Thread: Hot Yoga - dumb fad or is it as good as they say?

Hello all,

A question for those with yoga experience,

I'm thinking of taking a hot yoga class after hearing someone rave about the benefits: weight loss, excellent aerobic workout, sweating out toxins, increased stretching and toning...

Is it really that good? What are people's experiences?

I understand the obvious hazards are dehydration and over-stretching resulting in injury...is there anything else I should be aware of?

Is hot yoga just a dumb fad?

I am a yoga beginner and have only used beginner videos at home for stretching and relaxation. I would obviously be taking a beginner class.

I do not like it , i like pilates reformer class better and with a jump board you get one hell of a work out without the smell of a hot yoga class . I do like yoga , but feel i get more from pilates stretching toning and weight loss.the balance and control you learn is a great benefit to help with dancing.

All the comments below apply to Bikram yoga only, the original hot yoga, which is the one I'm familiar with. They're other styles of yoga that are now taught in a hot room.

Well, the jury is out for the getting rid of the toxins, but this belief is part of Ayurveda and traditional yoga lit. You'll lose weight IF you're carrying extra weight, supposedly if you need to gain it'll help you with that. I'm not sure if it's true, but when I took class every single day for over a month my butt got higher and rounder and my waist got really tiny, enough to even make my brothers say something positive (they're teens and NEVER have anything nice to say).

As for dangers, dehydration shouldn't be a problem if you drink enough water before, during and after class and also make sure to replace your electrolytes with coconut water, Gatorade etc. An unexpected danger might actually be the teachers themselves. I haven't experienced any actual dangerous practices, but the are enough stories floating around tribe every time the name Bikram pops up. They're all trained the same, but apparently some choose to change things. If that's the case don't give up try as many teachers within the same studio and in other studios until you find you right fit.

Right now all Bikram classes are "for beginners", the advanced class is never advertised and when taught is by invitation only. I've never been to one. However, beginner doesn't mean they're gonna baby you or even give you modifications. You're expected to try your best within your limits. Also, don't expect the soothing yogi voice from the videos nor for the teacher to demonstrate the poses, you have to listen to the teacher's instructions and when in doubt look at the more advanced people in front of you. If any asana gets to be too much you can stand still (or sit or lie down if you're on the floor) until everyone else is done with the pose.

I don't think it's a dumb fad, I love it and I've practiced Sivananda and Integral which are very spiritual styles of yoga. Of course I'm always cold except in the summer, so if you're always hot maybe it's not for you.

Unfortunately, Bikram Choudhury is a bit... I don't know how to put it, abrasive. He says his way is the right way, he openly criticizes other traditions, he lives in Beverly Hills, he copyrighted the sequence, etc and people can't seem to separate the practice from the man who created it.

There was an article on the ACE newsletter about yoga injuries. If they mention anything new I'll post once I read the article.

Hot yoga is pretty intense. I would not suggest it if you're a beginner. Be cautious of pilates too, if your a beginner. Don't overwork yourself and NEVER force or strain. I injured my back that way with yoga and pilates. My advice is start with a beginners/relaxtion yoga class before you go into something like hot yoga. Yoga is good for flexibility, toning, and strength, which we dancers need. Personally, I think hot yoga is just a fad! But do what you think is right for you. Just a word of caution.

Good Luck and Best Wishes!!

Just so we're clear, what's your definition of a fad??
Bikram started teaching his style of yoga in 1973 in California. That's more than my entire life, and as far as I know fads don't last that long. I think it's like belly dance in the US, people's interest rises and wanes, but those who are really into it stay with it throughout the decades.

I love Bikrams Yoga - I haven't done it for a few months, but this month I am definitely getting back.
The heat and humidity definitely helps with stretching. You must drink a lot of water before, during and after. I bring a 1.5 liter bottle of water that I previously freeze. During class it thaws out and I have cold water for most of the 90 minute session.
I don't know about others,but the studio I go to do not make you do anything you can't. They emphasize to stretch as far as YOU can TODAY. It is not a competition with others, and not even with yourself. They always say to just lay down on your back if you don't feel right - you don't have to push yourself over the limit.

I think dehydration or feeling dizzy/lightheaded during session is more of a possibility than injury. However both can be avoided easily (in my opinion) don't eat anything for 2-3 hours before, but drink plenty of water/gatorade etc before/during/after. Listen to your body, and don't push yourself too hard.

I'm pretty flexible, but I reached new heights in my flexibility even after 2-3 sessions. So I'm definitely going back, luckily there's a studio 2 streets down from my house.

And no, I don't think it's a fad, I agree with Athallia, something lasting 30 years or so does not qualify as a fad. (cabage soup diet, yes, but not Bikram's yoga/hot yoga)

I love Bikram, it is especially good on awful winter days! I live in Canada and am also a big fan of saunas, so no surprise there.

