April 21, 2011

Regular Yoga vs. Hot Yoga

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

70 comments

Morning!

I have a debate for you all today — regular yoga or hot yoga?

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Lately I’ve been really into power yoga, but if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I didn’t always enjoy yoga. In fact, I used to hate it. But a couple years ago, that all changed. I finally “got” yoga, and I even wrote a blog post about how I went from hating yoga to loving it.

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(Rocking my “Vegetarian… except for bacon” shirt, heh!)

But while I absolutely love vinyasa-style flow yoga and power yoga (SO great for running cross-training), and have even learned to crave it when I haven’t done it for a few days, the jury is still out for me and hot yoga.

A couple months ago, I bought a Living Social deal for 10 hot yoga classes for $20.

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If you’ve never done hot yoga before, it’s basically a series of specific yoga poses done in a room heated to about 100 degrees. The room is heated to warm and lengthen your muscles, preventing injuries and allowing for a deeper release and stretch. The movements are much slower than power yoga and you hold the poses for longer. You will be VERY sweaty — the goal is to help the body flush out toxins in the form of sweat.

I finally got around to going to a hot yoga class over the weekend with my friend Lauren. I’ve done hot yoga a couple times before, but not in a reeeeeally long time. But I did know that I would need a towel to put over my mat and a huge container of water — there would be a LOT of sweating happening!

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90 minutes later, we emerged looking like we had gone swimming. While I enjoyed the workout, I didn’t like it nearly as much as I do power yoga. I didn’t feel as stretched out as I normally do (I missed the flow and runner’s type stretches like triangle pose, lunge, etc.), and I had a harder time calming my mind, likely due to the 90 minute length. Hot yoga is also a lot slower than the power yoga I’m used to, which gave me time to let thoughts of “this is a waste of time” and “this is weird” creep back into my mind like they used to when I first started yoga.

I think I need to view hot yoga as a challenge to remind myself to quiet my mind and embrace the experience; a big part of yoga, I’ve learned, is not just physical, but mental. The added heat with hot yoga makes it even more challenging to relax, embrace the moment, and not panic or mentally give up on the experience.

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I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you tried hot yoga? If so, did you like it? Should I give it another chance? How do you like it compared to regular yoga?

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A couple blog-related updates:

  • By popular demand, I have added a “favorites” category to my recipe page! Boy was it hard to choose 🙂 Go see if you’ve tried my favorites and please let me know what yours are, too! Did I miss any really good ones?
  • I FINALLY updated my health tips & favorite posts page! Go check it out 🙂
  • I updated my running training page with my current PR’s (personal records) — yay!
  • Stay tuned for a giveaway tomorrow!

I was feeling motivated last night, apparently! Most likely because working on the blog = not working on school work 😉

Speaking of — time to pack a quick lunch and then I’m off to give a group presentation in my Medical Nutrition Therapy class, eek! Wish us luck!

