HOT YOGA

Tips for the Hot Room

1. Arrive 15-30 minutes early for class. Classes start on time and unfortunately once class starts we do not permit entry to anyone running late.
2. Come well hydrated. Focus on drinking plenty of fluids in the 24hrs before class and then ensure you replenish in the 24 hours after class.
3. Bring a yoga mat, long towel and water. If you don’t have a mat or towel we rent these for £1 per item. We also sell water for £1 per jar.
4. We have a yoga shop. If you plan to invest in a Yoga mat, please speak to us first if you would like some impartial advice. There are a lot of cheap mats on the market which leach chemicals when the mat heats up. We only sell yoga mats which have been reached the OEKO 100 highest European safety standard and are non toxic. 
5. Practice on an empty tummy. Try not to eat in the two hours before class. If you have a full tummy, it can make you feel a bit sick practising in the heat. Also be mindful of blood sugar levels. Not eating for six hours before class will likely lead to a blood sugar crash and low energy during the class itself. Perhaps a smoothie 2-3 hours before class could be a good starting point to see how that works for you. Everyone has different metabolic rates and so it is part of the journey of self discovery and learning what works for you.
6. It is a silent studio. We want you to connect with your fellow yogis and the reception area and changing rooms are the perfect place to do this. We keep the hot studio as a silent sanctuary for people to enjoy so please respect this.
7. Acclimatise to the heat. When you arrive, we invite you to lay your mat down quietly and lie down in Savasana with your feet facing the back wall and relax the body, allowing it to acclimatise to the heat.

What is Hot Yoga?

Hot Yoga is a unique style of yoga whereby the studio is heated using infrared heaters to a temperature of 40 degrees. The style of yoga is Hatha with the classic 26 postures which was originally sequenced by Bikram Choudhury. These postures are held anywhere between 30 seconds and a minute. The first half of the class is formed of various standing postures and the second half of the class is floor based where it is a little cooler. There are designated water breaks during the class where you are encouraged just to take little sips. 

What Should I Wear?

As the room will be heated to 40 degrees it is recommended that you wear lightweight clothes. For guys a pair of boardies you can stretch in plus or minus a t-shirt should do the job. For girls lightweight leggings/shorts and a lightweight vest top or sports bra would be fine. (All of the leggings and hot yoga shorts we sell in the shop and at www.yogaemporium.co.uk are made of the ideal material for hot yoga)

Advantages of Hot Yoga

So you may be asking yourself…Why would I ever want to practice yoga in that heat? Like other styles of yoga, there are loads of benefits to both the body and the mind, a few of which we have listed below:

1. Flexibility: Warming the body through to the core allows the muscles to warm up and stretch at a much deeper level. The heat will allow you to safely reach new levels of flexibility within your body.

2. Strength: The classic 26 postures are designed to give you a total all over body workout. The practice is low impact and will get you firing up muscles you never knew you had. In particular we focus on spine strength which is key to a long, healthy life!

3. Weight Loss: Whether you choose the more static postures of HOT YOGA in 40 degree heat or the more dynamic sequencing of HOT FLOW at approx 34 degrees, you will be sure that you will be promoting weight loss whilst you practice. 

4. Breath: One of the greatest challenges of yoga is to challenge the body whilst maintaining calm, steady, deep breathing. With such a challenging workout, it is essential that we learn to breathe efficiently and effectively. In doing so, we are learning techniques which are transferable to the outside world to use as coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, pain management, allergies, asthma and many others

5. Cardio: You will be surprised at how cardio this relatively static form of yoga can be, particularly when we are in balancing postures that require contracting muscles at the same time. A 90 minute class can burn up to 1000 calories. The way you stretch and compress your internal organs and glands also stimulates and improves your metabolism so you are burning calories quicker outside the studio as well.

6. Detox: The heated room helps you to stretch more and get your cardio, but it also helps you sweat. The postures themselves are detoxifying for your muscles, organs, and glands and sweating furthers that.

