Why Do We Add Heat?
Turn up the heat. Increase the benefits.
Why Your Yoga Practice Thrives in a Heated Room.
Why does the yoga room have to be so hot?
It's a great question and one we get asked a lot.
The answer is pretty simple. We add heat to the room because it acts as a catalyst for transformation. If you were to practice the yoga series in a cool room, the body would be more prone to injury, and the postures would be more uncomfortable. The heat loosens up your muscles and makes your body malleable, opening your body up to shifting and changing.
“The heat loosens up your muscles and makes your body malleable, opening your body up to shifting and changing. ”
Think of a blacksmith forging a sword. The first thing the blacksmith must do with the steel is to heat it in a fire; only then is it ready to be hammered and shaped into a sword. Banging on cold metal would lead to little change and possibly injury on the part of the blacksmith. Likewise, our bodies become softer and more pliable in the heat of a room, reducing the risk of injury and opening up the possibility of greater transformation. Stretching in a hot room when your muscles are nice and warm improves the flexibility of your muscles and the mobility of your joints.
At Thrive, we teach Original Hot Yoga (formerly known as Bikram Yoga), with the room set to a standard 105 degrees and 40% humidity for a systematic fixed routine of yoga postures. The standards of this practice have allowed scientific researchers to study the health benefits of Original Hot Yoga.
In March 2013, a study was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. It found that after eight weeks of practice, Bikram Yoga participants had better flexibility in their shoulders, lower back, and hamstrings than the control group.
Another transformative benefit is that heat adds an element of intensity which helps the body burn calories.
Brian Tracy’s research at Colorado State University found women burned an average of 333 calories in a single 90-minute hot yoga session, and men burned an average of 460 calories. The heat gives your heart and lungs a more strenuous workout. When you sweat a lot in a hot class, your body must work harder to regulate your temperature and circulate more blood—giving your heart rate and metabolism a boost in the process.
The heat helps give you that “yoga glow.”
Increased sweating improves circulation and increases the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your skin cells. This circulation boost can give you a more youthful appearance and a look of dewy radiance.
Practicing yoga in the heat can also improve bone density.
Yes, you heard that right! According to a study published in Scientific Research in May 2014, premenopausal women who practiced Bikram Yoga had increased bone density in their hips, lower back, and neck. The researchers concluded that the heated environment reduced the effects of osteoporosis by improving circulation, respiration, and perspiration.
While the heat of yoga can take a little while to get used to, these are just a few of the fantastic benefits that make it all worth it. I hope to see you on the mat for a bit of sweating soon!
Looking for a little yogi inspiration?
See what the heat does for your fellow yoga practitioners in our Thrive Success Stories.
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