- anne

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70 comments
  • Hi Anne! I hopped on over to your blog after seeing it on Carrots N' Cake and am enjoying reading up on your fitness tips and older posts! In terms of yoga, I really like hot yoga and actually now have the 'bored' feeling with regular yoga. I love running, and bikram feels more of a cardio workout, but also with the meditative aspect as well, which is why I enjoy it more. It definitely took me a couple of classes to feel comfortable with it and to start understanding how I need to go about it, so I think you should continue to give it a shot and I hope you find that you like it to!
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    • Welcome to the blog! :) I will definitely give it another shot, if only to get my money's worth from the Living Social deal, hehe.
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  • It sounds like your hot yoga was a Bikram class, which is a specific (much slower, predictable) type of hot yoga! But I used to take a hot vinyasa class in Charlotte that I LOVED. You should look around for another hot class that is more of a power flow, and not Bikram - much more fun!
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    • YES that's what I need to find!
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      • I agree! I do hot power vinyasa yoga in the Baptiste style, and it's amazing! :)
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  • I just recently started doing yoga and I can already tell I like power yoga the best. It's hard for me to personally calm my thoughts during other classes when I don't really feel like I'm working hard. With power yoga, I'm so concentrated on the movements and breathing that it's kind of automatic. I haven't tried hot yoga yet but I would like to give it a shot at some point, that's for sure.
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  • It sounds like you have yet to try the awesome kind of hot yoga: Hot Baptiste Vinyasa!! It's power yoga done hot, and it's what Emily and Meghann and Caitlin and I all love. I just did a quick search and didn't see any studios in CH, but keep your eye out for it.
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    • Bust I wish they had some of those here! That sounds perfect! I've been seeing you all write about those and it sounds WAY better.
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  • I love Bikram yoga, but when I took a "hot" yoga at my gym, I was super disappointed - I called it warm yoga, and it just felt kind of bleh for me. I can't get excited about a yoga class that doesn't challenge me, and I feel like my mind will wander and I lose some of the bigger benefits of yoga if I'm not concentrating and working hard to get into the poses. I took one class where we did sun salutations for 45 minutes and I almost walked out - I can do that at home.
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  • I'm a big thumbs down on hot yoga... But I'm also the kind of person who faints in a sauna so anything with extreme heat is not for me. I have never actually tried it but I used to take a Vinyasa class in a room which had a hot yoga class immediately beforehand and I couldn't even walk in the room for 5 minutes until the place cooled down. That told me hot yoga was not for me ;)
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  • It sounds like the specific hot yoga you're referring to is Bikram Yoga, which is the 100+ degree room with the 26 specific poses all done twice. The hot yoga classes I've been taking this week are Baptiste Power Yoga, and it's in a slightly less hot room (~95 degrees) and involves all the poses you're probably more used to doing (and not always in the exact same order every time.) I find it more challenging than Bikram pose-wise, but a little easier to manage heat-wise (I didn't feel NEARLY as nauseous, hahaha.) So I agree with Kath, you'll probably enjoy trying that out, and the next time you're back up here we can go to the studio I've been going to in FC and you can show off your mad, puts-me-to-shame posing skillz. :)
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    • YES that's what I want. I especially don't like that Bikram is ALWAYS the exact same poses in the same order. I find it really distracting/boring to know exactly what's coming...
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  • I adore hot yoga so much more! Now if I take a regular yoga classes, I really miss the heat! I also take Hot Pilates classes sometimes :)
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    • They have hot pilates?! Cool!
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  • Definitely agree with Kath on this one. I initially grew to love yoga by doing Vinyasa Power yoga (not hot), but then tried out the Vinyasa Power yoga in a heated room. It is AWESOME! Definitely tough, really works your muscles and leaves you feeling reaaallly stretched out. I think what you did was Bikram, which I have yet to do.
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  • I'm in the same boat! I've only done hot yoga once and absolutely despised it! It was a Bikram class so it was boring, hot in a bad way, and I can tell you for sure that I don't like having orders barked at me while twisting around. I haven't been able to find a hot vinyasa class in my area, but I have a good feeling that that would be a million times more enjoyable!
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  • I am dying to try hot yoga but the only studio by me charges $25 for ONE class! That is so expensive, and I am afraid I will love it and not be able to afford it. I do lots of yoga stretches and poses at home, but I really want to start going to my gym's classes. All I have is a pilates mat which is a bit thicker- do you think I can get away with using that or will it look too weird/obvious? The main reason I haven't gone to classes sooner is because I am afraid to look dumb, so I want to make sure I have the right equipment!