7. Focus: By practising the same 26 postures each session, the routine helps you to advance your practice through repetition. As you advance, you gain tremendous focus and determination. The ability to focus carries over to your daily life. When you can focus on the task at hand, you’ll excel and you can enjoy it more.

8. Healing: The primary purpose of this yoga is therapy. With a regular practice, these postures can help to heal old injuries and also prevent them in the future. This is especially true for, but not limited to, back pain. Don’t skip the postures that are slightly uncomfortable. Hot Yoga is also known to reduce symptoms of conditions and illnesses including diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, depression, arthritis and obesity.

9. Life: “You’re only as old as your spine is flexible.” ~Joseph Pilates

Training

Stretch carried out a 550 hour master course in Hot Yoga at Ethos Hot (now SOMA) (soma.house) which is affiliated with the University of Cambridge. The training was extremely thorough and his knowledge of the practice of hot yoga is extensive. The classic 26 postures of the Bikram series were designed in a way that would be suitable for people of all ages and abilities with varying levels of health and fitness to practice side by side. If however you have an injury which concerns you, have a chat with Stretch before class and he can ensure that your practice remains safe and that you stay within your boundaries whilst you work towards healing your body.

Class Descriptions

HOT YOGA – Oceanflow HOT yoga classes are held in our specialised HOT studio at a temperature of forty degrees and humidity of 40-50%. This 60 minute class uses the classic series of 26 postures created by Bikram Choudhury to work every muscle, gland and system in your body, allowing detoxification, healing and strength building. Modifications and options are provided throughout the class so all levels and abilities are welcome (including absolute beginners to yoga)

SILENT HOT – Also the classic 26 postures but this time done in silence! Well technically that is not quite true. The teacher will say the word “Go” to come into a posture and “Change” to come out of one. This class is for those of you who have done a few hot classes already and are familiar with the sequence. The teacher will be leading a class from the mat and so there will be no postural cues or corrections. You don’t need to know the sequence off by heart but you do need to be able to practice safely and know how to adjust for your limitations as the teacher will not be able to offer you personal adjustments in this class. This is a great way to connect more with your breath in the hot room and we thoroughly recommend it to anyone who practices hot yoga on a weekly basis.

HOT FLOW – This is a flowing 60 minute vinyasa based practice and involves more movement than the classic HOT sequence so the room is kept at a slightly cooler temperature (30-35 Degrees). We recommend you have a broad knowledge of how to do a sun salutation before attending this class.

HOT FUSION – Hot Fusion is a 60 minute sequence inspired by the Baptiste Power vinyasa practice, which combines power and strength with softness and ease. It sits perfectly between the static, strength building Hot Yoga 26 postures and the more fluid, dynamic Hot Flow sequence With a large focus on how we breathe in postures and transitions, this class will challenge, cleanse and invigorate; preparing you both for a good night sleep or busy day ahead. At 32-34 degrees, you will sweat more than usual, helping to shift stagnant energy. Expect to leave feeling calm and centred and ready for whatever life throws at you.

HOT YIN – A 60 minute class focused on deep stretches that are held from 2-5 minutes in a warm room with a temperature of 32degC. The poses will help to stretch out hips, shoulders and spine, working into connective tissue, fascia as well as muscles. The benefits of practising this style in the warm include accessing postures easier than in colder environments, boosting detoxification and promoting relaxation. Beginners to yoga are very welcome.

If you haven’t attended one of the classes in the Vinyasa studio and yoga is new to you then we would recommend either the HOT YOGA  or HOT YIN classes in the HOT studio or the FOUNDATION, MELLOW or MOVE & MEDITATE classes in the Vinyasa studio as a great starting point.

*Please note all classes at Oceanflow Yoga are done on a pre-booked basis. We do not offer a drop in service. This is to ensure we don’t have to turn anyone away if we are full up. We also operate an 8 hour cancellation policy with all of our weekly yoga classes.

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