Healthy Hollywood: Get Movin’ Monday – Yoga Turns Up The Heat!

Cue Nelly’s hit “Hot in Herre” — as yogis everywhere turn up the heat!

It’s not enough to just do headstands, a fierce warrior two, or even an intense nonstop yoga flow. Right now many yogis want to practice in heated rooms, so they get a workout that delivers not just a toned, limber body, but also a detoxifying sweat.

“Hot yoga is HOTTER than ever right now because our students are generally strong students who want to increase the buzz and benefit of this very physically demanding flow yoga practice,” reveals Halle Becker, senior hot power yoga teacher at New York City’s Pure Yoga. “They [students] love the result of a truly drenched inward and outward experience they feel they have received a complete workout,” adds Halle.

Unlike the insane 105-degree sweltering heat of Bikram yoga, which is a static 26-pose practice, Pure’s hot power rooms are 95 degrees, and the practice is non-stop movement, as the teacher connects one pose to the next. Healthy Hollywood can attest you will be dripping sweat onto your mat – but you will feel awesome and totally invigorated.

Some just like hot and the heat can do a mind and body good. “The benefits of the hot room are many. The practice is helped by the heat as it makes the muscles warm and supple allowing the practitioner to ‘feel the heat’ on many levels,” reveals Halle, who adds, “You do burn calories as with any workout but you FEEL the body working at its maximum when you add heat to any type of physical activity.”

Gyms and studios are also raising the temperature in other group classes, like cycling and more traditional cardio/conditioning workouts. Kate Albarelli, who created a ballet-inspired toning, called Figure 4 at Pure Yoga, just recently added heat to her classroom. “With heat, we will penetrate the muscles even deeper during the strengthening sections, allowing for more intensity, a deeper ‘burn,’ and reaching more intrinsic muscle fibers. With the heat and the elevated heart rate, the detoxification benefit is paramount,” states Kate.

So, you don’t get burned, but hot yoga is not for everyone – especially for yoga newbies. “My suggestion would be to take some basic classes to learn the science and then grow your practice in the hot room,” advises Halle.

Also, it’s wise for everyone to stay hydrated and bring plenty of water to class and tune into your body. “I always tell people ‘LEGGO MY EGO’ there is no prize for overexerting yourself just to keep up if you are not feeling it that day – WHEN YOU STOP THINKING THE YOGA AND KEEPING THE MIND FREE BECAUSE ALL YOU ARE THINIKING ABOUT IS ‘I AM HOT’ – you have lost the yoga,” reveals Halle.

For more on hot power yoga, check out www.pureyoga.com.