Burning to try hot yoga, but feeling too scared? Worried that your downward dog may morph into a trip to the emergency room at 100 degrees? Don’t fret: the practice is safer than you think.
Tenleytown’s Hot Yoga USA instructors said hot yoga is just as safe as taking regular yoga classes.
“It takes much more effort to stay in the room because the heat is so much,” Neva Ingalls, an instructor at Hot Yoga USA, said. “It’s like being in the sauna and exercising at the same time.”
Hot yoga is an alternative form of exercise in which follow a sequence of movements in a heated room. Also known as Bikram yoga, classes are known for placing participants in environments ranging from 105 to 115 degrees.
Amanda Martin, another hot yoga instructor at the Tenleytown location, said she frequently reminds people to hydrate during hot yoga sessions. She also cautioned people with certain health conditions not to participate.
“The heat can be very extreme, and I wouldn’t do any extreme anything if I had heart issues,” Ingalls said.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine strongly recommends drinking “before, during and after a hot yoga practice.”
*Researchers deem the practice safe *
A study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise concluded that the average exerciser’s body would not be affected by the extreme heat during the sessions.
According to one of the co-authors of the study, Dr. John P. Porcari, there were no significant change in core temperature or heart rate between hot yoga and room temperature classes.
However, Martin said that drinking alcohol during or immediately before the session would increase body temperature as the liquid is being processed.
At Hot Yoga USA, it’s also recommended to avoid eating two to three hours before class.
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