Is Hot Yoga Really Hot?

Is Hot Yoga really hot?
by Jeniffer Conner.com
We can all agree that regular (Hatha) yoga is amazing for a number of things from mental and emotional issues to back and thyroid problems. The benefits are endless and effective. But what about “hot” yoga. There are a few ranges in temperature with hot yoga from 87-90 up to 105 in particular studios. So what is the difference between yoga and hot yoga? Is hot yoga really “hot”, or should we stick to the traditional hatha yoga?

Regular yoga is a practice over 5000 years old, and has been doing just fine on it’s own. It has been a replacement for working out and helping with physical issues. As well as calming the mind, body and soul through breath, mediation and chanting. There are all types of hatha yoga. There is vinyasa which is definitely more strenuous and physical. There is Iyengar which utilizes props. And then there is Anusara which marries physical alignment with spiritual principles. “As of January 2010, the philosophical vision of Anusara yoga is specifically called Shiva-Shakti Tantra. Everything manifests as a result of the dance of Divine polarities, the mystical marriage betwee
Shiva and Shakti that is auspicious consciousness vibrating with Freedom and is full of the highest Bliss.” The specific practice and creation of Anusara was that of a gentlemen named John Friend. There is also the thought of the yoga we practice out of the studio.

Then there is the hot yoga. It is said by many hot yoga practitioners and teachers that “Heat enables muscles to warm up and relax. You can stretch more easily, thus avoiding injury. Sweating detoxifies the body and clears skin”. Hot yoga already has some controversy. It is said that Bikram Choudry is the father of hot yoga. He created a particular sequence of 26 postures and started studios everywhere under his copyright. Now that he started so did others. However they have to be careful not to use the same sequence as he will go into studios and sue them. One of the first things people noticed with hot yoga is that it brought in a larger percentage of men because of the physicality of the practice. Since it’s done in the heat, it raises the heart rate. It also tends to bring in more men because it’s more “work-out’’ focused. Also, a lot of “type a” personalities tend to practice hot yoga. And most hot classes don’t focus on the meditation aspects other 8 limbed yoga studios do. And that actually can bring people into a yoga studio that may have not tried yoga otherwise, because they want that workout with out all the other things that may be included with room temperature yoga.

With all of this information, every yogi or yogini you talk to will have an opinion. As many opinions as there are people.

Bibliography

Web. Anusara.com. published 2009. Last updated 2009. Nov. 26th 2011
Web. Hotyogaworkout.com. Published 2001. Updated 2011. Nov. 26th 2011