5 Amazing Benefits of Hot Yoga
Women enjoying a Hot Yoga class at our premium fitness studio in Bangkok.
As the world continues to evolve, so do their exercises, and there is no better example of this than the transformation of traditional yoga into the phenomenon of Hot Yoga. It offers a heightened challenge to yoga enthusiasts by intensifying the practice within a heated room. With this challenging new environment, distinct benefits are introduced when compared to traditional yoga practices. In this article, we explore this exhilarating evolution of yoga and the unique advantages it brings to the fitness world.
What is Hot Yoga?
Over time, the popularity of yoga has led its practitioners to venture into more diverse variations, hence the discovery of “Hot Yoga”, which is used synonymously with “Bikram yoga” despite the two not being the same. Hot yoga is a more intense variation of yoga performed in a room heated to a temperature between 80–100°F (26.6–37.7°C), whereas Bikram yoga is practiced in a room at 105°F (40.5°C) with 40% humidity and consists of 26 poses and a sequence of two breathing exercises.
The elevated temperature conditions of Hot Yoga are designed to induce more perspiration compared to traditional yoga, serving as a way to help the body release toxins through sweat. With the heat dialed up, this form of yoga also takes physical conditioning to a higher level, providing the heart, lungs, and muscles with an even more demanding and intensified workout. It's a testament to the focus, endurance, and strength of its practitioners.
Our talented yoga instructor leading a Hot Yoga class in Bangkok.
5 Benefits of Hot Yoga
Burn More Calories
One of the most obvious advantages of Hot Yoga is the increased number of calories it burns. This variation of yoga intensifies the physical demands within a heated room and, as a result, leads to higher calorie burn. According to the Health Status Calories Burned calculator , a one-hour session of Hot Yoga can burn approximately 540 calories for a 35-year-old male, standing at 5’10” and weighing 77 kg. For a female of the same age, measuring 5'4” and weighing 59 kg, the estimated calorie burn for one hour is around 413 calories.
Improve Your Flexibility
The heat you experience during hot yoga loosens your muscles, activating it in the same stretching work does. This makes it easier for you to partake in the various poses and stretches. A study conducted in 2019 by the Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI) found that yoga performed in a hotter environment resulted in significant improvements in the flexibility of healthy older adults, along with mild improvements in their strength and balance.
Increase Your Bone Density
Providing support for your body weight while holding yoga poses contributes to the enhancement of bone density. This is particularly crucial for older adults since bone density naturally decreases with age. A study from 2014, documented in Semantic Scholar, highlights the positive impact of hot yoga on premenopausal women. Over a 5-year period of practicing the discipline, they discovered increased bone density in areas such as the neck, hips, and lower back, meaning it can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis among women.
Reduce Your Stress
In a world where we find ourselves glued to our office seats more often than not, it is common to seek an outlet to relieve stress. For many people, yoga emerges as a natural remedy for managing this mental tension. Yoga serves as a powerful agent for both mental and physical relaxation, effectively reducing stress and anxiety. Since the practice itself encourages for the person to slow down, breathe deeply, and draw their focus into their body, partaking is akin to a meditative experience.
Improve Your Sleep
Since yoga engages the whole body in its practice, its holistic approach not only enriches the body but also nurtures the mind. This helps foster a positive mindset and allow for a person to easily shift into a state of relaxation. Being relaxed can help the body better fall asleep and stay asleep, overall improving a person’s quality of rest.
Hot Yoga class in Bangkok at Absolute Boutique Fitness.
Experience Hot Yoga in Bangkok
Though challenging in nature, there is no denying the benefits of this ancient practice. If you’re interested in practicing hot yoga in Bangkok, visit us at Absolute Boutique Fitness and join one of our Absolute Yoga classes. Among yogis and practitioners, we hold the esteemed reputation as the leading yoga studio in Thailand. We take pride in our pioneering efforts to curate a distinctive, authentic yoga practice that covers a range of styles, from hot yoga and vinyasa/hatha yoga to functional yoga classes. Check out our 7 studios in Bangkok.
