Do you ever feel nervous when you start to take a hot yoga class, wondering if the instructor is qualified and what the temperature of your studio actually is?
Here are some tips for staying safe while taking a hot yoga class.
- Find out the requirements for your instructor
The American Council on Exercise requires instructors for hot yoga classes to have at least 500 hours of supervised training in a yoga environment over a two year period. In addition, they must also complete 50 hours of training each year.
- Ask questions before you start
If your instructor doesn’t tell you what type of yoga class it is, ask. If it’s not a hot class or there are no showers, ask if that is something that can be changed. The one exception is if the class is being held in an alternate location such as at the beach or under water (don’t worry, those classes really only happen occasionally).
- Ask if the studio has a temperature plan
If the class is going to be hot, ask what they are planning to do to make sure the students are safe. Find out if they have an acclimatization plan in place, so that students can become accustomed to the heat over a few days, instead of just jumping into it on day one. Also find out if there will be any cooling down breaks in between poses or classes.
- Ask about how you should dress for class
This is important for every type of yoga class and not just hot ones. When you first start out, it’s best to wear a cotton tank top and short shorts or capris. As you become more familiar with the poses, you can wear minimally.
- Learn how to breathe
Especially when practicing in a hot room, it is vital that you learn how to breathe comfortably. The key is to take deep full strokes of air in through your nose and out through your mouth. If your face feels hot after breathing for a period of time, then you are breathing too much air and need to back off a little bit so that the heat doesn’t build up in your nose and head.
- Bring water or a cooling towel
A cool towel is best for hot yoga class hk, but if you can’t find one, then buying a small bottle of water and drinking some during the class is a great way to stay hydrated.
- Eat something light before class
You have probably heard this advice before and I won’t belabor it. Just be sure to eat something light before the class starts and then again after the class is over. It’s also helpful if you take some B-complex vitamins during class, so that your body has more energy and your muscles are able to have greater flexibility. Be sure to drink some water as well as these vitamins tend to get stuck in your throat.
