Hot Yoga is a sequence of yoga postures performed in a heated environment. The increased temperature in the room allows an increase in stretching and flexibility and helps to prevent injury. The hot temperature, combined with the yoga poses means that you will sweat a lot and burn off a lot of calories.
Hot Yoga can help to improve flexibility, suppleness and strength. Hot Yoga can also help with the ability to deal with stress and to increase relaxation. Hot Yoga can be a very effective way of losing weight and toning up.x
Hot Yoga is typically performed at a temperature of about 100-105 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade), depending on the humidity of the room.
A typical 90 minute session of Hot Yoga will burn about 350 to 1000 calories, depending on a number of factors, such as your weight, your sex and how strenuously you participate.
Bring your own yoga mat, a towel, water to drink, and very light weight exercise clothing. We rent mats and towels at YogaFlex and sell water in case you don't have these things, or forget them.
Everybody is different but the first time you come - No! Don't eat anything for at least 2 hours before your class - ideally eat nothing 3 hours before your class. Once you get used to coming, you can experiment with eating something light before class and see how your body responds.
Yes! Drink plenty of water before, during and after the class.
Hydrate, before, during and after class. Come to class fully hydrated and drink lots of water after class to replenish lost fluids from your yoga practice. Did we mention HYDRATE? In Hot Yoga, you can sweat up to a liter and a half of water (that’s a couple of pounds of water weight) in a class and it needs replacement. So drink lots of water BEFORE you come to class and as needed during class. Then go ahead and drink some more.
Bring your water bottles (at least one liter) to class. (You can bring your own or purchase water at the reception). In Hot Yoga, the teacher will tell you when water breaks are during the class. We encourage you to bring your own refillable, reusable water bottle.
Be quiet and respectful of others in the yoga room. Our lobby and locker areas are meant to be places of social interaction and connection. There is ALWAYS at least 30 minutes in between classes - please take your time exiting the studio, use the shower facilities, or chat with your fellow yogis and teachers. However the yoga room is intended to be a quiet place before AND AFTER class, so please enter and leave quietly. PLEASE WAIT to clean your yoga mats until final savasana (rest) is over. Lay your mat down and roll it up quiety and please clean around your area. How you enter and leave the yoga room is part of your practice. Shoes, phones and keys stay OUTSIDE the yoga room ALWAYS.
Shorts, leggings, t-shirts, tank tops, sport bras, bathing suits, etc. Men usually wear shorts and t-shirts or go shirtless. Remember, it is hot in the Hot Yoga room and cotton clothing tends to absorb sweat and may seem uncomfortable. We recommend close-fitting workout or yoga attire.
Bring your own mat and towel or rent one at the front desk. The yoga towel goes over the sticky yoga mat. You need both. Some people bring a beach towel to use in place of a yoga towel.
If there are mirrors, focus on your own reflection in the mirror and direct your mind within. Leave the outside world thoughts outside the yoga room and rest your mind (i.e., focus it on your yoga practice and your breathing). Learn to love your sweat rather than constantly wiping. Wiping causes you to sweat more. Your sweat is your body working to keep you cool. Embrace it.
Stay in the room for the duration of the entire class. Find child’s pose or savasana if you need to rest, and please try not to leave the room except in cases of illness or other real emergency. If you must leave the room due to illness, please allow the teacher (or someone they ask to help) to ASSIST you out of the room safely. The intention is to keep everyone focused and in the present and to allow your body to acclimate to practicing whether in a heated room or not. An extreme change in temperature may exacerbate any feelings of dizziness, nausea or light headedness. In most cases, students are able to stay in the room or even rejoin class AFTER a short rest and some water.
Please be on time out of respect for your teacher, fellow students and their yoga experience. It is disruptive to have students entering after the start of class. At certain class times, we lock the doors to the studio at the start of class so ideally, you should arrive 15 minutes early. If this is your first class, please come 20 minutes early. Please have your mat and towel set up BEFORE the class time so we can start and end class on time. ALL students must sign in at the reception.
Talk to your fellow yogis/yoginis. This is your yoga family, your home. Yoga is about connection and YogaFlex believes strongly in community. Smile, introduce yourself, say hello to others. You will be surprised how this will shift your perspective on class and enhance the group energy by participating in it.
Please enter the yoga room with your mat, towel and water ONLY. Please keep your cell phones and all electronic devices out of the yoga room. If (and only if) you are an emergency medical personnel, phone on silent and place it UNDER your yoga mat and please check only during water breaks or in between poses. Please inform your teacher before class if you this applies to you.
Yoga is done barefoot. Please remove your shoes upon entering the studio . You can either leave them at the front door or use the cubbies to store them until after class.
Please refrain from wearing perfume or scented lotions or oils. Some of your fellow yogis may be sensitive to these smells.
Please follow the instructions your teacher gives you. Unless invited by your teacher, save your questions and comments for after class. We will be more than happy to answer all your questions before or after class.
A yoga class is like a bubble. People coming in and out disrupts that energy. If you know you are going to leave early, please tell the teacher in advance and place your mat near the exit. If you are dizzy, nauseas, light-headed, tired or out of breath, lay down on your mat, the whole class if necessary. Just being in the room and breathing allows you to experience the energy. Bit by bit, you will experience shifts in your body, your breath, your mind and your life.
Our lobby, reception, hallways, and changing rooms are social areas to meet and talk with the YogaFlex instructors and your fellow yogis, and we encourage you to do so. The yoga room on the other hand is a place for focus and meditation, so please be quiet and respect the silence of the space. If you arrive early, consider closing your eyes and breathing or doing some gentle stretches to prepare your body for class. Your practice begins when you walk into the yoga room.
Worrying is like praying for what you DON'T want! No worries at YogaFlex!
