“I heard hot yoga isn’t good because it makes you feel more flexible than you are.”
In short, yes. It allows the body’s muscles to warm up quicker, allowing you to get into stretches a bit sooner than you normally would outside of the heat. However, regarding safety, as most answers go, it depends. Mainly, it depends on these two things: how often you go, if you have ever done exercise in excessive heat before.
This is specifically for those who are either new to hot yoga or returning after a break (2+ weeks).
New or returning to hot yoga? Acclimate and modify. If you’re new to hot yoga or if you’re returning after a couple months break from it, give your body time to adjust. Take mindfulness breaks anytime you feel the heat is too much, find child’s pose.
Mindfulness above the physical practice. The best judge of your body’s safety in the heat is you. Pay attention to your body’s reaction to the heat—your safety is ultimately what’s at stake. You can protect yourself from potentially dangerous levels of dehydration by following these essential guidelines.
Water, water, and more water.
Drink at least 16 ounces of water two hours before class, drinking frequently during the practice, and consuming 20 to 40 ounces afterward for every hour of exercise.
Show some skin.
Sweating is the body’s primary defense against overheating, and bare skin allows your body to release heat more easily.
Recognize the signs of heat exhaustion.
The first symptom of heat exhaustion is a pulse rate that rockets and stays elevated. Dizziness, headache, nausea, confusion, vomiting, cramps, fatigue, weakness, and vision disturbances are cause for immediate concern.
Takeaway: If you’re new to hot yoga, listen to your body and rest when it tells you to. And you’ll soon find that you’re able to stay with the class the entire duration. For me, as a trained athlete, it was 2 months twice a week.
What’s next? Do you ever wonder if yoga just isn’t your thing because you’re not flexible? Have you heard friends or family say this? Let’s dive into this myth!
Source: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/facing-the-heat/