If you're wondering about the hype, my experience has been that everything in the world has pie-eyed fanatics running around screaming that their guru's method or theory is the salvation for all mankind. Working people to death while telling them that what they are doing is the best thing ever is also a good way to build a zombie army of devotees, but I digress. In the end one just has to try things out for one's self and see if it works.

I second all of the advice from Athallia and would add that it is a good idea to take a multi-vitamin or eat a banana in advance of a Bikram class because low potassium (along with dehydration) can be a culprit when it comes to feeling dizzy or nauseous.

If you're looking for intense flexibility training without yoga, check out Classical Stretch, it is really a good system. Classical Stretch

-Hannan

I tried Bikram yoga a few times a few years ago. It's very intense, but an amazing stretch with the added benefit of lots of sweat; it's like yoga and sauna combined. I liked it, but my palms got so sweaty I had a hard time sticking to my sticky mat!

I've done Yoga and am a big fan of saunas but have never done Bikram. I think combining the two would have benefits. Depends what your goal is for doing it.

I'm neutral about whether hot yoga is healthy or not, I have a lot of friends who do it or have in the past and enjoyed it. I can't get behind the whole Bikram thing, though, on principle. A good friend of mine was a Bikram certified instructor and opened her own Bikram Yoga studio with his "blessings" (i.e. probably a large sum of money to him). A few years later the business needed a boost so they wanted to expand to offering different types of yoga as well. She asked his permission to change the name of the studio to something more "generic" and catchy sounding than than "Bikram Yoga College of India". He agreed. But within the next two years, he sued them (and a bunch of his other certified instructors/studio owners) claiming they owed him money for using his system without giving him express credit (which she always did). Seeing him with his fancy cars, expensive clothes, etc. and this very non-yogic attitude, this lawsuit seemed utterly selfish and ridiculous. He seems to be very greedy and egotistical. Makes it hard for me to see his system as anything other than a racket, even if it does have beneficial effects for some.

I have mixed feelings about hot yoga. It' s had a long life, but I can't help feeling like Mr. Bikram is a bit of a charlatan and so I'm not terribly interested in supporting his racket.

Having said that, yes, I've tried it and in the same way that exercising in a sauna suit produces a temporary feeling of euphoria and acheivement, you can leave a class feeling pretty good about yourself. Make sure you hydrate and nourish yourself appropriately and if you are skeeved out by other people's sweat ( and possible germs) then take care of yourself in the ways you need.

I stopped going because doing yoga in my unairconditioned living room in the summer produced the same result for free!

So...fairly mixed reviews. Hmmmm.

I have to say that the weight loss is probably the biggest motivation for me, (which is the reason I am tempted to take hot yoga as opposed to another kind of class), followed by increasing flexibility and toning up a bit.

I have heard mainly second hand testimonials about people dropping pounds fairly quickly with hot yoga - has anyone else had this experience?

Originally Posted by Athallia

All the comments below apply to Bikram yoga only, the original hot yoga, which is the one I'm familiar with. They're other styles of yoga that are now taught in a hot room.

Well, the jury is out for the getting rid of the toxins, but this belief is part of Ayurveda and traditional yoga lit. You'll lose weight IF you're carrying extra weight, supposedly if you need to gain it'll help you with that. I'm not sure if it's true, but when I took class every single day for over a month my butt got higher and rounder and my waist got really tiny, enough to even make my brothers say something positive (they're teens and NEVER have anything nice to say).

.

A higher and rounder booty and a tinier waist? That sounds like a good benefit to me! I've just taken up yoga, but once I get a little more advanced I think I'll give Bikram a try!

I've only tried Bikram once and it was honestly one of the worst experiences of my life. I absolutely hated it. I didn't like the temperature, the lack of fresh air, the poses, the sequencing, as well as the teacher and the studio. I was extremely dizzy and felt sick the entire time. I thought I would like it because I really like doing yoga in the summer in nice 25-30 C weather (80-90 F??). And I like intense exercise, especially vigorous advanced ashtanga classes. But this was terrible.

Japan is a bit far for Bikram to reach and shake down. The Hot Yoga I do is ALMOST Bikram but with two pose modifications and very kind, understanding, Japanese yoga elves. They make sure we're drinking our water, not rushing outside when still all hot, and understanding out bodies.

I love it. For me the intense heat forces me to flush my mind of other thoughts and really focus on my body. It took some getting used to but I've been doing it from 2-3 times a week (depending on physical limitations an d health) for a year and a half.

It has helped my posture, reduced my dance injuries (more because I am simply better aware of my body and posture) and helped me sleep. I can't say if it helped me shed major pounds because I am slightly more tones than when I started but I didn't need to shed weight. I wanted more flexibility and better posture.

