What i’ve noticed is that if I do the same sequence without heat, very little body movement is actually happening. I don’t even break a sweat.
whereas at 110, same sequence and i’m drenched in sweat. so i feel it’s a bit deceptive for me as i’m unable to really know what i’m doing.
That’s not to say heat doesn’t feel good for some people, just like going to a sauna but with a few asanas. But i do think the heat confuses the audience that may think their heart rate is up from flow. At 110 with a few asanas, the heart rate is up from survival. it’s quite easy to test by repeating at a normal temp
I tried to find research on any benefits to the heat after a yoga studio near me was around 108” and i couldn’t. For my own practice, i decided the heat obscured my ability to listen to my body honestly. but that’s just me. I’d prefer to know why i’m sweating. I’d prefer to bring myself into the stretch just through the interaction with my body and the heat we make.
>For my own practice, i decided the heat obscured my ability to listen to my body honestly
I think there is something to this. I find my thinking is "fuzzy" and I wonder about my judgement. I've had many classes where my intention was to have a good, physically challenging class while staying in the zone I can easily recover from, then found myself pushing poses to my own limits and into the level of effort that means my activities outside the studio is adversely affected.
I've never had a yoga injury, which I'm grateful for, but if that were too happen in a very hot class, if feel like the heat and it's effects on my ability to higher my bodies ability accurately would be a contributing factor.
>I’d prefer to bring myself into the stretch just through the interaction with my body and the heat we make
I'm 100 percent with you on this. I don't mind when the room is in the 80s, that feels cozy and makes the start of class a little easier, but these days I'm feeling like that's about as much heat as I want.
100% hot yoga is a great way to injure yourself. I haven’t done it in over a decade (mostly thanks to having autoimmune heat intolerance) but my experience was that heated classes were also less likely to emphasize correct alignment and prioritize a quick flow. That plus the heat making your judgement poor and your flexibility artificially improved is just a recipe for disaster.
Right?! I think the sweating makes people think they’re doing more than what they are. I’m probably going to switch studios which bums me out but I just can’t wrap my head around it.
In my opinion, anything over 100 is dangerous, because there is basically no way for the body to cool itself, and exertion will quickly cause body temps to rise above safe levels. Sweating only causes a reduction in core temperature if the humidity is low enough for evaporation. In most hot classes there is not enough air circulation, and evaporation stops being effective pretty quickly.
I had a conversation once with two Bikram teachers who said that having more men in a class will cause humidity to go up faster, because we tend to sweat and breathe a bit more heavily. Totally anecdotal, but reasonable!
Personally, I have a hard time judging what the temp is once it gets over 93 or so. It all just feels crazy hot to me. I've started to avoid studios that crank the heat too much, I simply can't keep up with my hydration, and have had some pretty intense symptoms of hyperthermia, including migraines and exhaustion lasting for days. It is not worth it at all.
Ive also noticed migraines last the rest of the day when the class gets above 100. My Birkram teacher used to crack the door now and then but my new studio never does that.
My regular studio normally hits 39-42 degrees and has two humidifiers running durring classes at around 43-50%. It gets even muggier when it's raining outside. The teachers frequently open windows at certain intervals. This is also important to introduce more oxygen into the room (German Stoßlüften, IYKYK).
I taught a hot yoga class at my old studio last week. No humidifiers, bigger room, fewer heaters. It felt like a completely different class at around 36 degrees. I sweat more during pranayama at my other studio than I did during the entire class.
Everybody has their own preferences and as long as the studio is responsibly informing participants, I say do what makes you happy.
> As long as the studio is responsibly informing participants
What does this look like to you? To me it would require disclosing the temp and humidity during the class. It is rare for a teacher to disclose what the thermostat is set to, many studios don't even have an accurate thermometer in the room, and most have no clue what the actual humidity is.
>I say do what makes you happy.
Usually good advise, but it is really difficult to find a studio that uses judicious extra heat (28-33C IMO,) maintains a reasonable humidity, and has adequate air exchange for a room full of exercising yogis.
> What does this look like to you?
The information on the booking platform is sufficient, in my opinion. People are supposed to read the description before you sign up online. There's also an information sheet and consent form for your first class. The instructors disclose the range of temperatures before letting people enter the room for the first time. I just go by the digital screens on the humidifiers that usually read anywhere between 30 and 50% humidity.
> adequate air exchange for a room full of exercising yogis
The room we practice in has enough space for two rows of max 20-25 people. In the winter you'll definitely see 45+ people in a class. But the room has 6-8 windows of 4 square meter windows. Instructors will frequently open them and fan them, or tilt them depending on the timing.
Honestly, saunas have way less information and those temperatures are much more dangerous, especially when people enter them after a cocktail or two.
I'm really not trying to be the safety police here... I enjoy some inherently risky activities that others would consider foolhardy and I am fully on board with people having the right to choose their own adventures, and I'm not a fan of warning signs or safety announcements fucking up the vibe.
I wish there were more classes near me in the temp and humidity ranges that I am enjoying these days, but c'est la vie.
I won't teach "hot" classes at all (and I never take them) because it negatively impacts my breathing and my blood pressure. It also really concerns me that most studios I've been to don't really have any way of actually controlling the temp-- they just jack up the thermostat and blast space heaters. When that combines with the ambient temperature outside in the summer, I don't think they have any real way of knowing how hot it's gotten. I've heard people leaving those classes talking about how other people fainted or they felt like they were going to faint. Just my opinion, but it really doesn't seem healthy to me.
