Despite being a relatively quiet city, Calgary is notorious for its fast-paced culture and sense of urgency to simply get things done. High intensity workouts that are presently ruling the fitness world work well for those who want to be as productive during the day as possible. However, taking extra time to savor a slow workout can be equally as beneficial to your health as a heart-racing muscle pump. The
popularity boom of hot yoga a few years ago has since muffled. However, it has become a treasured and normal part of many Calgarian’s lives. Bending and twisting around in a room set at 104 degrees F. may not appeal to everyone, but it can offer a mental and physical release that can not only strengthens your body but nourishes your mind.
Regulates Breathing
Without even knowing it, many of us have irregular breathing patterns. According to anxietycenter.com, shortness of breath and holding your breath is a common consequence of anxiety and stress. This can make us rather light-headed and uncomfortable. Hot yoga encourages you to take deep, conscious breaths that unearth tension and stress clenching on to your body. I find there is something beautifully ethereal about the wispy unified inhales and exhales swirl around the room.
Flexibility
Muscle tension is another all-too-common and under-addressed issue
[1]. Extended periods of sitting, standing or exerting a certain muscle without proper stretching can
strain your muscles. For example, I tend to overuse my hamstrings, making my legs feel like brittle after walking up three stairs. This can be an inconvenient and unnecessary hindrance to preforming everyday activities.
In a study published by The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, young healthy adults who undertook 24 hot yoga classes in eight weeks demonstrated greater shoulder and lower body flexibility, a decrease in body fat percentage and could perform heavier deadlifts
[2]. This shows that even short-term exposure to the practice can help unwind tangles of tension stored in your body.
Additionally, the heat of a hot yoga class helps you to sink into muscle
soothing postures even more deeply than you may in room temperature. For myself, I find that my workouts are far more effective the next day after a hot yoga class. My movements are more fluid and painless, allowing me to push myself extra hard during a heavier workout.
Toning
Holding a pose in a hot yoga challenges muscles without always lengthening them, giving you a generous dose of
isometric exercise. This encourages muscle growth in specific areas of the body. For example, a stationary plank position engages and therefore helps build up the core. While the calorie burn in hot yoga may not necessarily be as drastic as it seems, especially as sweat it spilling off your chin, the incorporation of isometric workouts helps nurture and define your muscle strength.
Emotional Awareness
One of the most powerful aspects of hot yoga is the way it challenges you to look inward. The silence and dimness of the room and the soft, guiding voice of your instructor help to cancel out the endlessly looping train of thoughts bustling through your mind. Having 60-90 minutes away from the buzz of your phone, rush of cars zooming by and even from the clatter and chatter of the gym can offer great peace.
Emily Lindsay, a PhD student at Carnegie Melon University, explained in Time Magazine that hot yoga allows you the space to check in with yourself and your body
[3]. Emotions and sources of stress that you were possibly unaware of rise to the forefront of your mind. This gives you the opportunity to work through these issues either within or
beyond the studio rather than let them sit and mold in your subconscious. In the respect, hot yoga is both internally and externally cleansing.
Let’s Get Sweaty
If you’re ready to bust out your best downward-dog, make sure that you are properly fueled before class. Kinesiology professor Brendon McDermott at the University of Arkansas recommends having 16oz of water at least 30 mins before a hot yoga class. Ensure to bring a water bottle to class so you do not become dehydrated – feeling light-headed from lack of water in the middle of your session in frustrating and completely avoidable. If you don’t have a matt, most studios rent them for $2-3. As for clothing, wear something stretchy and breathable – I like to wear a baggy top because I don’t like leaving class feeling like I’m wearing a wet suit.
Where to Go in Calgary
I recommend checking out Bohdi Tree in Hillhurst, just off 5th ave and 14th street. The studio is softly lit, full of tasteful décor and staffed by friendly instructors. Any time I have taken a class there, the atmosphere has been soothing and the fellow class participants are respectful and commited to getting the most out of their session. The address is
821, 14 St NW, Calgary, and the phone is
403-270-0219.
Click here to be directed to their website to learn more about costs and classes offered.
Another popular place is Hot Yoga on 17th. I have never been personally, however, the convenient location and fun vibe draw many clients. It is located just off 17th ave and 27th street, just down the road from Westbrook Mall. By
clicking here, you will be taken to their website to see pricing and the class schedule. They are located at
2749, 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, and can be contacted at
403-686-9642.
Additionally, if you are a GoodLife member, the Deerfoot Mall location offers hot yoga classes that you can attend either as a member or non-member.
Click here for more information regarding hot yoga at the Deerfoot Mall Goodlife. Or just call them at
587-538-1700, or visit at
2120, 901 64th Avenue NE, Calgary.
Other hot yoga studios to check out
