2016feb8_yoga_a – Just another WordPress site

You’ve likely heard of hot yoga. And if you’re like any sane individual, the idea of performing yoga in a room heated to 105 degrees may not sound all that appealing. So why do people do it? Well, there are quite a few benefits to this relatively new yoga practice. Here are a few of them that inspire people everyday to give hot yoga a try.

Add a healthy glow to your skin

Regardless of whether or not you’re exercising, if you’re in a room heated to 105 degrees you’re definitely going to sweat in a matter of minutes. And when you add exercise to the equation, your body’s flood gates will open even more. While the idea of this may sound nauseating, it can produce benefits for your skin. Essentially, the heat opens up your pores, and in the process eliminates impurities from both your body and skin. What’s more, the moisture of the humidity maintains the skin’s hydration level, and in turn gives it a natural glow.

Forget that it’s winter

In this gloomy month of February with short days and frigid temperatures, it can be exceedingly difficult to forget that it’s winter outside. All this can lead to seasonal depression, and a lack of motivation to do anything else but veg out on the couch. When you step into a hot yoga class, the cold temperatures outside are quickly forgotten about. Suddenly it’s as if you’re in some exotic location, sweating you bum off in hundred degree temperatures. While hot yoga may not be quite as enjoyable as soaking up some rays on a tropical island, it can certainly temporarily help you forget that it’s the coldest month of the year.

Intensify your concentration

And speaking of forgetting February, hot yoga also boosts your concentration in other positive ways. If you’ve practiced yoga before, you already know the amount of concentration it requires to get your pose right and focus on your breathing. When you add hundred degree temps into the mix, you’re forced to up your focus even more. Suddenly, all the thoughts whirling through your mind about your job, bills or family drama, disappear. Instead, the intensity of the heat and yoga pushes you to bring your undivided attention into the classroom, to your body and breath. After a few sessions, this added concentration will carry into your life outside of the studio, and you’ll become more present in your daily life.

Hot yoga high

Last but certainly not least…if you’ve ever talked with someone who’s done hot yoga, you may have heard of the hot yoga high. After class, when the temperatures dramatically change and your body relaxes, you may suddenly find yourself feeling elated. Like all vigorous exercise, hot yoga causes your body to produce endorphins. But the heat also produces a number of other effects that create the hot yoga high. Fresh blood circulates throughout your body as your heart rate elevates. Add to that all the sweat and impurities you just flushed out of your system, and it’s no wonder that hot yoga practitioners often feel a sense of euphoria after class.

Want to learn more about the different kinds of yoga and their benefits? Call us today. We have a number of classes that can help improve your mind, body and spirit.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

For a lot of people who do yoga, they end up sticking with the first instructor they visit. This is out of convenience or fear of the unknown more than anything else. Maybe it’s because the studio is close to their house or maybe it’s because they get a great discount for buying class sessions in bulk. There’s no shame in this, but perhaps you’re wondering if your teacher is actually any good.

After all, there is a reason you continue to go to their class, but is it because you are learning from the teacher or some other non-experience related reason? Here are 6 questions to ask when trying to better understand if your yoga instructor is good.

Does your yoga teacher make you feel comfortable?

This is something a lot of students don’t necessarily realize until after they reflect upon the question. A big part of yoga is mental and if you don’t feel totally comfortable during your class because of something the teacher is or is not doing, then that’s a problem. For instance, if you don’t like being touched, having a hands-on instructor might make you a little uncomfortable. A good yoga teacher will take the time to understand you and help you find your comfort zone during their class.

Where’s the teacher’s attention going?

We have heard our fair share of stories that involve male teachers, and even a few female ones, paying attention to a handful of the best looking students and basically ignoring the rest of the class. This is a sign of a bad instructor and one who is not in tune with the basic principles of yoga. A good teacher is aware of his or her surroundings and will assist those students who may be struggling as well as provide support to everyone, not a select few people in the class.

How prepared are they?

Each yoga instructor has a different style, but it’s pretty easy to tell if one is unprepared. You don’t want a teacher who rolls into class five-minutes late and just starts throwing out poses for everyone to do without any rhyme or reason. We aren’t saying a yoga teacher needs to have the entire class planned out from start to finish, the good ones are able to read the class and go with the flow, but they must be prepared to teach.

Are they flashy?

There are yoga instructors out there who will make sure their students know just how great they are by doing ridiculously complex poses and bragging about how much their yoga mat costs. These are arguably the worse kinds of teachers because they don’t understand that the class should be about you, the students. If the session has become focused on the teacher then the class dynamic is backwards and it can be difficult for anyone to learn.

Do they challenge you?

One of the most important aspects of yoga is challenging yourself, both physically and mentally. A good yoga teacher will help prepare you for these challenges and push you when you need it. We tend to not test our boundaries and instead try to find a routine which we can stick to. A good yoga teacher will make sure this doesn’t happen and present you with challenges when you are ready for them.

What do other students say about the teacher?

While you’re entitled to your opinion, it’s good to ask around to see what your classmates think about your yoga instructor, especially if you haven’t practiced with a number of other teachers. If they share similar complaints you might want to consider what they are saying and see for yourself if it is true or not.

The teachers at our studio always put students first. No matter what your level is, our yoga instructors will help guide you on your journey.