Why Hot Yoga?

There are many physical, mental and emotional health benefits associated with practicing yoga. Yoga is widely recognized for its ability to:

» Increase strength and flexibility
» Improve balance and posture
» Improve heart health by reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and slowing the heart rate
» Elevate mood and enhance concentration
» Manage chronic health conditions like insomnia, depression, low back pain and arthritis
» Detoxify the body and improve the aging process

The Benefits of Heat:

BURN FAT EFFECTIVELY/INCREASE METABOLISM:
Your heart rate will increase when activity is done in the heat which creates increased cardiovascular activity and quite simply will cause you to burn more calories quicker. Additionally, the heat increases metabolism levels and speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids. This helps to tone your body and lose weight. The result is the body will increase the ability to burn fat and increase metabolism.

DETOXIFICATION:
Practicing yoga in a heated room stimulates the lymphatic system responsible for flushing out toxins from your system. This rids your body of harmful substances and makes it healthier. The hot room makes your body sweat, which promotes detoxification and elimination through the skin, the body’s largest organ. Your capillaries will dilate in the heat oxygenating the tissues, muscles, glands and organs and helping in the removal of waste products.


SAFE AND EASY STRETCHING AND OPENING MUSCULOSKELETAL STRUCTURES:
The superficial soft tissue structures, including the fascia, ligaments, muscles and tendons will warm up quickly and allow you to move further, more comfortably and more safely in all directions than while exercising in a cooler environment. The heat produces a fluid-like stretch allowing for greater range of movement. Your muscles and connective tissue become more elastic and will help you to go deeper into a yoga pose as the body becomes more flexible with less chance of injury. Moreover, the tendons and ligaments are lubricated, thereby increasing your strength, making you tougher and less prone to injury.

IMPROVED SPINAL INTEGRITY AND NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTION:
By moving the body and thus the spine into all ranges of motion, the student actively opens the vertebrae of the spinal column and strengthens the supportive muscle groups around the spinal column.

Your nervous system function is greatly improved by opening the joints of the spinal column and messages are carried more efficiently to and from your brain.

DEEPER PERFUSION OF BLOOD INTO TISSUES AND ORGANS:
The heat thins down the blood and allows it to perfuse deeply into body tissues and organs to facilitate healing. Stretching your muscles in the heat stimulates blood flow to different parts of the body, thereby encouraging circulation of blood and improving the functioning of the circulatory system. Increased blood flow also increases oxygen and nutrient content to different body parts thus invigorating various organs and systems.

MENTAL FOCUS AND DISCIPLINE:
While the practice may appear to be just physical activity, it is also a form of moving meditation. The hot environment demands a sharpening of your mental focus, concentration and determination during class.

Through the discipline to the practice of yoga comes the freedom of the mind.

RAPID HEALING FROM INJURY AND DISEASE:
There are certainly tremendous restorative benefits from the practice of any style of yoga, as the student combines conscious breathing with particular movements that stretch, strengthen and stimulate all body systems. The heated environment achieves these positive changes quickly in your body and mind and beautifully compliments any other style of yoga or exercise that you may perform.

The body raises its temperature while fighting an infection. Similarly, the raised temperature improves T-cell function, assists your immune system and reduces the chances of infection.