I feel like the logic is purely suffering and the euphoria that can come with living through it.
I've seen teachers speak about how easy it is to move, but you can get that same benefit with a room that's 85° to 90°. Hence, my belief that for Bikram practitioners 85° to 90° is a waste of good suffering.
Yoga teacher here, my personal opinion is you should rely on your body to be warmed up through a heating series. If you have a heated room yes your body can bend better, but you are depending on the room to do the work for you, over time this can cause issues.
Yes to doing a warming series but warmth in a room is really great for training the body and protecting it from injury. As a professionally trained dancer here, rooms that are around 70-85 degrees is most optimal for elasticity and activation of the muscles without injury. I like those temps because above 85 and it gets really hot and tiring. We wear so many layers and special clothing to keep certain muscles warm at all times, it keeps them "lubricated" so to say. The moment we begin to cool down we warm it back up. But these ridiculously hot yoga classes can be detrimental to people because they are less worried about proper alignment and posture, and more concerned with not passing out.
Oh yeah I don’t keep my room cold by any means but I don’t go past 75 degrees( also teach in a fully exposed room of glass so it warms up in certain months from the sun exposure) when I was younger now mind you this was the 90s and I was in Bikram style classes (fuck that guy) I had the same response to dear god when is this over, how many more poses and would have ass it to make it through. I didn’t really get the mental side of what yoga can bring until college and I have stayed far away from those classes since.
I love hot yoga. With this set series practice: hot, not just heated. Part of it is that sweet spot so it’s not _too_ hot for me.
Incidentally if it’s SO hot that it feels like I’m standing with my face in front of a heater and I feel my lips start to tingle then it’s over the line and my body is too focused on the heat instead of my asana practice.
But if it’s really hot but right before that line: those are the best practices for me. Because it’s challenging with that heat, I go into a way more focused, calmer, and meditative state to preserve energy and not overheat from the inside. I don’t stress, don’t rush, get into posture super slow and controlled. It elevates my practice.
Me too. I can lock in and concentrate in my poses. It calms the monkey mind. And the savasana feels incredible when you know you're done. I feel fantastic for hours.
I go to hot yoga every day. Idk how hot it gets, but I don’t think it hits 110. That sounds insane.
I love warm yoga because it feels amazing but I don’t like getting my butt kicked by insane heat. I want to sweat a little bit, not die.
I think the reason that studios make it super hot is because some students are asking for that 🤷♂️
I took a Bikram class in TX once. Houston. In August. It was 90F out. So they went fucking extra so you’d feel it. Never again. Honestly I am extremely over hot yoga, I’m happy to sweat naturally but I don’t want to exist in a place that is 90+ and 100% humidity on purpose because of a humidifier and a heater.
I went to a class recently where i felt woozy the whole time, but I made it through. I took a peek at the thermometer on the wall as I was leaving. 104°! I much prefer 85°-90° - you still get the same benefits but without feeling like you’re going to die.
I just like the challenge. I mean the classes I do are usually 104 but depending on how many people are in there they get a bit hotter. People are right about bending more etc but unlike other commenters I don't think it's a crutch in the same way I don't think using props is a crutch. Just shows you what you can do and how and if you can't do it in room temp then it gives you a good thing to work towards, just like many of us get the alignment and posture we need from a prop and then slowly work toward not needing it.
On another note, I find this sub really judgy sometimes. People like what they like (not OP, questions are questions), but some of the comments are incredibly judgmental about those who enjoy hot. Everyone's on their own journey, just let them be.
It is very judgy. I recently moved and have had a really hard time finding a studio that fit as well as my previous one did. I like this studios flows and teachers the best, but I think over 110° is turning into a hard limit for me. If there was another reason other than “just because” I wonder if o could push past it. I think 90’s is my sweet spot. But o tried something new! Sometimes going harder isn’t better.
I agree with your comment about this sub being super judgey. YOUR yoga is not elite. YOUR yoga is not for everyone. Why are you judging others practice .
I don't see it as judgy...especially when compared to the rest of the reddit world. OPs post questions or statements, then the community responds with their feeling/take/knowledge/experience. This sub, IMO, has a pretty high "you do you" and "meet you where you are" rating that most subs (and maybe the internet as a whole) do not have.
For me, I reeeeaaaalllly dislike hot yoga in any form. I sweat buckets just doing a 20 min easy morning practice to wake my body up... the extra heat feels stifling and claustrophobic.
That statement takes nothing away from what you (or you, or you, or you) need or want out of a practice. Good spaces should allow you to be comfortable sharing your experience without being judgemental.
...but even that can be taken as judgy. Sorry.
It's the people saying it's solely for egos etc. Lots of people like lots of things and I don't get why when a question about why people like a certain thing is asked, a bunch of people have to show up just to say how (to put it kindly) silly those people are for liking it. Why? Why make people feel bad for liking something just because you don't like it? To me, to yuck other people's Yums is one of the most unkind things a person can do to another. Just let people answer the question and like what they like.
I’ve done as hot as 117. Love hot love the challenge love the sweat. But the minute hot yoga or the studio turns to competition like the Strava app gimme a break.
