Almost every-one is doing it or has tried it, are talking about it, many celebrities are into it….and any person who would like to get into the “body-mind/mind-body” groove are flocking to Hot Yoga Studios – Yes it’s the ever so popular and increasing craze of Hot Yoga. Why is it that this type of “spiritual practice” performed in a 38+ degree heated room has become so popular? Is it just a big exercise trend that has been heavily marketed in various magazines and papers, or does it really do everything its been claimed to do such as: detoxifying your body, increasing your flexibility & range of movement; improving your strength and calming your mind; a great way to lose weight AND it has also been promoted as a great workout!
Now before I share with you my viewpoints from where I stand as a Yoga Practitioner and CHEK Holistic Lifestyle & Movement coach (trained & mentored by Paul Chek) , I would agree that you gotta give something a go before you can critique or make any judgement on it. Not one movement program, whether it be yoga, pilates, tai chi, dance, cross fit, gymnastics, group fitness is going to appeal to everyone. With that said, I would say that it is important to know WHAT is actually good for you – (understanding your current physiological load, physical, mental, emotional & spiritual health) and WHY you are doing it – i.e. do you know your body well enough to understand what it needs and what is best for it or are you partaking in hot yoga because all your friends are doing it or because Madonna or Colin Farrell swear by it?
With all the articles on Hot Yoga, here is one statement that I recently came across after reading a magazine blog where the hot yoga advocates are recommending this “new” craze:. ….. “Hot yoga is a big exercise trend at the moment”. I would relate this statement exactly as a trend, just like Cross-fit has become the latest trend in the fitness industry. Not to say that they aren’t good for you, or the best exercise for YOU, but the trend indicates that mostly everyone or someone you know is participating in them. Unbeknownst to many, they may actually be doing more harm than good! I do disagree that it’s a new craze, as there is one form of Hot yoga that comes to mind that has been around for decades. It’s the ones that have a new catchy name that entice people into gyms/studios making them believe this is the latest and greatest thing. Back to the statement I read and which really grasped my attention was that Hot Yoga is a great “exercise” and “workout”…..which brings me to the main point of this blog. Since when is Yoga supposed to be a “work-out”?
Having studied traditional Hatha & Ashtanga Yoga in India at an Ashram (where their philosophies are in aligns with the late BKS Iyengar), I clearly remember being informed that Yoga should NOT be treated as exercise, nor were my guru’s advocates for yoga practice in heated rooms. Exercise as in the definition, is “work” “effort” or to “Exor-cise – is to take out” and yes it increases our cardiovascular system, strength and among other things, however, it also brings the nervous system into a sympathetic state. Being in a sympathetic state relates to that “fight or flee” response, just like the feeling you would have if you were being chased by a lion!
Now when I look around at society today, including many of the clients we see, a vast majority are already living in this state of fight or flee on a constant basis. Would you agree that many of us are sick, tired, over worked and stressed out? How many people do you see today that are overweight, inflamed, have bad posture or have some sort of ailment?
Exercise is a stress to the body and it definitely can be a good stress to our system, however if your body is already stressed (understanding that there are 6 stressors and not just the mental stress that you might be thinking of) then a work out is NOT the answer. Sweating, breathing heavily and keeping up with movements that sometimes go beyond ones comfortable range of movement and moving quickly, does not, in my opinion or experience, bring you into a parasympathetic state – that calming, peaceful, relaxed state.
You’ve probably heard of yin and yang right? These are the two forces in the universe. Hot Yoga would relate to the “Yang” aspect
which is masculine – catabolic, dry, warming, sympathetic, air, fire, day, faster, work-out, science, industry to name a few. Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and any other form of slow, passive movement that does not make you break into a sweat, would relate to the “Yin” aspect which is feminine – anabolic, cooling, wet, night, slower, para sympathetic, nurture, water, earth, silence, work-in, nature, spirituality to name a few. When you look at these two forces and the properties, which would you say resembles you and your state in which you live your life? Are you yin or yang dominant? If you’re one of those people who love adrenalin, high intensity sports, loves a good sweat then you are probably loving Hot yoga classes – and of course thats ok if its your thing, however, how are you balancing your body with the two forces if you are “expending” all the time and living in a yang dominance?
When you get to understand the stressors that we have, as individuals and when a person can be overloaded in one or more of them, doing more work-outs can actually and significantly “tip you over the edge” or “add to your stress bucket”, causing all sorts of problems in the body. When I refer to stressors I mean the 6 stressors which are:
- Chemical stress – (such as toxins found in the environment – fumes, gases, smoke; beauty products; hygiene, cleaning, home and office products)
- Nutritional stress – (toxins found in our food from commercially farmed produce sprayed with insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and the like, GMO foods, processed foods, packaged foods and commercially farmed animals)
- Thermal stress – (response to cold/heat)
- Electomagnetic stress – (microwaves, computers, iphone, ipads, tv etc)
- Physical stress – (too much working-out, “pushing through it”, too much exercise = breakdown)
- Psychic – mental/emotional stress (stinkin’ thinkin’)
Sweat to detoxify? Sure! Its the bodies’ way of cooling the system down. Sauna’s are great for this. Our skin is our largest organ, and sweating rids the toxins of the body, but if you’re “exercising” in a hot environment, make sure that you hydrate yourself adequately as many people are seriously de-hydrated. Without adequate hydration, this causes another stress to the body physically and places massive stress on our organs!
Attending Hot Yoga classes for weight loss? This reminds me of the day when I worked in a gym in the 80’s and one of my colleagues would go for a run wearing a black garbage bag – now to me, that was just plain silly and just adding stress to the system!
Be mindful of your sugar levels as Ive had many people come to me to share their experience as getting dizzy, overheated, and severe “crashing” from low blood sugar levels.
Here are my 10 Reasons why I would not recommend you participate in Hot Yoga if you suffer from ANY of the following:
- Adrenal Fatigue (tiredness, headaches, chronic fatigue….)
- Thyroid issues & Hormonal Imbalances
- Blood sugar regulation issues
- Spinal pathologies such as disc injuries, SI Joint instability, neck issues Illness such as: Cold, Flu, Fever or any sickness
- Cardiac Issues (Heart Problems / High or Low blood pressure / Angina etc)
- Peri-Menopausal, Menopausal or Post with symptoms such as: sweats, dryness, headaches, low in energy (most menopausal women pre & post have hormonal imbalances and are already heating up)
- Obesity
- Hypermobility (being really flexible or over flexible – this sets you up for injury and more laxity in the joints)
- Pregnant
- Any inflammatory – gut issues, any ailment ending in ‘itis’ or ‘oasis’ such as osteoarthritis etc..
Basically, if you are feeling unwell or are experiencing any of the above “symptoms” then these are red flags / signs that your body is communicating with you and that you are already in a sympathetic state and you are only going to add to your stress bucket! Take time out and listen to your body. The body never lies and truly… it is your greatest teacher.
As the great BKS Iyengar once said “There are many new yoga names like flow yoga, hot yoga, etc. But I think the core of them is the same. In my personal view, hot yoga is only a way of making money”
