Takeaways From My First Traditional Hot Yoga Class

Doing yoga half-naked in a sauna, drenched in your own sweat and with suspicious smells hanging in the air is not for everyone. For this yoga practitioner, however, it was an awakening.

As a yoga teacher-in-training, I had heard about both the benefits and the disadvantages of traditional hot yoga. But I couldn’t just take anyone’s word for it. I had to experience it myself.

What is hot yoga?

Thetraditional hot yoga series, also known as Bikram yoga,is made up of 26 poses plus two breathing exercises. It’s practiced in a room heated to about 104°F/42°C and at 30% humidity.This style is for anyone who wants to try it, whether they have practiced yoga before or not. All you need is a mat, a towel to cover your mat, water and ultra-light workout clothes

Check out our Hot Yoga Gear Guide.

What are the benefits of hot yoga?

The heat warms up the body and loosens up the joints and muscles. This means that your range of motion will increase and your mobility will improve. The traditional sequence massages internal organs in addition to compressing and extending the entire body, which may help detoxify, oxygenate your blood, and improve circulation and digestion.