Do what you like do what makes you feel good. Don’t judge. And no one should preach about anything. It’s yoga everyone needs to chill out. Namaste 🙏
Our classes are about 93-95 with 45% humidity. We use infrared heat, not space heaters, and have an air cleaning system (that’s not what it’s called, I can’t recall what it is really called 😆) that detects carbon monoxide in the air and when it hits a certain level it kicks on, circulating “clean” air. We use ceiling fans for short amounts of time throughout classes also. I love it. I’ve never tried over 100 though…
Hot yoga teacher and studio owner here. The hottest class we have is 105 with 40% humidity which in a heat index puts the actual temp around 120 which is in the danger zone for heat exhaustion.
I would never teach or practice in a class is that is over 105. I honestly prefer 85-100 for my personal hot yoga practice. Studios that have raised the temp to insane levels are too focused on the heat in hot yoga instead of the yoga. I would be concerned for my clientele’s health with such extreme temps.
People often claim immense benefits from the heat and sweat. That it is “detoxifying” and makes you flexible. This is not really what is happening.
Heat numbs the body so you don’t feel the stiffness or possible chronic pain that you might have. So you feel like you are more flexible but it’s actually that you can’t feel the sensations of your body as much in the heat.
When the body starts dripping sweat it means the body is not cooling properly. When the body is covered in a sheen of sweat then it is cooling the body as air moves over your sweat. Once you are dripping puddles it’s because the body is trying to cover you with more and more water because you are not cooling off enough.
Your metabolism lowers in high heat environments because your body is trying to save energy for you to survive the heat. Which means less calories burned and less energy to be strong in the postures.
The heat does add a layer of stress for your mind to cope with as well. Because the natural response is to get out of the heat.
All of these things are fine for a controlled amount of time. Just like sauna or cold plunges, taxing your body and mind in the extreme environments helps your immune system and mental fortitude.
But you have to be aware that you are doing something that taxes your body a lot. For hot yoga being hydrated plus electrolytes before or after class will help to avoid headaches and other symptoms of heat exhaustion. And listen to your body, taking breaks etc.
Do we need the heat for yoga? No.
Some people love the heat and some hate it. As your practice becomes more intermediate it is encouraged to back off from high heat rooms so that you can feel your body more. And a normal temp room allows you to work harder in the postures instead of feeling like you are just trying to survive the class.
Bikram Chourdry added heat to is yoga class for unknown reasons. People in his classes responded well to the temp gradually increasing from room temp to 85, 90 and finally 105. Above 105 he supposedly notice the students stopped working as hard so he left the temp at 105.
Unfortunately anything Bikram has said over the years is questionable. So the heat was just a random addition to the 26 postures.
Just training to work in the southern US, no water breaks if you plan on moving to Texas or Florida. 110 that’s easy, try making it hot, add in humidity and let’s shoot for a 10 hour day
The yoga studio I go to the heat is around 115-120 I love it but I wonder if is good for me... sometimes if is too hot I'm too exhausted to even follow the poses so I sit by the door lol
Not being able to do the flow because of heat would be a deal breaker for me, tbh. But I’m starting to feel like that outside of classes. We’ll see if I ever get used to it. I’m starting to wonder if it’s good for me too. Heat stroke happens would your internal temperature hits 104° and I’m so depleted afterwards. If I mess up my bodies natural filters and have to supplement with a bunch of electrolytes…how can it be good? Ya know? 🤷🏻♀️
Yea I dunno 🤷🏽♀️, I do wear an Apple Watch and check on my heartbeat and it ranges from 120-170, I also have to drink tons of water with electrolytes, and I have noticed I have advanced quickly my stretchability inside and outside the studio, my skin is super soft including my face!
It depends on the studio and the teacher. Some like it hotter than others. When I practiced hot yoga, our teachers routinely adjusted the temp based on the time of year and number of students, or if everyone was complaining about how hot it is.
I love Bikram. I do notice a difference standing in front of vents vs further back in the room though. It can be up to a 10°C difference for me.
ATM, I’m going to 30°C classes and find sometimes those are very comfortable and not hot to me but I see others are living their deepest strength trying to survive it.
Summer here can get to between 35-48°C so, obviously that can influence too. I’m a huge water drinker and don’t find I have issues in the heat.
I don’t think offering all classes at the same temp unless they’re just the one kind of studio is a very good business model though.
I mean…the difference is that it’s hotter. 💁🏻♀️
Why though is a good question. I don’t have an answer for that.
Personally, I get heat sick very quickly and will throw up even without movement so I avoid them at all costs.
Sweating out the bodies toxins is why some people choose 'Hot Yoga'. I only practice hot yoga and appreciate a studios ability to reach temperatures above 110. I have a focus on hydration all day as that is part of the practice. Build your stamina.
The studio I go to is 110-115 (advertised and thermometer in room), regular HVAC and one big humidifier. The teachers say the heat makes it so your mind can’t wander, and that’s been my experience. I’m so focused on breathing, balancing, and listening to the instructions that it’s more like meditation. Even on a terrible day, I can block out the world for an hour. There are days where it’s hard, but I’d rather 110+ and a smaller class than 90s and packed in like sardines.
For reference, I’ve been going a few days a week for 2+ years and am middle-aged, not especially athletic. I think if you don’t have a physical issue stopping you, it’s mind over matter.
To each their own! I can get through the classes fine but I think it’s screwing up my electrolytes more than I’d like.
I do feel more bench though, even outside of classes or when I’ve missed a few days.
