Hot Yoga--beginner tips?

Triskele2

Participating in my first hot yoga class Tuesday evening.

Any tips on what to expect and/or suggestions? I'm not entirely new to yoga, but have never tried hot yoga.

Thanks!

PieAndLattes

I love hot yoga, even though I know that it's not a terribly more effective calorie burn than regular yoga (which has an incredibly variable and possibly a minimal calorie burn, depending on the style of yoga) -- I just love the heat.

1) You're going to sweat, so be prepared. A towel for your mat (a large beach towel if you don't have a yoga mat towel) and another hand towel for you to towel off. If it turns out that hot yoga is something you like, there are mats you can use without a towel, but if the room is sufficiently heated, your usual mat probably won't cut it.

2) Go hydrated. Drink water before you go, throughout the day.

3) Stay hydrated. Don't be afraid to drink at any time. Take care of you. Some strict and regimented teachers try to tell you to wait for an appropriate pre-determined time to stop for a drink. You need to stay hydrated, particularly if you're an aggressive sweater. Take care of you.

4) Don't be afraid to rest if you need to.

5) Don't eat a big meal for at least an hour before. I usually grab something small, like a protein or granola bar, if I think I need a boost before.

6) Deodorant

7) A change of clothes. You might be hot and sticky afterwards and getting in your car after is kind of gross, and you might be fairly chilly if your weather is cooling off.

That's all I've got for now. Hope you enjoy.

oh_happy_day

cvs1234 wrote: »

I love hot yoga, even though I know that it's not a terribly more effective calorie burn than regular yoga (which has an incredibly variable and possibly a minimal calorie burn, depending on the style of yoga) -- I just love the heat.

1) You're going to sweat, so be prepared. A towel for your mat (a large beach towel if you don't have a yoga mat towel) and another hand towel for you to towel off. If it turns out that hot yoga is something you like, there are mats you can use without a towel, but if the room is sufficiently heated, your usual mat probably won't cut it.

2) Go hydrated. Drink water before you go, throughout the day.

3) Stay hydrated. Don't be afraid to drink at any time. Take care of you. Some strict and regimented teachers try to tell you to wait for an appropriate pre-determined time to stop for a drink. You need to stay hydrated, particularly if you're an aggressive sweater. Take care of you.

4) Don't be afraid to rest if you need to.

5) Don't eat a big meal for at least an hour before. I usually grab something small, like a protein or granola bar, if I think I need a boost before.

6) Deodorant

7) A change of clothes. You might be hot and sticky afterwards and getting in your car after is kind of gross, and you might be fairly chilly if your weather is cooling off.

That's all I've got for now. Hope you enjoy.

Agree with all of this. Also, avoid cotton. You'll just saturate it with sweat and it'll be gross and heavy. Wear something designed to wick away the sweat. People usually wear pretty tight and skimpy clothes because it's so damn hot. Wear what you're comfortable in, but avoid cotton. It can take a while to get used to the heat, so don't be afraid to rest in childs pose when you need to. Fainting isn't fun!

Triskele2

Thanks so much for the tips, cvs, I appreciate it! I'm very excited to try hot yoga. I don't do yoga for the calorie burn, but because it literally takes all of the aches away from my body, makes me feel lighter, and I feel a good inch taller when I leave class. I'm always cold and love the heat. Hubby always teases me because I run a heater in my office when it's 95 degrees outside.

I'll go purchase a yoga towel for my mat tomorrow. That's such a good point -- I imagine the mat can become quite slippery.

Take care and thanks again for the response!
--Trisk

Triskele2

Thanks happy day! Awesome tip about the cotton shirt. Guess I'll be buying a quick wick shirt AND mat towel tomorrow.