Hot yoga is taking over — find out how the heat heals body, mind and soul.

If you think yoga is all about mindfulness, relaxation, finding inner peace through disciplined movements, and connecting to your spirituality, then you’d be correct. Yoga unifies the body, mind and soul, helping us function as a harmonious whole being and connecting the individual soul with the divine. 

(Of course, this is a simplified view and understanding of this majestic ancient Indian practice). So, it is much more of a mental workout than a physical one. However, if you are looking for exercise that is a little more physically challenging, then hot yoga is for you! 

What is hot yoga? 

When I first heard of hot yoga I thought, “So we’re doing yoga in a sauna?” Turns out, I wasn’t completely wrong. Practised in a room typically heated to between 24°C and 40°C, replicating the climate conditions common in India hot yoga uses heat to intensify your workout. As you do the movements, the concentrated heat increases blood circulation, accelerates bodily detoxification and encourages discipline. As it stands now, there are 10 different types of hot yoga. 

Types of hot yoga you could try: 

Hot yoga will be strenuous for any beginner, and intensity levels are subjective depending on your tolerance for heat. So, choose the right type for you! 

Bikram hot yoga: 

Bikram Choudhury, though now a controversial figure, is recognised for developing hot yoga in the 1970s, drawing inspiration from the high temperatures of his native India and the associated health benefits of practising yoga in a warm environment. Combining yoga with a heated room of about 40°C and at around 40% humidity, Bikram Hot Yoga features 26 yoga poses and two breathing exercises in a session of 90 minutes. 

Modo (Moksha) Yoga: 

Founded in 2004 by yoga teachers Ted Grand and Jessica Robertson, Modo Yoga is practised in a heated room of 37-39°C, with classes lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Inspired by the principles of Bikram Yoga, Modo Yoga follows its own sequence of postures designed to tone and strengthen the body, calm the mind and improve flexibility. 

CorePower Yoga: 

This is one of the most vigorous and disciplined styles under the hot yoga umbrella. Designed to help you access your inner strength, it combines fast-paced movements and various yoga styles to build endurance, strength and flexibility. Practised in low heat (24°C) or high heat (43°C), CorePower also emphasises mindful breathing, which can enhance lung capacity and respiratory health. 

The Barkan method: 

Created by Jimmy Barkan, this style of hot yoga (typically done at 40˚C) places a deeper focus on achieving balance in body, mind and spirit. Through a dynamic series of poses that benefit the heart, liver, kidneys and intestines, it’s a transformative practice that cultivates both inner and outer strength.

Hot yoga studios in SA 

Cape Town: 

One Flow Yoga, Green Point  

Yoga Loft, Gardens 

Soul space, Kommetjie 

YogaSpirit, Constantia  

Hot Yoga, Stellenbosch 

Johannesburg: 

HotPod Yoga, Melrose  

Yoga Experience (Bikram Yoga), Sandton 

Indie Hot Yoga, Lonehill 

Durban: 

GuruCat, Umhlanga 

Benefits 

Alongside the well-known life-improving benefits of yoga, turning up the heat challenges your mental endurance and focus, while giving your cardiovascular system a circulation workout, boosting and encouraging sweating. In addition, yoga supports flexibility, balance and strength, helps reduce stress and cortisol levels in some people and can leave you feeling lighter and more energised. The heated environment also creates a “cocoon-like” space in which to tune out distractions, helping you connect more deeply with yourself and the practice. 

Some tips: 

Bring any pain or intense discomfort to the attention of your yoga teacher. Even though the warmth of your body is meant to help your endurance, among other benefits, you will be working out in a purposefully intense environment which brings its own strains. 

• Keep hydrated! You will become a glorified waterfall during these sessions, so drink water before your hot yoga session, during and after! Dehydration can be your worst nightmare.
• Wear suitable clothes, listen to your body and enjoy the experience! 

Don’t do hot yoga if: 

• You have skin conditions that can be aggravated by heat.
• You are pregnant.

Words: Thuveshnie Govender
Photography: Shutterstock, Pexels

Also read: Start this at-home pilates plan today!