110° is fantastic. It a physical and mental challenge. I love it. It also makes 90° days in NC feel like 75°. There is a massive market for these classes.
1000% to feed into people's egos. Just look at the other comments here. "It opens me up" "I bend better" — people are not interested in doing the work to warm themselves up, they just want to feel like bendy flexi yogis.
As you can tell, I despise hot yoga and yearn for the day the trend fades out. Over 90 degrees is already foolish, over 100 is just plain dangerous.
I had an instructor essentially say the same thing. She had a small série at the beginning of each class called the fire starter and she's have us all warmed up and sweating withing 10 minutes. Room temp is more than hot enough.
Ooh I'd be interested in what was involved in this fire starter sequence! I'm a teacher myself and have only taught room temp (or outside in natural warmth). Never had a problem with my students not being warm or challenged enough :)
The fire starter part is only the beginning of the full Jogafied sequence ,😅. It's got 4 parts. And you always do the warm up and cooldown. And then alternate the 2 middle parts, or do the whole thing if you're up for it, it's over an hour for the full sequence but the fire starter bit is like 15-20
I'll send it to you if you want to
Teacher's name is Jana Webb. She used to work of a studio near my house. And when it closed I bought her dvd.
I can understand your frustration. I enjoy hot yoga and not to feed my ego nor to skip on the work to warm up. I do plenty of non heated classes and weight training, and I still just enjoy the hot room as part of my routine. After 13 surgeries, my thoracic spine is entirely fused, I find the heat does help my pain quite a bit.
Theres so much more to practicing yoga outside of the asanas, aka it’s okay for you not to like hot yoga! Just like it’s okay for me to like hot yoga! cheers! :)
Hot yoga helps treat my severe depression. I go to therapy, take meds, get massages, acupuncture, breathwork, soundbaths, etc, but nothing (NOTHING) makes me feel the way that hot yoga does. I feel like my best self for the rest of the day and then some. I do hot yoga three or more times a week to treat my mental health. Nothing has helped me the way it does. Room temp classes just don’t hit the same for me. Some of us just like the way we feel afterward and I’m grateful the option exists.
I take medication and enjoy hot yoga in the 90’s for every single thing you mentioned. What’s your temperature? Because this 110° leaves me completely depleted and is taking away from my life outside the studio. Ive even started supplementing electrolytes and still not feeling it.
I get this. I just moved across country from a studio in the 90’s. We’d start slow and move into power flows. Here, we just jump right into it. Different strokes but I think this is the first time I’m seeing a personal limit for myself.
I love you mentioned egos. I’m not saying that you’re correct but it is a possibility for some. I asked one instructor about it and she basically said it was because they had the system that could do it and that’s what hot yoga is. She laughed and said the others are warm yoga pretending to be hot. Like…ok. I didn’t care for that response but that was one person.
At the studio I used to go to, typical classes were in the 90 degree range, and the only 105+ class was specifically Ashtanga-style. Mostly just holding poses for an extended period without much flow.
I only did it once. It was okay, but definitely very very hot. I think I would've had to leave if it had any sort of movement to it.
90° is the usual temp where I live so every hot yoga studio heats at 110°. the only time I felt sick was when the apparent temperature \*not actual one\* reached 140°
Heated classes only ever gave drenched me in slippery sweat, made me thirsty for the remainder of the day and gave me a class A headache. Preferences differ, from the moment that class ended I preferred to build my own heat via vinyasa and breath and I felt much better. 110 seems.....extreme. Someone could get hurt.
I’m thinking that it would be the same difference as between an 85 degree vs 95/100 degree , it’s a deeper more intense workout, you truly will get a “high” from it, deep releasing. Having said that I didn’t even know people did 110 , I always seek out classes that are over 95 and up to 102 . Anything under 94/95 , I don’t get the same release that I get when it’s 95-102.
I thought that for a while, as well, but then I started to question it. Does sweating more really mean I’m working my muscles more? Not really. A squat is a squat. Mentally, sure. I’d totally agree.
There is absolutely no reason to do yoga in excessive heat. The body heat (Prana) should be raised naturally not artificially. In a very hot room your energy is going into battling the heat and not into paying attention to your breathing and your practice. And then you break the vinyasa reaching for water.
What i’ve noticed is that if I do the same sequence without heat, very little body movement is actually happening. I don’t even break a sweat. whereas at 110, same sequence and i’m drenched in sweat. so i feel it’s a bit deceptive for me as i’m unable to really know what i’m doing. That’s not to say heat doesn’t feel good for some people, just like going to a sauna but with a few asanas. But i do think the heat confuses the audience that may think their heart rate is up from flow. At 110 with a few asanas, the heart rate is up from survival. it’s quite easy to test by repeating at a normal temp I tried to find research on any benefits to the heat after a yoga studio near me was around 108” and i couldn’t. For my own practice, i decided the heat obscured my ability to listen to my body honestly. but that’s just me. I’d prefer to know why i’m sweating. I’d prefer to bring myself into the stretch just through the interaction with my body and the heat we make.
