Hot Yoga- Bikram

Hot yoga is becoming increasingly popular.  Recently, I have decided to give it a try after much persuasion from my friends.  Since I have very low tolerance for heat, I cringed at the thought of exercising inside a room of 105 degrees Fahrenheit.  Nonetheless, I like to give everything a try before writing it off, so I did.  Aside from a slight headache after my first session of Bikram, I actually enjoyed it.  While you are in class, the air may feel stuffy and moist.  You may even find it a bit more difficult to concentrate due to the intensity of the heat.  It is very important to keep yourself hydrated throughout the class.  I believe that my headache from first session was from a very minor heat stroke due to dehydration.  In order to avoid that, it's good to drink an adequate amount of water throughout your workout (bring 2 regular water bottles at least).

What makes hot yoga so appealing?  After a few classes, I do understand why it's addicting.  The deep stretches help loosen the tight muscles and make you feel much lighter in places where you felt tense before.  By the end of the workout, you also feel a sense of detox from all the sweating, which is quite exhilarating.

Before becoming a member to any hot yoga studio, you should take advantage of their new student trial memberships if they have one.  If not, you should take a couple classes at different locations before deciding.  The floors of hot yoga studios are extremely important since you don't want to stay in a room where it's very stinky and germ-filled.  I would suggest picking a studio which has wooden floors or non-porous and non-absorbent premium mats.  Ventilation is equally important to flooring since you will not want to stay in a room with no proper air flow.

As for teaching style, every instructor is a bit different.  Moreover, everyone's body is different.  It's important to try different classes and different instructors to see which suit your style and needs best.  Bikram is considered the hottest, but the movement is not as difficult as for example, hot power yoga.  You may like yoga classes which is slightly cooler in temperature but harder in movements or vice versa.  It's important to listen to your body!