Hot Flow

Heat it Up!

As an opportunity arose to teach in a Hot Yoga Studio, not Bikram’s; I’m told there is a difference, I decided it was time to try out “hot yoga.” I have to admit, if there wasn’t an opportunity to teach I probably would have continued to actively procrastinate on trying out this style of yoga, for many reasons.

1) I’m not a heat person, don’t like it, it doesn’t like me and chooses to tell me this immediately, so I therefore avoid it as best as I can. Needless to say, summer is not my favourite season!

2) Everything I have heard about Hot Yoga from sweaty people rolling around in their own sweat, to the smells of the floor & the studio itself. I personally think the “smell” of the floor is important, since you get your nose right down there!

North Shore Elements YYoga Infrared Sauna

3) Injuries, having been teaching for awhile now I’ve had lots of students tell me that they injured themselves doing hot yoga, for various reasons of course, but the possibility of getting hurt doing one of the things I love is enough to make me steer clear.

And then, things happen, thoughts change & you go out on a limb & try something you thought you never would. Mind you, I also have the people who have told me all of the opposite points as well, that they LOVE hot yoga & gives them everything & so much more! Just like any yoga practice or anything in life, you have to see for yourself, so off I went.

[Image Source:North Shore Elements YYoga]

The first class was a Saturday morning, as soon as I walked in it was stuffy, another thing I hate is breathing warm air, instantly I had to turn my head around & say give it a shot, maybe you’ll get used to it. The class was fantastic, the heat didn’t like me so much, I spent the next day and a half in bed with a killer migraine, perhaps I didn’t drink enough water before, during or after or perhaps, I was right, my redheaded self doesn’t like the heat. Nevertheless, with believing in giving everything a second chance, I made my way back. The second time with two bottles of water in tow, and an optimistic attitude, with the sweat dripping & the feeling that you are working, I survived through a second class unscathed, no migraine to be seen of woohoo!

However, I haven’t been back since, decided that maybe teaching this “hot yoga” is not the thing for me, with the unknowing if the migraine was a coincidence or the not having one was the coincidence, so at this point I’m completely undecided. But with my Passport to Prana in hand & lots of choices of Hot Yoga and Bikrams to try out, perhaps this is my year to finally decide if I am ready to “Heat it Up!”

How do you feel about Hot Yoga, fan or not?

What is Hot Yoga/Bikram’s Yoga?

Bikram’s Yoga (sometimes referred to as Hot Yoga) is a type of yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury, in California. It is a series of 26 yoga postures practiced in a hot and humid room.  The temperature of the class is normally 40.5°C (105°F) with 40% humidity and classes are usually 90 minutes long.

The 26 Bikram Asanas (Postures)

1 Standing Deep Breathing
2 Half Moon Pose with Hands To Feet Pose
3 Awkward Pose
4 Eagle Pose
5 Standing Head To Knee Pose
6 Standing Bow Pulling Pose
7 Balancing Stick Pose
8 Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose
9 Triangle Pose
10 Standing Separate Leg Head To Knee Pose
11 Tree Pose
12 Toe Stand Pose
13 Dead Body Pose
14 Wind Removing Pose
15 Sit up 16 Cobra Pose
17 Locust Pose
18 Full Locust Pose
19 Bow Pose
20 Fixed Firm Pose
21 Half Tortoise Pose
22 Camel Pose
23 Rabbit Pose
24 Head To Knee Pose with Stretching Pose
25 Spine Twisting Pose
26 Blowing In Firm

bikram-yoga-bow

In Vancouver, companies such a YYoga and West Coast Hot Yoga, and the newly opened Moksha Yoga, have developed their own unique hot yoga classes like “Power Vinyasa” and “Hot Flow” – which are practiced in moderately heated rooms: around 30°C- 32°C (86°F – 89.6°F).

Power Vinyasa integrates the breath with movement and builds strength, flexibility and core stability. Sequences include standing, balancing, seated, twisting and inverted postures that keeps the class fresh and lively.

Hot Flow includes basic sun salutations, standing and balancing postures, yoga-core specific postures, introduction to arm balancing, and hip and spinal awakening postures.

So while Bikram’s Yoga is always hot yoga, not all Hot Yoga is Bikram’s style!

Have you tried hot yoga? What do you think about this intense style of yoga?

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