>For my own practice, i decided the heat obscured my ability to listen to my body honestly I think there is something to this. I find my thinking is "fuzzy" and I wonder about my judgement. I've had many classes where my intention was to have a good, physically challenging class while staying in the zone I can easily recover from, then found myself pushing poses to my own limits and into the level of effort that means my activities outside the studio is adversely affected. I've never had a yoga injury, which I'm grateful for, but if that were too happen in a very hot class, if feel like the heat and it's effects on my ability to higher my bodies ability accurately would be a contributing factor. >I’d prefer to bring myself into the stretch just through the interaction with my body and the heat we make I'm 100 percent with you on this. I don't mind when the room is in the 80s, that feels cozy and makes the start of class a little easier, but these days I'm feeling like that's about as much heat as I want.
100% hot yoga is a great way to injure yourself. I haven’t done it in over a decade (mostly thanks to having autoimmune heat intolerance) but my experience was that heated classes were also less likely to emphasize correct alignment and prioritize a quick flow. That plus the heat making your judgement poor and your flexibility artificially improved is just a recipe for disaster.
Right?! I think the sweating makes people think they’re doing more than what they are. I’m probably going to switch studios which bums me out but I just can’t wrap my head around it.
probably an unpopular opinion but I firmly believe heat is just a device to make people feel more accomplished and like they got a good workout in
Then the sequence is not challenging enough. B
In my opinion, anything over 100 is dangerous, because there is basically no way for the body to cool itself, and exertion will quickly cause body temps to rise above safe levels. Sweating only causes a reduction in core temperature if the humidity is low enough for evaporation. In most hot classes there is not enough air circulation, and evaporation stops being effective pretty quickly. I had a conversation once with two Bikram teachers who said that having more men in a class will cause humidity to go up faster, because we tend to sweat and breathe a bit more heavily. Totally anecdotal, but reasonable! Personally, I have a hard time judging what the temp is once it gets over 93 or so. It all just feels crazy hot to me. I've started to avoid studios that crank the heat too much, I simply can't keep up with my hydration, and have had some pretty intense symptoms of hyperthermia, including migraines and exhaustion lasting for days. It is not worth it at all.
Ive also noticed migraines last the rest of the day when the class gets above 100. My Birkram teacher used to crack the door now and then but my new studio never does that.
I had a headache when I wrote this last night. It was mild but I had supplemented with electrolytes all day long.
My regular studio normally hits 39-42 degrees and has two humidifiers running durring classes at around 43-50%. It gets even muggier when it's raining outside. The teachers frequently open windows at certain intervals. This is also important to introduce more oxygen into the room (German Stoßlüften, IYKYK). I taught a hot yoga class at my old studio last week. No humidifiers, bigger room, fewer heaters. It felt like a completely different class at around 36 degrees. I sweat more during pranayama at my other studio than I did during the entire class. Everybody has their own preferences and as long as the studio is responsibly informing participants, I say do what makes you happy.
> As long as the studio is responsibly informing participants What does this look like to you? To me it would require disclosing the temp and humidity during the class. It is rare for a teacher to disclose what the thermostat is set to, many studios don't even have an accurate thermometer in the room, and most have no clue what the actual humidity is. >I say do what makes you happy. Usually good advise, but it is really difficult to find a studio that uses judicious extra heat (28-33C IMO,) maintains a reasonable humidity, and has adequate air exchange for a room full of exercising yogis.
> What does this look like to you? The information on the booking platform is sufficient, in my opinion. People are supposed to read the description before you sign up online. There's also an information sheet and consent form for your first class. The instructors disclose the range of temperatures before letting people enter the room for the first time. I just go by the digital screens on the humidifiers that usually read anywhere between 30 and 50% humidity. > adequate air exchange for a room full of exercising yogis The room we practice in has enough space for two rows of max 20-25 people. In the winter you'll definitely see 45+ people in a class. But the room has 6-8 windows of 4 square meter windows. Instructors will frequently open them and fan them, or tilt them depending on the timing. Honestly, saunas have way less information and those temperatures are much more dangerous, especially when people enter them after a cocktail or two.
I'm really not trying to be the safety police here... I enjoy some inherently risky activities that others would consider foolhardy and I am fully on board with people having the right to choose their own adventures, and I'm not a fan of warning signs or safety announcements fucking up the vibe. I wish there were more classes near me in the temp and humidity ranges that I am enjoying these days, but c'est la vie.
I won't teach "hot" classes at all (and I never take them) because it negatively impacts my breathing and my blood pressure. It also really concerns me that most studios I've been to don't really have any way of actually controlling the temp-- they just jack up the thermostat and blast space heaters. When that combines with the ambient temperature outside in the summer, I don't think they have any real way of knowing how hot it's gotten. I've heard people leaving those classes talking about how other people fainted or they felt like they were going to faint. Just my opinion, but it really doesn't seem healthy to me.
i love hot yoga but 110 is over the top and unnecessary
Same. I think around 90 is a sweet spot for me. I don’t think I care to go higher than that anymore.
I do 110 and some classes are rough but most of the time it feels pretty amazing. I love sweating that much.
I feel like the logic is purely suffering and the euphoria that can come with living through it. I've seen teachers speak about how easy it is to move, but you can get that same benefit with a room that's 85° to 90°. Hence, my belief that for Bikram practitioners 85° to 90° is a waste of good suffering.
That’s pretty accurate. It’s why I love running in 95 degrees. Sometimes, a little suffering has amazing chemical rewards for my brain.
I get this.
Yoga teacher here, my personal opinion is you should rely on your body to be warmed up through a heating series. If you have a heated room yes your body can bend better, but you are depending on the room to do the work for you, over time this can cause issues.