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    • Never worry about looking dumb in an exercise class! Everyone is just there to do their thang, no worries :) I actually didn't even realize that pilates mats were different, ha! I use the same type of mat for pilates, yoga, hot yoga... whatever! I have a couple thin ones and a couple thick that I alternate - the thick are my faves, even in yoga, though, because sometimes you do stuff involving having one knee down, and more cushion is a good thing! :) Just make sure the mat isn't slippery - you definitely don't want that for yoga.
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      • Ohh, that's great news! Thanks! I think I might go to the 5:00 class at my gym tonight- thick mat and all! :)
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        • Do it! :) I bet you'll find others have all sorts of different mats, too.
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  • I am currently transitioning from hating yoga to liking yoga. I've tried hot yoga at 2 different studios over the last year and a few really good vinyasa flow classes. I think I get more out of the vinyasa classes - I feel nice and stretched, calm, but I also worked hard to get those poses. Bikram is too slow like you said - I need the faster pace to keep from getting bored and to feel as though I'm also getting a good work out. I also have a really hard time with the 90 min at over 105 degrees. I spend the whole time thinking "get me outta here, get me outta here..." With that said I did find a studio in NYC I have been dying to try - Earth Yoga. They have classes power vinyasa classes, and the baptiste style that Kath mentioned, at 90 degrees that are 60-75 minutes. So not quite as hot or quite as long. They also have a class called Powerful Play Hot Vinyasa - can't wait to try it!
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    • Powerful Play?? That sounds so fun! And yeah... the 90 minute thing is a HUGE barrier for me. It just feels SO long!
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  • Hi Anne! As someone who just completed a 60-day Bikram yoga challenge (60 class in 60 days!) I had to comment. It’s important to make the distinction between hot yoga and Bikram yoga. Hot yoga, in my opinion, varies in the type of classes. There are tons of yoga types you can practice in heat and Bikram is one of them. Bikram is 26 postures that you practice twice each in 90-minutes. It’s practiced in 105 degree heat with 30-40% humidity. Personally, it has changed my life and at first, I was completely opposed to it! It took me 6 classes to make it through the whole class without leaving the class to take a break. I think it’s important to try it at least three times to see if it’s right for you. Bikram not only works on your flexibility, but strength. My strength has improved drastically since I started! Also, I feel like I can make it through anything now. The heat can get to you, but I have learned to deep breathe my way through class and through life. I highly recommend Bikram to anyone as long as they give it a good shot. You might not notice the benefits at first. The class is definitely slower paced, but it’s nice to be able to hold certain poses for a long period of time in order to build the strength and cardio. I still can’t hold a few poses and I’ve been doing it since October. Also, as a previous avid runner who has since lowered mileage because of injuries (shin splints!), it’s the only workout that I receive the “runners high” without the running pain. Sorry for the lengthy comment! Great post and great discussion
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    • Thanks for the comment! That's awesome you did that challenge - even if just for the sake of the fact that I bought the Living Social deal, I'll be back to give it another shot :)
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  • I'd LOVE to try hot yoga, but there's no where around where I live that offers it - and I mean the closest studio with hot yoga is 250 miles away :( I do my long runs on Sunday and really appreciate the benefits my yoga class on a Monday night gives my body. I love seeing the improvements in my flexibility as well.
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  • Great post! I have never tried true Hot Yoga because the Bikram studios that are closest to me don't have good yelp reviews. So I do the poses at home with several long sleeved Ts and a hat! :P weird I know but it works! I like doing that also because I can go at my own pace. I also love powers yoga, it stretches and strengthens my muscles at the same time. :)
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  • I love hot yoga, specifically I go to Bikram classes. It's not flow, so I'm not sure if you'd like them, but it does include the triangle pose, so I don't think you did Bikram. (Plus, you'd know if it was Bikram, it's pretty well branded!) I always feel like I get a better stretch in the hot yoga, because my muscles are looser from the heat. Regular yoga seems too close to just regular stretching to me.
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  • Agree with Kath, Baptiste yoga is the best of power and hot yoga. I had a great studio in Dallas, but have been missing it and don't love a studio in Houston. It's flowy and hard and stretchy and fun. Usually 60-90 minutes, leaves you dripping, but still fast paced. I loved it. Miss having the studio though. I have read a few of Baron Baptiste's books too. All inspiring.
