoga are endless. The heat is an additional bonus.
Rip off those socks, hop on a mat and find your inner zen. Here we go...
4 Benefits of hot yoga:
1. Strength and flexibility. Holding a challenging pose for multiple breaths, all while in a heated room, increases heart rate and makes your body work that much harder - this increases muscle strength throughout the body. On the other hand, the hot temperature of the classroom loosens muscle fascia, thin tissue encompassing the muscles, allowing the body to enter a deeper stretch and increase overall flexibility.
2. De-stress. Yoga is associated with relaxation... and that's 100 percent correct. With the calming music, low lighting, heated classroom and end of practice savasana, what's not to be peaceful/relaxing about the environment? By steering your mind away from consuming thoughts or daily annoyances and focusing on the practice, you're doing yourself a favor. De-stressing prevents sickness, high blood pressure, poor eating and fatigue.
3. Detox. Something I learned from my instructor today is that extreme, full-body twists not only increase blood flow (once you detangle), but allow your body to detox. What is "detoxing?" Detoxing means to cleanse the blood - expelling impurities from blood present in the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs and even the skin. This brings me to my next point...
4. Clear skin. A hot yoga class makes you sweat a little more than if you were moving through a sequence in your apartment. As you sweat, your getting rid of unwanted toxins from the pores of your face, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and clear. Pro tip: don't plan on meeting for dinner with friends after class, you will look rough.
Ready to give hot yoga a go? Don't forget to bring water (to refuel before, during and after class), a towel, a headband and to go at your own pace.
~ Namaste ~
 |
| That blizzard didn't slow me down. (Yoga mat bag: Gaiam) |
Rip off those socks, hop on a mat and find your inner zen. Here we go...
 |
| (Clothes: Lululemon // Mat: Gaiam) |
1. Strength and flexibility. Holding a challenging pose for multiple breaths, all while in a heated room, increases heart rate and makes your body work that much harder - this increases muscle strength throughout the body. On the other hand, the hot temperature of the classroom loosens muscle fascia, thin tissue encompassing the muscles, allowing the body to enter a deeper stretch and increase overall flexibility.
2. De-stress. Yoga is associated with relaxation... and that's 100 percent correct. With the calming music, low lighting, heated classroom and end of practice savasana, what's not to be peaceful/relaxing about the environment? By steering your mind away from consuming thoughts or daily annoyances and focusing on the practice, you're doing yourself a favor. De-stressing prevents sickness, high blood pressure, poor eating and fatigue.
3. Detox. Something I learned from my instructor today is that extreme, full-body twists not only increase blood flow (once you detangle), but allow your body to detox. What is "detoxing?" Detoxing means to cleanse the blood - expelling impurities from blood present in the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs and even the skin. This brings me to my next point...
4. Clear skin. A hot yoga class makes you sweat a little more than if you were moving through a sequence in your apartment. As you sweat, your getting rid of unwanted toxins from the pores of your face, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and clear. Pro tip: don't plan on meeting for dinner with friends after class, you will look rough.
Ready to give hot yoga a go? Don't forget to bring water (to refuel before, during and after class), a towel, a headband and to go at your own pace.
~ Namaste ~
No comments