Hot Yoga Postures Best For Beginners:
For lovers of fitness and wellness, attempting new things keeps exercising fun and energizing. Many individuals have turned to yoga as a way of doing just that. Yoga is often different in terms of it’s practice, relying heavily on basics like stretching and calm breathing. In this post we talk hot yoga in particular, as well as hot yoga postures best for beginners.
What Is Hot Yoga?
For yoga fans, attempting hot yoga takes it to another level.
Some interchange hot yoga with practices such as Bikram yoga. Truthfully, hot yoga is just referencing yoga classes done in heated rooms. Hot yoga is not really a type of Bikram. With hot yoga, rooms reach temperatures of 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity of about forty percent. However, are often between temperatures of 85-105 degrees.
Bikram on the other hand, is practiced in 105 degree rooms or more. Furthermore, with Bikram yoga, there are 26 pose sequences and 2 breathing exercises performed in a set order, every time. Bikram, to us, is a much more strict type of yoga practice.
On the other hand, hot yoga allows for a more wide array of poses, chosen by class and/or instructor. The classes are often more interacting, even music driven, in some cases.
Hot yoga involves exercising in hot room temperatures that induce sweating. In turn, some practitioners believe it to be a way of getting out or releasing toxins from the body. While this is not necessarily what we believe, it is good for several other mind and body benefits.
Are There Benefits?
Well of course there are! First off, many classes follow Vinyasa type flows, so you will certainly be working and sweating. Oftentimes, this flowing style links many poses in specific or unspecific sequences.
This can also be a moderate intensity or fairly vigorous type of exercise. As we know, moderate and vigorous forms of exercise of certain lengths is a good thing for both the mind and body. Heck, just have a look at The American Heart Association bulleted list of recommendations for both kids and adults.
Extensive research backs up the importance of exercise for total body health.
Additionally, we find getting into various poses easier. Moreover, the heated rooms offer a faster muscle “warm-up” and they only get more pliable as we proceed in such room temperatures, through said sequences.
Some feel as if hot yoga can just create a deeper “level” of stretching and prevent injury, de-stress the body, and release tension. Due to the elevated temperature and ability to get and stay loose, it’s certainly plausible to believe it helps with injury prevention and releasing tension, right!?
It can stimulate and restore health to muscles, joints and organs, some individuals proclaim. While we don’t have the proof necessarily on that, you will certainly get the heart pumping and more nutrient-rich blood circulating within the body. One study even revealed, practices such as Bikram, produced a moderate metabolic response (equivalent to a 3.5 mile brisk walk).
A Down Side?
Although hot yoga has a variety of health benefits, its also known to have some adverse effects on beginners. For example, dizziness, nausea and fainting. Just one reason to take lot’s of hydration breaks, especially yoga beginners. Likewise, staying hydrated before and after hot yoga is important as well.
If unsure about your fitness level, reach out to an expert. This could be a personal trainer, certified yoga instructor, or medical professional.
Hot Yoga Postures Best For Beginners Revealed:
With all this being said, some of the best postures for beginners to do within the realm of hot yoga, are other commonly used yoga poses.
I. Standing Poses
Many sequences used in Vinyasa style of yoga, can be intertwined into hot yoga. Standing hot yoga postures can help to improve balance and maintaining overall, good posture.
Be gentle and kind with your body. Yoga can help achieve benefits by doing just that. Yoga helps to gently straighten, strengthen and stretch your back.
Likewise, standing poses can help achieve, core and lower body strength & stability.
II. Seated Hot Yoga Postures
Seated yoga poses can be a great starting point for new yogi’s, within the realm of hot yoga. Oftentimes, used for many meditation exercises as well. They also help promote flexibility of joints and muscles in the body.
Maybe surprising to some, but seated yoga can also target several muscles groups with one pose. Additionally, including upper body movements can instantly pinpoint areas like the neck, shoulders and arms.
III. Forward and Backward Bends
Many people experience some amount of back pain during the course of their lives. Bends are yoga poses that may help to alleviate some strain. “Exercising the back helps reduce stiffness by helping keep connective fibers of ligaments and tendons flexible”.
The simple release of muscular tension may go a long way towards making some of that pain dissipate. There are many other yoga stretching exercises to help with back pain as well.
IV. Balance Poses
Balance postures, can be some of the most challenging in yoga.
You balance everyday on two legs, how difficult can it be in a yoga class on one, right? Oftentimes, this is far from the truth.
Standing on one leg, maintaining a specific pose or taking your body out of it’s normal alignment for even just 5-10 seconds, is hard work and constant focus.
However, with practice you to can improve your balance. Like improving strength with weight training, you can do this too!
Final Thoughts!
In summary, when you are in the beginning stages of learning yoga maneuvers, become familiar with many more beginner-friendly poses. Afterwards, as you become more seasoned and comfortable, widen your practice.
Each category of postures and each posture itself has its own unique benefit. This can be said for both the body and potentially the mind, as you will build confidence within.
Please comment and leave feedback! Are there specific hot yoga poses you’d like to share or discuss with other yogi’s?
As always, feel free and please share our posts on your social media platforms.
References:
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
- https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2014/05001/Acute_Metabolic,_Cardiovascular,_And_Thermal.450.aspx
- https://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/how-exercise-helps-back