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  • I started doing Bikram in October of last year and I am absolutely hooked. I practice 1-2 times a week, and I feel amazing. It takes about 5-6 times of going to really get into it, but its well worth it. Overall I can feel the changes in my body (my fat has evened out), my eating schedule has gotten better, my skin has cleared up. I would say, go for all 10 classes and then decide what you want to do. Also, it really depends on what instructor you have that decides whether or not you like it, so I would try several instructors at the studio and go to your favorite for the remainder of your class package.
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    • Okay, I will give it another try! :)
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  • I definitely prefer yoga at a normal temperature. For hot yoga you have to remember to drink litres of water beforehand. Even if you do the heat can make you feel nauseated and dizzy; that definitely happened to me and I never went back! I also find that the hot temperatures can actually loosen your muscles too much and get you into a pose that your body is just not ready for. I'm not convinced that it helps prevent injury. I think I'm more able to prevent injury when I'm more aware of what my physical limits are in regular flow yoga. That said, if you remember to drink water and take it easy, hot yoga can be good. It can be a nice tropical vacation in the middle of January if you can't afford a trip to Mexico.
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    • Haha so true. I wish it were winter when I'd started using the Living Social deal - now that it's getting hot outside I'm even less apt to want to go!
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  • I've not tried any yoga classes yet, but think hot is at the top of my list. Good luck with MNT, definitely do NOT miss those classes! ;)
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  • There are so many more types of hot yoga out there now a-days. I currently practice in a lovely studio in Eugene, Or. It is a flowing vinyasa style yoga, or "power yoga" done in a 90-95 degree room. It isn't as hot as Bikram and lasts only 60-75 minutes. I LOVE IT. I don't think I will ever go back to Bikram. The cool thing about most yoga studios is that they usually have an introductory package. You can go for a week or a month at a discounted rate and see if you really like the classes and instructors. If you don't, move on to the next studio. Good luck finding the right balance of heat and postures in Chapel Hill!! And if you are ever in Eugene, you need to check out ZENSPOT.
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  • I definitely am a fan of hot yoga and I think it's because of the great sweat that I get when I do it. I'm the type of person who doesnt feel like I did anything unless I really sweat to prove it. So maybe that is why hot yoga is appealing to me. I also like that my muscles are warm with the heat and I feel it helps me get a deeper stretch. I do like other yoga classes as well though!!
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  • I just bought a livingsocial deal for a month of hot yoga classes. I'm really nervous to try it out but I'm willing to give it a shot.
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    • Let me know how it goes! :)
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  • I like regular yoga because I run as my main exercise, and I can just show up instead of thinking about it all day! :) I have a groupon for a heated vinyasa series, and that sounds amazing. Any kind of less expensive yoga is my favorite! They even have candlelight yoga here in Arizona!
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    • Oooo candlelight yoga sounds SO nice and relaxing!
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  • I'm actually the opposite. Regular yoga feels like it takes waaaay too long for me, but hot yoga flies by in a haze, probably because I'm focusing on not passing out. If there were a hot yoga studio closer to my house I'd probably do it more regularly.
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  • The only thing I have done is Bikram yoga and I started on April 2.. first time EVER doing yoga, period. Now I do it 3x a week and love it.. I am addicted! I am not sure I would like yoga that ISN'T in a hot room.. but I am willing to try.
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  • I actually really loved the two hot yoga classes I went to, but I ended up getting violently ill the day after each class, so I haven't been back :( I'm not sure if it was related to the yoga class, but I don't want to risk that happening again.
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    • Yikes, that's not good! :(
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    • Hi Andrea, I had that happen a few times. I figured out it was the food I had eaten beforehand. The one time I had eaten butter chicken about 2.5 hours prior and the other time I had eaten potato crisps about 3 hours or so before class. If that had been my first time I would have NEVER gone back. It sure teaches you what's good for your and what's not! You become much more mindful of what you put into your body and that's a good thing! Better to eat heatly easy to digest food the day of...and lots of water of course!
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  • I love everyones input! There are so many branches of yoga to try and I think its a process of finding what kind speaks to you most. Yoga is meant to be practiced in a warmer climate, but it definitely doesnt have to be 105 degrees to get the benefits.
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    • Yeah, I think like 85 to 90 would be ideal, so I'm warm but not so hot that I feel like I can't move quickly or work hard without passing out, haha.
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  • I love me some hot yoga! I find that worrying about the sweat dripping into my eye keeps my mind occupied enough for the class to fly by! My muscles warm up much better and I can get more stretching. The studio I usually go to keeps the temp at 85 degrees, which is perfect! Those classes are usually a Flow class, where the teacher has room to add their own variations. Not sure I would like Birkam because do the same thing over and over doesn't sound like fun to me. Might as well give 9 more tries since you already paid for it. :)