I have had 2 scary days. Once I thought I was going to throw up and once I was too low on calcium and minerals and the left size of my body began to twitch uncontrolably. That was over a year ago.

Looks like you have many mixed reviews Asra. The best advice is to try it for yourself, because if you're interested, why not! Again, just be careful because you're a beginner at yoga, and stay hydrated, like everyone else advised. When you do try, tell us about it. I would love to hear how it went!! ..g.:

Best Wishes!

Originally Posted by rmcguire

I've only tried Bikram once and it was honestly one of the worst experiences of my life. I absolutely hated it. I didn't like the temperature, the lack of fresh air, the poses, the sequencing, as well as the teacher and the studio. I was extremely dizzy and felt sick the entire time. I thought I would like it because I really like doing yoga in the summer in nice 25-30 C weather (80-90 F??). And I like intense exercise, especially vigorous advanced ashtanga classes. But this was terrible.

Sounds like my first class. As if the heat wasn't bad enough, the teacher was such a B%*ch I was convinced she had it in for me. My friend who had only done Bikram Yoga explained to me that that's how it was supposed to be or else you'll fall asleep if they talk too softly in that hot room. Yeah whatever, I made sure to have my next class with somebody who bored her and this one was more like a normal yoga teacher. But two classes were enough for that winter.

After that I tried the intro week at different studios for the last few winters when I just couldn't take the cold anymore and after much trial and error I found a great studio where the only thing I could complain about is that they only have two showers in the ladies locker room. The teachers are more like regular yoga teachers, most of them have good personalities and explain things well, they also open the door and windows before it gets to be unbearable ..g.: I even completed a 30-day challenge there last Spring.

So Asra*, if you feel like hell during the first class, know that it's normal and make sure to go back the next day. If after 3 days in a row you still feel like hell, maybe it's not for you.

Let us know how it goes.

I have been meaning to try this. but Athalia saying a bigger butt and smaller waist happened really swayed me. I'm certainly going now.

Originally Posted by rakgirl

I have been meaning to try this. but Athalia saying a bigger butt and smaller waist happened really swayed me. I'm certainly going now.

Just take into account that I went 30 days in a row without skipping a day. Also, I said higher not bigger, it was the same amount of inches around just perkier.

Post here, I want to know how it goes with you too.

Originally Posted by Athallia

Just take into account that I went 30 days in a row without skipping a day. Also, I said higher not bigger, it was the same amount of inches around just perkier.

Post here, I want to know how it goes with you too.

I could totally go for perkier! ..l;,

I've decided to give it a try. I'll be looking preferably for a generic "hot yoga" rather than Bikram if possible. Me and my honey are going to give it a go and see if we like it.

I will definitely post with results. Thanks for all your replies!

Be sure to hydrate well before class (start drinking water first thing in the morning if you can), bring lots of water, and don't go on a full stomach (wait 2-3 hours after a meal, a light snack is OK). Pace yourself- if you're not used to the heat, it is easy to overdo, and it can be difficult to recover if the room is really hot and humid. I love it, though, I have become so much more mindful of my body and lost weight (in that order) through hot yoga. Flexibility wise, I feel like my muscles are about twelve years old in the heat- At twelve, I could decide I wanted to do the splits and achieve it in a matter of weeks... but at the age of say, NOT twelve anymore, I could try for a year without coming anywhere close. I feel like I gain flexibility at a rate I never thought would happen in my adult life with hot yoga. I also feel that the heat demands so much strength-wise that I build strength faster as well. And the overall intensity of it shuts up all the chatter in my head, whereas in a traditional yoga class I tend to think up grocery lists, etc. That is why I love it, it works for me on a lot of levels. It is not for everybody, but I ditto the post that suggested trying more than one class (I hated my first class!)

Originally Posted by khalima

Be sure to hydrate well before class (start drinking water first thing in the morning if you can), bring lots of water, and don't go on a full stomach (wait 2-3 hours after a meal, a light snack is OK). Pace yourself- if you're not used to the heat, it is easy to overdo, and it can be difficult to recover if the room is really hot and humid. I love it, though, I have become so much more mindful of my body and lost weight (in that order) through hot yoga. Flexibility wise, I feel like my muscles are about twelve years old in the heat- At twelve, I could decide I wanted to do the splits and achieve it in a matter of weeks... but at the age of say, NOT twelve anymore, I could try for a year without coming anywhere close. I feel like I gain flexibility at a rate I never thought would happen in my adult life with hot yoga. I also feel that the heat demands so much strength-wise that I build strength faster as well. And the overall intensity of it shuts up all the chatter in my head, whereas in a traditional yoga class I tend to think up grocery lists, etc. That is why I love it, it works for me on a lot of levels. It is not for everybody, but I ditto the post that suggested trying more than one class (I hated my first class!)

