Hot Yoga – 8 facts you should know
Hot Yoga is a form of Yoga practised under extremely high temperatures.
By Editorial Team | TheHealthSite.com – Fri 28 Feb, 2014 7:40 PM IST
Find out more about Hot Yoga. A form of Yoga practised under extremely high temperatures. Continue reading →
1. Michele Pernetta, a known yoga teacher, says Hot Yoga means exercising in a hot room. ‘It originally was Bikram Yoga (started by Bikram Choudhury). Then other people started teaching different styles in a hot room, everything from Bikram Yoga, Power Yoga, to Ashtanga or a personal mix from a teacher who may or may not be qualified to teach in hot conditions. So the term really just means you are doing yoga in a hot room,’ said Pernetta.
2. There are less chances of injuries in such yoga as the heat allows you to press further into the poses as your muscles and joints are at their optimum temperature. (Read: How to choose your yoga class)
3. Deeper stretching brings more blood and oxygen to your body. (Read: Health benefits of Yoga)
4. You detoxify through sweating. The skin is the largest organ of the body and research has shown that toxins such as unwanted metals and salts are eliminated through sweating. (Read more about detoxifying your body)
6. Monitoring the diet while doing hot yoga is also important. ‘I believe the ayurvedic diet system is the best, as there are three main body types and diets, and what is good for one person, is not good for another,’ said Pernetta. ‘Have a proper meal with protein. Eating less sugar and carbohydrate and more vegetables and good fats such as coconut oil, ghee, cold pressed olive oil, organic food and protein,’ she added. (Read: Power Yoga – what you need to know)
7. Despite its benefits, Hot Yoga has come under severe criticism from some fitness experts since the exercises are performed under extreme temperature. There have been cases of people fainting due to the dizziness caused due to the heat. What makes it even more dangerous is that instructors tell people that feeling nauseous and dizzy is normal and that they will get over it. Fitness experts argue that sweating to release toxins may not be scientifically a good idea. ‘If you’re in a hot and humid environment, your ability to lose heat from sweating is hugely decreased because the air is already saturated.’, Dr Stephen Cheung, an expert in the area of heat stress told The Globe and Mail. Some experts even suggest that extreme temperatures could damage proteins in the body.
8. Taking necessary precautions like hydrating yourself well, not eating just before the class and consuming foods rich in sodium and potassium will certainly help.
By Sumitra Nair | iDiva.com – Thu 13 Mar, 2014 9:00 AM IST
Benefits of Power Yoga1. Calorie burning.
2. Increases stamina, strength, flexibility and tone.
3. Promotes blood circulation and boosts the immune system.
4. Alleviates stress and tension.
5. Eliminates toxins through sweat.
Is Power Yoga better than other Cardio Routines or Strength Training?An hour of power yoga burns only up to 200 calories per hour; which is lesser in comparison to other workouts like aerobics (400 calories per hour), swimming (350 calories per hour at moderate speeds) and jogging (300 calories per hour at slow speeds). But, power yoga tones your body without stressing your joints and muscles too much, which might be a plus point for older people.
Moreover, since the asanas target the spine, power yoga helps maintain proper posture while strengthening your back. An added advantage of the strenuous repetition of asanas is the stamina you build over each session. Every power yoga asana involves concentrating on your breathing and the part of the body that is being worked upon, improving your focus.
Our take: If your aim is to burn fat and lose weight, you are better off opting for another kind of cardio workout like running or swimming and later take up power yoga to tone your body further. Whether it competes with strength training or not, completely depends on how regularly you practise power yoga. You’ll find equal numbers of supporters on both sides of the spectrum, some who consider strength training a far superior physical workout, and some who say that power yoga is a more holistic approach to physical fitness. The bottom line remains that whether you’re pushing weights or completing rigorous power yoga asanas, you are always supposed to focus on your breathing and regularity of workout. Aerobic exercises like power yoga and anaerobic exercises like weight lifting, both, heavily depend on the human body’s breathing function to burn calories, or build muscle tone, while strenghthening your body and building stamina.
Power Yoga and its Benefits
Power yoga, a dynamic fitness based derivative of yoga, is modelled on Ashtanga yoga. It is is fast becoming an increasingly budget-friendly and viable fitness
By Sumitra Nair | iDiva.com – Thu 13 Mar, 2014 9:00 AM IST
Power yoga, a dynamic fitness based derivative of yoga, is modelled on Ashtanga yoga. With new power yoga centres cropping up in every Indian metro today, it is no longer restricted within the realm of the rich and famous. Power yoga is fast becoming an increasingly budget-friendly and viable fitness option for all of us. If you’ve been wondering about whether power yoga is the right choice for you, or not, look no further. We ask holistic health expert,Mickey Mehta, to tell us about why you should consider switching to power yoga today.
What is Power Yoga? Due to its up tempo and brisk nature, power yoga is essentially like an aerobic workout, where yoga poses are done faster and in continuation. Power yoga when practised regularly and under supervision helps your body achieve stability, balance, posture and tone. It is a fast paced work out and can be practised by anyone who enjoys exercising.
What is Power Yoga? Due to its up tempo and brisk nature, power yoga is essentially like an aerobic workout, where yoga poses are done faster and in continuation. Power yoga when practised regularly and under supervision helps your body achieve stability, balance, posture and tone. It is a fast paced work out and can be practised by anyone who enjoys exercising.
2. Increases stamina, strength, flexibility and tone.
3. Promotes blood circulation and boosts the immune system.
4. Alleviates stress and tension.
5. Eliminates toxins through sweat.
Is Power Yoga better than other Cardio Routines or Strength Training?An hour of power yoga burns only up to 200 calories per hour; which is lesser in comparison to other workouts like aerobics (400 calories per hour), swimming (350 calories per hour at moderate speeds) and jogging (300 calories per hour at slow speeds). But, power yoga tones your body without stressing your joints and muscles too much, which might be a plus point for older people.
Moreover, since the asanas target the spine, power yoga helps maintain proper posture while strengthening your back. An added advantage of the strenuous repetition of asanas is the stamina you build over each session. Every power yoga asana involves concentrating on your breathing and the part of the body that is being worked upon, improving your focus.
Our take: If your aim is to burn fat and lose weight, you are better off opting for another kind of cardio workout like running or swimming and later take up power yoga to tone your body further. Whether it competes with strength training or not, completely depends on how regularly you practise power yoga. You’ll find equal numbers of supporters on both sides of the spectrum, some who consider strength training a far superior physical workout, and some who say that power yoga is a more holistic approach to physical fitness. The bottom line remains that whether you’re pushing weights or completing rigorous power yoga asanas, you are always supposed to focus on your breathing and regularity of workout. Aerobic exercises like power yoga and anaerobic exercises like weight lifting, both, heavily depend on the human body’s breathing function to burn calories, or build muscle tone, while strenghthening your body and building stamina.