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  • you'd love my yoga studio... it's power yoga, but they have heated and unheated studios... the heated is at about 100-103 (plus humidity) and the unheated is about 80... and you flow throughout the whole class sicne it's power yoga. best of both worlds, although i prefer the unheated since i think i work harder... rather than just sweating because of the heat, i sweat because of my breath and movement... it's amazing!!
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  • I’m in a yoga teacher training program (alignment Iyengar style) and I was on a mission to try all sorts of different types of yoga this year to make me a well-rounded practitioner. I too bought a Living Social pass for Bikram, but hated it so much I never went back after the first try! I hated the boot camp style instructing and I honestly felt like some of her instructions could cause injury. And I felt disgusting being so sweaty! But hey, if it gets people interested in yoga, then great. I recently wrote a post about why I love yoga so much. I think even if you don’t break a sweat in yoga class, you’re doing something wonderful for your body and mind. http://www.wholehealthrd.com/my-ode-to-yoga/
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  • Guess it's time for me to try any kind of yoga! You're inspirational!
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  • I live in Atlanta and luckily I'm able to enjoy both! At the yoga studio I go to they offer hot yoga (105 degrees) and power yoga but the room is still over 90 degrees. I absolutely LOVE power yoga. Like you, it took me a while to start to love yoga -- and I didn't until I started taking power. I usually take power but I feel that my body needs a break or I just need to breathe deeply or relax - I'll do hot.
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  • So, being a former Bikram go-er, and a now hot vinyasa-power-y yoga teacher and student I know exactly what you are struggling with when it comes to Bikram. It’s the same poses every time, and you have a LOT of time in each pose. And you are totally right, your mind starts going on a rant about how much the heat sucks, how you feel like you are going to faint, you're sick of hear the instructors voice, etc. But I take this part as a mental challenge (like you said), and I ask myself why am I being so critical and judgmental? I usually end up find that it’s not the particular style of yoga, or the instructor, but the way I am choosing to look at the experience. Perhaps you can then ask yourself (in a loving, honest way :) ) why you are so attached to the other styles of yoga and why do you have such adverse feelings towards the hot yoga? And in doing so, ask yourself what it is you are trying to get out of your yoga practice in the first place? Is it 90 minutes of detoxing? A kick ass workout? Relaxation? Then from there, you choose what kind of class you want to take that meets your needs at the moment. I find that one day I am looking to sweat my ass off, and another I want to just lay in savasana for 30 minutes, so I go to a restorative. When I have high energy and am feeling graceful, I love challenging vinyasa classes. Totally depends on my mood! Also, I know for me, yoga serves so many purposes. While I agree it can be such a great, detoxifying, physically challenging workout, I ALWAYS remind myself that this is not the intended goal of the practice of yoga. The physical postures are only 1/8 of the practice! But sometimes it’s a little overwhelming what the other 7/8 of the practice bring to the surface and so we (and by ‘we’ I am referring to the western world of yogi’s and yogini’s) skimp out on that part most of the time (meditation, ethical interactions with yourself and the outside world, etc). And if you are even mildly competitive by nature, you start to take the physical aspect of yoga to that place as well- how can I master the next posture and be the best at it? Being slightly competitive myself, I've been struggling a lot with this lately, which has caused a lot of adverse feelings towards my yoga practice. But I am working through it, and I am finding that I enjoy yoga the most when its purpose is not to give me an awesome workout! I get my cardio from running/swimming/biking and my strength training from rock climbing or weight lifting… and then my yoga practice can just be… YOGA! :)
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    • GREAT, insightful comment. So true!
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    • Thanks so much for this comment. I struggle with that competitive nature as well and I'll try to keep your insight in mind the next time I'm in class.
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  • I love them both; some of the hot yoga classes I've been to are more like the vinyasa/ power yoga style just in the heated room I crave it too!
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  • I really like Bikram and/or Baptist for 60-75 minutes. So a power hour class is perfect for me. The 75-90 minutes in Bikram make me want to rage on somebody!! I obviously haven't mastered quieting my mind :)
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  • Normal yoga wins for me! I've only done Bikram yoga once but wasn't really a fan despite hearing rave reviews! The temperature was so hot to the point that I was feeling so out of it when the class got over and then after guzzling liters of water, I felt like throwing up. Other than that, 90 minutes is a bit too long for me- I struggle to maintain my concentration in yoga for even just 60 minutes! Yoga to me normally means stretching out my muscles after a good cardio session/run which is why I only stick to normal yoga. That being said, I am open to trying other types of yoga like hot vinyasa.