Cool. That sounds so much like the experience of a woman I was talking to last weekend that intrigued me so much in the first place.

I am pretty in tune with my body, and will take everyone's advice on hydration, light meals, and not overdoing it.

I'm excited to give this a try and will be googling for classes today!

Originally Posted by rakgirl

I have been meaning to try this. but Athalia saying a bigger butt and smaller waist happened really swayed me. I'm certainly going now.

Yes, this caught my attention also. I would certainly love a bigger butt and a smaller waist.

I was hoping Lauren would weigh in on this. Lauren??

yeah perkier will do fine too. althought my butt is already quite high. it's really on my back. but if my waist was smaller in relation, it would look bigger. that works too. i'm going to go tomorrow. i'll buy the beginner pass, I think you can go as many times as you want in the first month. that should be good. i'll report back about how my butt looks. maybe i should take some pictures, before and after

Originally Posted by ssipes

Yes, this caught my attention also. I would certainly love a bigger butt and a smaller waist.

I was hoping Lauren would weigh in on this. Lauren??

I really can't. I've never been to a hot yoga class. Some people in the yoga community consider it dangerous, etc. but it seems to me that if you're in good health, hydrate yourself well, look for a REALLY qualified instructor (that's a biggie, there are lots of yoga instructors out there who got ALL their training in ONE Saturday afternoon) and pay attention to cues from your body...well, lots of people survive it, don't they? ..g.:

A friend of mine swears by it, and she's had knee surgery! Personally, I've only been in a couple of classes where the heat lamps were turned on and hated it. Of course, it doesn't help being middle aged and going through hot flashes at the same time, but the heat just makes me feel listless and extremely uncomfortable. I used to go to a regular yoga class with an extremely attentive and knowledgeable instructor. I'm not the biggest yoga fan to begin with (prefer Pilates) but he almost made me into a fan because he was that good. Anyway, he didn't approve of the Bikram, I think more on principle. He said the guy was trying to take credit yoga positions that had already been around for centuries.

BTW, just curious, but wouldn't the only difference between hot yoga and regular be the heat? In that case, wouldn't any additional weight loss be due to loss of water, which comes right back when you drink a glass?

Vilia - I didn't feel that the only difference between hot yoga and regular, i.e. Hatha or Vinyasa, was only the heat. I didn't really like the sequence, personally - I walked out of every hot class I took (I tried a few times to see if I liked it) feeling understretched. I love yoga and I love saunas, but I'm not too fond of the two together - I prefer to generate heat internally as I go, via a vigorous practice. The Bikram sequence, as I tried it, seemed kind of herky-jerky to me. It was nothing at all like the traditional yoga I had learned elsewhere. I decided to stick with that, and if I want heat, I'll take a shvitz at the Russian baths.

This is all personal preference; I started with basic hatha 12 years ago, and moved into a little more vinyasa a few years ago, and happen to prefer that style combination. Try Bikram and see if you like it. Compare it with other styles - take vinyasa, take Iyengar, take ashtanga, and see what method works for you. Every method has something to offer.

I, too, was freaked out and amused by the lawsuit story. The guy seems like a megalomaniac - aren't there tales of him teaching from atop a throne?

- Leela

Yeah, as mentioned above - isn't any weight loss from water loss? That is, aside from what would occur doing yoga in a 'normal' temperature room. I don't get why you would deliberately put your body through heat stress when you can exercise perfectly well in a more comfortable manner!

I imagine this would not be suitable exercise for pregnant women (I believe you should be careful of overheating during exercise when pregnant) and people with low blood pressure would probably get very dizzy.

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Yeah, as mentioned above - isn't any weight loss from water loss? That is, aside from what would occur doing yoga in a 'normal' temperature room. I don't get why you would deliberately put your body through heat stress when you can exercise perfectly well in a more comfortable manner!

I imagine this would not be suitable exercise for pregnant women (I believe you should be careful of overheating during exercise when pregnant) and people with low blood pressure would probably get very dizzy.

I drink between 1-1.5 liters of water while doing a class. The heat does seem to warm up muscles and stretch.

The heat and humidity seems to have helped my circulation and is easier for me to breathe in when my body is threatening allergy attacks,colds,broncial infections.

I'm pretty sure it is not recommended for pregnant people.

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Yeah, as mentioned above - isn't any weight loss from water loss? That is, aside from what would occur doing yoga in a 'normal' temperature room. I don't get why you would deliberately put your body through heat stress when you can exercise perfectly well in a more comfortable manner!

My understanding is that the extra work your body is doing because of the heat adds up to a LOT of burned calories. Much moreso than doing a similar amount of exercise in a cool room. I'll have to find out for myself if this is the case. I'm planning to take my first class this thursday, so we'll see!