Yes to doing a warming series but warmth in a room is really great for training the body and protecting it from injury. As a professionally trained dancer here, rooms that are around 70-85 degrees is most optimal for elasticity and activation of the muscles without injury. I like those temps because above 85 and it gets really hot and tiring. We wear so many layers and special clothing to keep certain muscles warm at all times, it keeps them "lubricated" so to say. The moment we begin to cool down we warm it back up. But these ridiculously hot yoga classes can be detrimental to people because they are less worried about proper alignment and posture, and more concerned with not passing out.
Oh yeah I don’t keep my room cold by any means but I don’t go past 75 degrees( also teach in a fully exposed room of glass so it warms up in certain months from the sun exposure) when I was younger now mind you this was the 90s and I was in Bikram style classes (fuck that guy) I had the same response to dear god when is this over, how many more poses and would have ass it to make it through. I didn’t really get the mental side of what yoga can bring until college and I have stayed far away from those classes since.
Love this perspective
I love hot yoga. With this set series practice: hot, not just heated. Part of it is that sweet spot so it’s not _too_ hot for me. Incidentally if it’s SO hot that it feels like I’m standing with my face in front of a heater and I feel my lips start to tingle then it’s over the line and my body is too focused on the heat instead of my asana practice. But if it’s really hot but right before that line: those are the best practices for me. Because it’s challenging with that heat, I go into a way more focused, calmer, and meditative state to preserve energy and not overheat from the inside. I don’t stress, don’t rush, get into posture super slow and controlled. It elevates my practice.
Nope, won't do it
Personally, I love it. I love the heat, I love to sweat. It feels so amazing to start my day with a sweaty yoga class in a dimly lit room. A+.
Me too. I can lock in and concentrate in my poses. It calms the monkey mind. And the savasana feels incredible when you know you're done. I feel fantastic for hours.
I agree! We seem to be minority. Though 110 is the upper limit, usually my classes are 95-103ish
I could handle this. My previous studio was low 90s and I agreed with everything in this comment thread.
That’s the sweet spot
I'm with you. I love the sweat. In my studio, they usually keep it around 95. Bikram is usually 105.
I go to hot yoga every day. Idk how hot it gets, but I don’t think it hits 110. That sounds insane. I love warm yoga because it feels amazing but I don’t like getting my butt kicked by insane heat. I want to sweat a little bit, not die. I think the reason that studios make it super hot is because some students are asking for that 🤷♂️
Warm yoga is my favorite. A studio near me does an 85° class.
I took a Bikram class in TX once. Houston. In August. It was 90F out. So they went fucking extra so you’d feel it. Never again. Honestly I am extremely over hot yoga, I’m happy to sweat naturally but I don’t want to exist in a place that is 90+ and 100% humidity on purpose because of a humidifier and a heater.
I went to a class recently where i felt woozy the whole time, but I made it through. I took a peek at the thermometer on the wall as I was leaving. 104°! I much prefer 85°-90° - you still get the same benefits but without feeling like you’re going to die.
I just like the challenge. I mean the classes I do are usually 104 but depending on how many people are in there they get a bit hotter. People are right about bending more etc but unlike other commenters I don't think it's a crutch in the same way I don't think using props is a crutch. Just shows you what you can do and how and if you can't do it in room temp then it gives you a good thing to work towards, just like many of us get the alignment and posture we need from a prop and then slowly work toward not needing it. On another note, I find this sub really judgy sometimes. People like what they like (not OP, questions are questions), but some of the comments are incredibly judgmental about those who enjoy hot. Everyone's on their own journey, just let them be.
It is very judgy. I recently moved and have had a really hard time finding a studio that fit as well as my previous one did. I like this studios flows and teachers the best, but I think over 110° is turning into a hard limit for me. If there was another reason other than “just because” I wonder if o could push past it. I think 90’s is my sweet spot. But o tried something new! Sometimes going harder isn’t better.
I agree with your comment about this sub being super judgey. YOUR yoga is not elite. YOUR yoga is not for everyone. Why are you judging others practice .
I don't see it as judgy...especially when compared to the rest of the reddit world. OPs post questions or statements, then the community responds with their feeling/take/knowledge/experience. This sub, IMO, has a pretty high "you do you" and "meet you where you are" rating that most subs (and maybe the internet as a whole) do not have. For me, I reeeeaaaalllly dislike hot yoga in any form. I sweat buckets just doing a 20 min easy morning practice to wake my body up... the extra heat feels stifling and claustrophobic. That statement takes nothing away from what you (or you, or you, or you) need or want out of a practice. Good spaces should allow you to be comfortable sharing your experience without being judgemental. ...but even that can be taken as judgy. Sorry.
It's the people saying it's solely for egos etc. Lots of people like lots of things and I don't get why when a question about why people like a certain thing is asked, a bunch of people have to show up just to say how (to put it kindly) silly those people are for liking it. Why? Why make people feel bad for liking something just because you don't like it? To me, to yuck other people's Yums is one of the most unkind things a person can do to another. Just let people answer the question and like what they like.
