My first session was rough.
Too hot
Too intense
Felt like I couldn’t keep up
But after a few sessions, something shifted:
breathing got easier
body adapted
mind felt calmer after
It went from “why am I doing this?”
to “I actually need this”
Did anyone else have that moment?
I usually go to work with makeup on (just concealer under my eyes, waterproof eyeliner, waterproof mascara, and brows) and have classes after work. I wear daily contact lenses that are expensive because I’m almost legally blind.
In order to remove my makeup, I have to take out the lenses fully and just wear glasses the rest of the day. Since they’re expensive, I don’t want to use two different lenses in one day.
If I take out my lenses my optometrist advised not to put them back on because they’re really sensitive, so it’s hard for me to wash my face and remove all the makeup, especially my waterproof mascara which takes a lot of rubbing and removal that I’d rather not do with contacts in.
Anyone else have the same issue? I also fear judgment of going in with makeup on 😅 I’m new to hot yoga and only have six classes under my belt, but have mainly went in the morning when I WFH or during my WFH days when I don’t put makeup on
Hello! I've been practicing 26x2 postures several times a week for the past few months. Prior to that, I was addicted to bikram yoga 20+ years ago. Unfortunately, this time around, I have some sebderm on my face and tend to break out a lot more on my forehead. I've also noticed the dripping sweat makes my face itch more.
Does anyone have recommendations for good sweat bands or head bands that will absorb at least some of the sweat? A lot of wrap-around headbands tend to slide back as you wear them and are pretty much useless after 10 minutes... Or they're just awkward and ugly. I have chin length straight hair and am hoping to find something that will wick away the sweat while also looking somewhat stylish.
I am in the lookout for a high-quality yoga mat. I don't have a budget but if I can save money than that would be a plus. I attend a lot of hot yoga/Pilates workout classes but my problem is the mat I have. I've had this same mat for 2 plus years and I'm ready to upgrade!! For reference, it is for Marshalls so it's nothing special. I've noticed that some of the material would start to rip off and the design on the mat would slowly fade away. The towel that it came with is also very thin and doesn't soak up a lot the sweat when working out. Give me your best recommendations!
I have been doing Bikram yoga for about a year now, and starting to get into the power yoga / Vinyasa but I am unfamiliar with the names of poses. Are there any resources for learning the names of poses / what they are?
I work from home, and my back started acting up from sitting too long. Someone suggested I try basic stretches, so I figured I’d grab one of those yoga mats. Didn’t expect much.At first, I was just using it for quick stretches between calls. But over time, it became this weird little reset zone. I’d roll it out, lie down for a minute, and just breathe.But I noticed some are slippery and you need to be careful while buying them to avoid being disappointed. I got curious about how these mats are made and ended up going down a rabbit hole on sites like allibaba. There are so many variations, different textures, densities, even eco materials. It makes sense why some feel better than others. Now I'm always looking forward to these short breaks. It’s not even about fitness anymore, just having a space that’s separate from work, even if it’s just a mat on the floor.
49F and I’ve been doing hot yoga for about a decade. My original studio had traditional teachers (lock your knees!). Covid shut it down and my new studio is much more relaxed. But with my foundational years in the traditional, my practice didn’t change much (still heard all the old cues in my head) - except I started losing my range in some postures over the last couple of years. Sometimes I couldn’t even pull myself up from supine position bc my lower back hurt so bad.
So I went to an orthopedic dr and found out I have arthritis in my L4/5. Now I don’t think it’s from yoga alone - my body is older! But also, I think I was just pushing myself too hard (aggressive end-range back bending) and likely some improper technique that was never corrected.
Hot yoga has been of my most important therapeutic tools and I’ve paused it for now. I’m doing PT almost every day along with strength training to target my core, glutes, and hips. My goal is to get back in the hot room, but with less pain while not repeating my old mistakes.
Any other hot yoga long timers find themselves in a similar position? How did you get back?
Hi!! I’m 25 W and I started going to sculpt classes 3 months ago. Needless to say I’m addicted. Not sure why bc it kicks my ass every single time lol. I was looking in the mirror today and noticed that the cellulite on my thighs and butt looked a lot better. Is this just placebo or has someone else experienced this?
no wonder I was having an extra hard time LMAO. I almost never make it to the 90 minute classes at my studio but when I do, I definitely know going into it that I have signed up for that and adjust my energy variously to succeed. I also maybe could go to a 90 class and like, realize halfway through since I do know they are at this time of day and it would make sense for me to, at the very least, realize and just smirk, shaking my head. but wow, how rare to fully finish a 90 and just be like "wow, I really had an extra hard time today. must be a bit underfueled, etc", fully shower and get dressed, back to my car, and then look at the clock and it's suddenly apparent. It's a nice feeling to let go of time in this way. luckily, I was not required to be anywhere so it worked out lol.. haha so fun..
I love yoga started it a little over a month ago and over stretched my calf(?)
I’m pretty sure it happened while doing downward dog and the instructors always say we don’t have to put our heels to the ground if it’s not within our practice but ofc I still wanted to. I thought it was fine because it never hurt or anything just felt like a good stretch.
I was consistent for two weeks when i noticed a sharp pain that felt like I stepped on a thumbtack when bending down with my legs straight. It progressed to my whole heel but only in specific times like pivoting, touching my toes or putting pressure on the side of the heel.
I told my friend ab it and he said maybe I was walking too hard on my heel (this was before i realized it was from overstretching) so I started walking a bit on my toes and it made it so much worse, I stopped doing that lolI. So far I’ve been to the chiropractor twice now and it actually helped so much, I think he released some tension.
Moral of the story: don’t over stretch in class 😅
I’ve been consistent with my hot yoga practice for a couple of months now. I have been thinking of also going to a gym to do some weight training. In my mind, yoga keeps me flexible and mobile. I imagine weight training will be especially beneficial for my muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones etc. Does anyone have advice or suggestions starting out in the gym, maybe what helps you specifically for yoga class? I find that my hips are often in pain. I have a lot of flexibility in my hips but I think all the muscle in that area isn’t very strong which is causing the pain. Thanks!
Class has started to get expensive for me 160 a month is too much.
Who do you follow for a 90 min class?
Also, does the room really have to be 105 degrees? I get mine to about 80.
After practicing traditional hot yoga for 90 minutes a session over four to five years, I decided to try YogaSix. It never suited me. I found the classes felt rushed, and most of the formats were cardio-focused rather than rooted in traditional yoga practice. What made it more confusing was that every instructor had their own sequence, which left students — including me — without a consistent framework to follow. Most people in the class ended up doing their own thing, which created an environment highly prone to injuries. There was no time for pose corrections in a 60-minute class that was constantly moving at pace.
Having experienced the discipline and structure of Bikram yoga, I strongly believe it remains the best yoga form available. I will not be going back to these new-age cardio yogas.
The 26-posture Bikram sequence is deliberately fixed for good reasons — the consistency allows the body to adapt progressively over time, the heat prepares muscles systematically, and the standardized sequence means any certified instructor delivers the same class worldwide. That predictability is also what makes pose correction more feasible — instructors know exactly what comes next and can focus on alignment rather than choreography.
Anyone ever take a cold plunge BEFORE hot yoga? Not immediately before, but maybe within an hour of the cold plunge? If so, what was your experience and would you recommend?
Specifically looking for challenging classes w/some bound poses and balances. ❤️
Hello, I will be in Vegas next month. Staying on the strip. I checked Google Maps for Hot Yoga studios on or walking distance to the strip and couldn’t really find anything. Does anyone have a studio recommendation? Thanks in advance ✌🏼