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  • I just can't get into yoga, I feel like an elephant trying to do it!! I know I just need to do it more and maybe I would feel better, but after a few minutes I want to bail!
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  • Anne, A friend sent me your blog, which I read yesterday and have given some thought as to what to say. I understand how you feel, as I practiced vinyasa flow style in non-heated rooms for 8 years before trying hot yoga. I must admit, I wasn't crazy about the Bikram series until the very end of my first 90 minute class. I felt so good, so transformed laying in savasana, that I was hooked and back in the hot room the next morning! The second class I took was a 60 minute vinyasa flow class to music ... in a heated room. Because of how good I felt in the heated room, whether Bikram or flow, I began practicing yoga 4-5 days a week instead of 1-2. It has transformed my life in every way! Now I am going through a 200 hour Yoga Alliance hot yoga teacher training to obtain my certifcation as an instructor. ~ Okay, so here are my comments on your question: Bikram hot yoga requires and builds strength, endurance, discipline, concentration, and determination. It takes far more strength to be still for 30-60 seconds on your yoga mat than it does to keep moving. In the physical discipline of hot yoga, I have developed much more mental discipline, to the point that my practice is now meditative. Our culture teaches us to keep moving. Yet the benefits of rest and stillness are just as important. Yoga is about integrating the mind and the body. This is only possible when we welcome and practice stillness. I found every area of my life affected in a positive way through the practice of hot yoga over the course of a year than I did in the previous 8 years combined. The Bikram hot yoga makes you stronger in every way and provides 100% benefit to the body that no other form of exercise can. It also makes your vinyasa flow practice stronger and better. In addition, it has substantially improved my endurance and strength when running, provided tremendous energy, increased my confidence, trimmed and toned my body in ways that years of running and strength-training (and bodybuilding) did not. I've also changed my diet to a plant based one, sleep even better at night, have greater concentration at work (litigation paralegal), and am able to stay calm and focused even under stress. If you are still doubtful, I encourage you to take a 30 day challenge of going to a Bikram class every day for 30 days. :) I would also encourage anyone who is interested in hot yoga to read the Bikram Beginning Yoga book (2nd Edition), which is most insightful (and amusing, given Bikram's personality). Namaste.
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    • Thanks for the great comment, Jen, and welcome to the blog! :) I will definitely give hot yoga another try - your story is very inspiring. I don't think a 30 day challenge would be ideal for me because I love exercising outdoors too much (running and biking outside are totally my happy places), but I will for sure use the rest of my bikram pass and try to make the most of it, remembering your advice about embracing stillness.
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  • Anne, I generally practice hot vinyasa yoga, which is exactly what you are looking for, I think! There is nothing better than a hot flow class, with awesome music that gets you pumped up and makes you feel strong. Hot Vinyasa has made me appreciate the discipline of Bikram. They are a great balance for each other.
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  • Hi there! I'm going to add my two cents for what it's worth. I'm not sure what the name of the yoga is, it's called, Hot Yoga Infusion because it also incorporates (once a week) or shares the room with TRX, but I LOVE it. I work in a field with a lot of people who are trapped in their bodies (ALS, paraplegics, etc) and I felt like I was wasting mine. I'm saying this because I'm not a runner and don't know if this would be pertinent at all. I feel like my complexion is better. But most importantly, I feel like things are happening in my life because of it. At the beginning of the class, you choose a 'dedication' or something, and every dedication I've had has come true!! I know, it's weirdly superstitious, probably because I'm finally taking initiative but I see that the changes in my body are making me want to take that initiative! :) Anyway, I love hot yoga and don't know if I'd prefer normal-room temperature yoga. Thanks for your blog.
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    • That's amazing, Paris! Thank you for sharing.
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  • Yoga virgin here! Okay, so a few family members and friends have encouraged me to do HOT/haute? yoga. I'm seeking some common sense for beginners with a few health issues in mind. Although, I've always preferred warmer climates, I'm at a lovely (seriously) time in my life which I'm finally comfortable not taking a jacket with me everywhere, even in the summer. Like the comment above, I'm likely to pass out in a sauna. With that said, I just discovered a yoga place in the neighborhood that says they offer: "Vinyasa classes suitable for all levels, taught by the area's very best instructors...in comfortable temp of 80 degrees..." Please give me your input regarding these points, thank you! Thinking of popping my yoga cherry! Yoga Virgin, Susie Q
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    • That vinyasa class that's 80 degrees would be perfect for a hot yoga beginner. Bikram classes are usually up to 105, so 80 is warm but not hot - perfect! Enjoy it!
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