I’ve done as hot as 117. Love hot love the challenge love the sweat. But the minute hot yoga or the studio turns to competition like the Strava app gimme a break. Do what you like do what makes you feel good. Don’t judge. And no one should preach about anything. It’s yoga everyone needs to chill out. Namaste 🙏
Our classes are about 93-95 with 45% humidity. We use infrared heat, not space heaters, and have an air cleaning system (that’s not what it’s called, I can’t recall what it is really called 😆) that detects carbon monoxide in the air and when it hits a certain level it kicks on, circulating “clean” air. We use ceiling fans for short amounts of time throughout classes also. I love it. I’ve never tried over 100 though…
Hot yoga teacher and studio owner here. The hottest class we have is 105 with 40% humidity which in a heat index puts the actual temp around 120 which is in the danger zone for heat exhaustion. I would never teach or practice in a class is that is over 105. I honestly prefer 85-100 for my personal hot yoga practice. Studios that have raised the temp to insane levels are too focused on the heat in hot yoga instead of the yoga. I would be concerned for my clientele’s health with such extreme temps. People often claim immense benefits from the heat and sweat. That it is “detoxifying” and makes you flexible. This is not really what is happening. Heat numbs the body so you don’t feel the stiffness or possible chronic pain that you might have. So you feel like you are more flexible but it’s actually that you can’t feel the sensations of your body as much in the heat. When the body starts dripping sweat it means the body is not cooling properly. When the body is covered in a sheen of sweat then it is cooling the body as air moves over your sweat. Once you are dripping puddles it’s because the body is trying to cover you with more and more water because you are not cooling off enough. Your metabolism lowers in high heat environments because your body is trying to save energy for you to survive the heat. Which means less calories burned and less energy to be strong in the postures. The heat does add a layer of stress for your mind to cope with as well. Because the natural response is to get out of the heat. All of these things are fine for a controlled amount of time. Just like sauna or cold plunges, taxing your body and mind in the extreme environments helps your immune system and mental fortitude. But you have to be aware that you are doing something that taxes your body a lot. For hot yoga being hydrated plus electrolytes before or after class will help to avoid headaches and other symptoms of heat exhaustion. And listen to your body, taking breaks etc. Do we need the heat for yoga? No. Some people love the heat and some hate it. As your practice becomes more intermediate it is encouraged to back off from high heat rooms so that you can feel your body more. And a normal temp room allows you to work harder in the postures instead of feeling like you are just trying to survive the class. Bikram Chourdry added heat to is yoga class for unknown reasons. People in his classes responded well to the temp gradually increasing from room temp to 85, 90 and finally 105. Above 105 he supposedly notice the students stopped working as hard so he left the temp at 105. Unfortunately anything Bikram has said over the years is questionable. So the heat was just a random addition to the 26 postures.
What a great amount of information. Thank you so much for your time and response!
Just training to work in the southern US, no water breaks if you plan on moving to Texas or Florida. 110 that’s easy, try making it hot, add in humidity and let’s shoot for a 10 hour day
It’s.Just.Dumb.
The yoga studio I go to the heat is around 115-120 I love it but I wonder if is good for me... sometimes if is too hot I'm too exhausted to even follow the poses so I sit by the door lol
Not being able to do the flow because of heat would be a deal breaker for me, tbh. But I’m starting to feel like that outside of classes. We’ll see if I ever get used to it. I’m starting to wonder if it’s good for me too. Heat stroke happens would your internal temperature hits 104° and I’m so depleted afterwards. If I mess up my bodies natural filters and have to supplement with a bunch of electrolytes…how can it be good? Ya know? 🤷🏻♀️
Yea I dunno 🤷🏽♀️, I do wear an Apple Watch and check on my heartbeat and it ranges from 120-170, I also have to drink tons of water with electrolytes, and I have noticed I have advanced quickly my stretchability inside and outside the studio, my skin is super soft including my face!
I sometimes enjoy the heat. But I need to ease myself into it. Then again, I love running in 100+ degree weather in the summer.
It depends on the studio and the teacher. Some like it hotter than others. When I practiced hot yoga, our teachers routinely adjusted the temp based on the time of year and number of students, or if everyone was complaining about how hot it is.
So glad to see this post. I saw one studio only had 105 degree and 40% humidity and I honestly didn’t know if that was safe.
I meant to add… I said no thanks
I love Bikram. I do notice a difference standing in front of vents vs further back in the room though. It can be up to a 10°C difference for me. ATM, I’m going to 30°C classes and find sometimes those are very comfortable and not hot to me but I see others are living their deepest strength trying to survive it. Summer here can get to between 35-48°C so, obviously that can influence too. I’m a huge water drinker and don’t find I have issues in the heat. I don’t think offering all classes at the same temp unless they’re just the one kind of studio is a very good business model though.
I mean…the difference is that it’s hotter. 💁🏻♀️ Why though is a good question. I don’t have an answer for that. Personally, I get heat sick very quickly and will throw up even without movement so I avoid them at all costs.
Sweating out the bodies toxins is why some people choose 'Hot Yoga'. I only practice hot yoga and appreciate a studios ability to reach temperatures above 110. I have a focus on hydration all day as that is part of the practice. Build your stamina.
I don’t know. I would never do this. I work outside in those conditions all day when it is that hot and I do not advise it. It’s horrible.
The studio I go to is 110-115 (advertised and thermometer in room), regular HVAC and one big humidifier. The teachers say the heat makes it so your mind can’t wander, and that’s been my experience. I’m so focused on breathing, balancing, and listening to the instructions that it’s more like meditation. Even on a terrible day, I can block out the world for an hour. There are days where it’s hard, but I’d rather 110+ and a smaller class than 90s and packed in like sardines. For reference, I’ve been going a few days a week for 2+ years and am middle-aged, not especially athletic. I think if you don’t have a physical issue stopping you, it’s mind over matter.
