Hot Yoga, aka Bikram Yoga, may be intimidating to those not accustomed to this type of Yoga.
The thought of dripping sweat all over a yoga mat, whether it is alone or with a bunch of strangers, is terrifying for most.
But, once you get past the warmth and the sweat issue, hot yoga can be one of the greatest workouts to incorporate in your weekly routine.
If you want to start with regular yoga, check out this beginner-friendly workout for regular yoga.
Why Hot Yoga?
Before we give you the top 5 hot yoga tips, we want you to understand why you would want to do Hot Yoga.
You may be asking yourself, “Why would I not just do regular yoga?” “What is the big difference?”
Here are the reasons:
Hot Yoga Encourages a “Natural State of Health”
For starters, the warmth encourages detoxification. You’ll be dripping in sweat as your body creates a response to the warmth that gets all of your 
pores open and your fluids flowing.
The heat of the space can relax your joints and muscles, permitting you to get pleasure from a deep, delicious stretch.
It’s an out of this world feeling of satisfaction. After you hit the bed that night, you’ll sleep like a baby.
Hot Yoga Uses Entry-Level Poses
As a beginner, you’re not prepared for headstands and intricate twists. We get it.
That’s why Bikram hot yoga is done with twenty-six beginner-friendly poses. The poses are simple enough for anyone to do.
Yet, the warmth makes them slightly more difficult.
You can never go wrong with Entry-level yoga poses.
Hot Yoga Establishes a Strong and Familiar Foundation
Repeating identical 26 poses helps you to develop a knowledgeable “yoga catalog .”
Your strong foundation will help you to master every technique by doing it safely and correctly.
You’ll become more familiar with the repetitive poses, but it will not be boring due to the heat and muscle relaxation and comfort.
Soon you’ll become stronger and more apt for performing challenging and more versatile poses.
Check out our article on our 8 favorite yoga poses.
Great for Your Body and Mind
Bikram (hot yoga) allows you to develop a full-body approach to fitness.
You are able to focus on the health of the entire body. You twist, bend backward and forward, breathe, elevate your metabolism, align the body’s internal organs to help digestion, and build joint mobility.
While yoga does help to improve the body, it also sharpens the mind.
It targets your mind as well. Your brain will get the proper oxygen it needs, and you will be able to think clearly (meditate) through problems you may be having.
Seek out that stillness in order to resolve problems.
Keep in mind; you don’t have to be a Christian, Hindi, or Buddist to meditate.
The mediation aspect of hot yoga allows you to observe discipline, commitment, determination, and focus.
Without further adieu, let’s get into the 5 Top Hot Yoga Tips for Beginners:
Hot Yoga Tip #1- Be Prepared with the Right Equipment.
Unlike regular Yoga, Hot Yoga requires a few additional accessories in order to have a pleasant experience.
***Be sure to bring a comfortable yoga mat/towel specifically designed for hot yoga, and a mini towel for face/neck sweat. Check out our list of favorite yoga mats.
Note: Towels aren’t needed, but you are going to be sweating a lot, so you may want to consider wiping some of the sweat away during the workout.
We also recommend bringing a good-sized bottle of water to stay hydrated throughout the class.
Remember to wear comfortable clothes made out of sweat-friendly materials. Steer clear of cotton fiber clothing, as it traps in sweat and leaves you somewhat uncomfortable.
Hot Yoga Tip #2- Control Your Breathing.
Hot yoga and other more intense workouts often leave us out of breath or taking large irregular gasps.
Instead of falling for this common mistake, focus on controlling your breathing by filling your lungs with air- taking long deep breaths throughout your yoga poses.
And if you would like to rest to catch your breath, simply go into a Child’s Pose position and take the time you would like before continuing.
Hot Yoga Tip #3- Note When you Feel Discomfort.
Feeling a little light-headed is absolutely normal. Blood is moving around, and your naturally pushing your flexibility to the limits.
Feeling uncomfortable due to uncommon movements and sweating profusely is common; feeling sharp pain isn’t!
Tell a doctor or health care professional about any pain you experience during yoga. It may indicate problem areas that you may need to work on, such as pelvic muscle strength.
Never continue a pose if you are feeling a sharp pain in any area. Never force any joint out of place to do a hot yoga pose. Always do what is comfortable enough for you.
Also, if you are using a yoga mat as opposed to a Hot Yoga Towel, wipe your mat frequently to avoid slipping on sweat.
Hot Yoga Tip #4- Not Too Hot (At First)
The temperature of hot yoga rooms can go from 90 to 105 Degrees Fahrenheit
This temperature can be overwhelming for hot yoga beginners, so we recommend starting at room temperature and then moving on to the warm yoga room.
If you are going this at home, try turning up the heat as you begin to feel more comfortable.
***The heat is another reason why we emphasize staying hydrated throughout the entire session.
Hot Yoga Tip #5- Keep Track of Your Progression.
It is easy to get annoyed or not see the point of doing hot yoga if you don’t see the big picture.
You may start out being able to perform all the movements. Some people are naturally flexible. Others will need more time to perform movements.
Keep track of your progression and your level of exhaustion after you finish each hot yoga session; That way, you’ll be able to see yourself improve and grow.
Remember never to force yourself into a weak functional position.
Hot Yoga Bonus Tip #6- Get an Instructor or Use a Professional Online Program.
When you start, you should focus on getting each movement exact.
There are personalized tips and pointers that you can’t get anywhere else than from a yoga instructor or online yoga instructor.
They may recommend you start with regular yoga and progress from there.
If you want to do everything at home with an online yoga program, check out our partners at YOGA BURN for a great yoga program. Click Here.
***Although we do get paid for recommending their program, we only recommend the best products, and we acknowledge that their clients are very satisfied and getting great results.
Conclusion
Hot Yoga may be a bit of an adjustment. However, overall, it will increase your flexibility, strength, energy, and re-connects your body to your mind.
Follow these Hot Yoga tips in order to stay fit for life by helping you with weight loss and the elimination of aches and pains.
Don’t worry about being a beginner. All fitness level groups can perform Bikram Hot yoga.
If you need to start with regular yoga, check out our Beginner Yoga Workout Article.
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