About Hot Yoga at Wellness Forum Health
Our core “brand” of yoga involves 26 poses, all of which are performed twice in a 90-minute class. The room is kept at 105 degrees, and a humidifier is used in order to keep the room hot, which promotes both sweating (detoxification) and stretching.
The heat is a very important part of the class experience because it allows your muscles to experience a maximum stretch while minimizing the risk of injury.
It does take some time to get used to the heat. Your first goal is to get to the place where you can stay in the classroom for the full 90 minutes. The number of classes required for becoming accustomed to the heat can range from one to several. Please do not get discouraged. Even if you spend significant portions of the class sitting on your mat and watching, you will learn from listening to the teacher and watching her make corrections during the class.
Class Frequency
The most important thing is consistency, so commit to a number of weekly classes that you know you can sustain. Taking class every day for a month, getting burned out and quitting will not result in improvement; taking 2 classes per week for the rest of your life will.
Pay attention to what you eat.
Eating well will help you to perform better in class, but will also help improve your overall health as well. It is best to eat a plant-based (but not necessarily vegetarian diet), with lots of complex carbohydrates for energy.
Eating small meals throughout the day will keep your blood sugar levels even, and help to keep you from overeating.
Do not come to yoga class hungry, as this will contribute to dizziness, nausea and overall weakness. If you are coming to a morning yoga class, a healthy breakfast comprised of 400 calories is advisable 1-2 hours before class. If you are attending an evening class and coming straight from work, a banana (or two), half of a peanut butter sandwich. A small bowl of cereal with almond milk, or a similar choice 30-45 minutes before class is helpful.
Heavy foods, high-fat foods, dairy products and highly refined foods consumed before class can cause problems and affect your yoga performance.
If you need assistance in improving or changing your diet, consider taking classes offered by our parent company, Wellness Forum Health.
Stay hydrated
Adult humans need at least 64 ounces of filtered water daily. Exercise and the consumption of beverages containing caffeine increase daily water needs. To avoid becoming dehydrated in class, consume adequate water daily. Weaning yourself off of caffeine will also be helpful.
On days that you come to class, you should plan to consume at least 32 ounces of additional water to avoid becoming dehydrated.
No pain, no gain!
In order to improve your fitness, strength, and flexibility, you may need to experience some discomfort in the short term. This can include headaches, fatigue, muscle soreness and overall discomfort. These are not signs that you should stop coming to class, but rather signs that you need to be in class! As your overall level of fitness, nutritional status, flexibility, balance, and ability to tolerate the heat improve, these symptoms will dissipate.
Make a commitment!
To become good at yoga, you must practice. Don’t compare yourself to others, but rather monitor your progress based on your own starting point. People who practice yoga for life become and remain more flexible, more fit and more resistant to injuries.