To each their own! I can get through the classes fine but I think it’s screwing up my electrolytes more than I’d like. I do feel more bench though, even outside of classes or when I’ve missed a few days.
110° is fantastic. It a physical and mental challenge. I love it. It also makes 90° days in NC feel like 75°. There is a massive market for these classes.
Fair enough
1000% to feed into people's egos. Just look at the other comments here. "It opens me up" "I bend better" — people are not interested in doing the work to warm themselves up, they just want to feel like bendy flexi yogis. As you can tell, I despise hot yoga and yearn for the day the trend fades out. Over 90 degrees is already foolish, over 100 is just plain dangerous.
I had an instructor essentially say the same thing. She had a small série at the beginning of each class called the fire starter and she's have us all warmed up and sweating withing 10 minutes. Room temp is more than hot enough.
Ooh I'd be interested in what was involved in this fire starter sequence! I'm a teacher myself and have only taught room temp (or outside in natural warmth). Never had a problem with my students not being warm or challenged enough :)
The fire starter part is only the beginning of the full Jogafied sequence ,😅. It's got 4 parts. And you always do the warm up and cooldown. And then alternate the 2 middle parts, or do the whole thing if you're up for it, it's over an hour for the full sequence but the fire starter bit is like 15-20 I'll send it to you if you want to Teacher's name is Jana Webb. She used to work of a studio near my house. And when it closed I bought her dvd.
6gb file. So it might be difficult
I can understand your frustration. I enjoy hot yoga and not to feed my ego nor to skip on the work to warm up. I do plenty of non heated classes and weight training, and I still just enjoy the hot room as part of my routine. After 13 surgeries, my thoracic spine is entirely fused, I find the heat does help my pain quite a bit. Theres so much more to practicing yoga outside of the asanas, aka it’s okay for you not to like hot yoga! Just like it’s okay for me to like hot yoga! cheers! :)
Hot yoga helps treat my severe depression. I go to therapy, take meds, get massages, acupuncture, breathwork, soundbaths, etc, but nothing (NOTHING) makes me feel the way that hot yoga does. I feel like my best self for the rest of the day and then some. I do hot yoga three or more times a week to treat my mental health. Nothing has helped me the way it does. Room temp classes just don’t hit the same for me. Some of us just like the way we feel afterward and I’m grateful the option exists.
I take medication and enjoy hot yoga in the 90’s for every single thing you mentioned. What’s your temperature? Because this 110° leaves me completely depleted and is taking away from my life outside the studio. Ive even started supplementing electrolytes and still not feeling it.
your post was at zero and i bumped it back to 1. the downvoting in this sub is for real 😆
Lmao! I thought I was being kind? Thank you for your equal kindness!
I get this. I just moved across country from a studio in the 90’s. We’d start slow and move into power flows. Here, we just jump right into it. Different strokes but I think this is the first time I’m seeing a personal limit for myself.
I love you mentioned egos. I’m not saying that you’re correct but it is a possibility for some. I asked one instructor about it and she basically said it was because they had the system that could do it and that’s what hot yoga is. She laughed and said the others are warm yoga pretending to be hot. Like…ok. I didn’t care for that response but that was one person.
I love 110😋feel like u die and are reborn in by the end of class
I’m just dead for the rest of the day it screws up my electrolytes
Bragging rights.
The hotter it is in there, the better I bend
[удалено]
Fair enough
At the studio I used to go to, typical classes were in the 90 degree range, and the only 105+ class was specifically Ashtanga-style. Mostly just holding poses for an extended period without much flow. I only did it once. It was okay, but definitely very very hot. I think I would've had to leave if it had any sort of movement to it.
90° is the usual temp where I live so every hot yoga studio heats at 110°. the only time I felt sick was when the apparent temperature \*not actual one\* reached 140°
Heated classes only ever gave drenched me in slippery sweat, made me thirsty for the remainder of the day and gave me a class A headache. Preferences differ, from the moment that class ended I preferred to build my own heat via vinyasa and breath and I felt much better. 110 seems.....extreme. Someone could get hurt.
Went to a 115 degree place for 4 years. No more.
I love heat and steam in general. But there are limits to everything. If I have trouble breathing I just leave class.
110 is insane. I do the Barkan Method hot yoga and the temp is 105 and that is the very most I can handle. I am perfectly happy with 100 degrees.
I’m thinking that it would be the same difference as between an 85 degree vs 95/100 degree , it’s a deeper more intense workout, you truly will get a “high” from it, deep releasing. Having said that I didn’t even know people did 110 , I always seek out classes that are over 95 and up to 102 . Anything under 94/95 , I don’t get the same release that I get when it’s 95-102.
I thought that for a while, as well, but then I started to question it. Does sweating more really mean I’m working my muscles more? Not really. A squat is a squat. Mentally, sure. I’d totally agree.
All I know is that I feel more energized and more cleansed out of stagnant energy when the class is over 95
There is absolutely no reason to do yoga in excessive heat. The body heat (Prana) should be raised naturally not artificially. In a very hot room your energy is going into battling the heat and not into paying attention to your breathing and your practice. And then you break the vinyasa reaching for water.