Exercise and sweat go together like peas and carrots, right? It’s just the way it goes – you have to sweat if you’re wanting to see results. In fact, if you don’t break a sweat during a workout, it kind of feels like you’re wasting your time… right?

So, sweat is good. We like sweat. Agreed.

But then, there’s sweat and then there’s SWEAT. There’s the acceptable glow you get after doing your regular yoga session… and then there’s the dripping, slippery, sweat-running-into-eyes-and-down-your-back thing that happens when you take your yoga practice and combine it with 40 degrees and 40% humidity.

Welcome to Bikram Yoga.

What is it?

A 90min class of 26 Haya Yoga posture and two Pranayama exercises, in a room that is fitted with carpet and a heating system to take the room to a perfect 40º Deg C with 40% humidity.

The series moves systematically through the entire body to stimulate every single joint, muscle, ligament, tendon, organ and gland and provide overall health and wellbeing.

The Bikram series is designed to promote both physical and emotional health, and is challenging to people at all levels of ability – accessible to people who have never practised yoga before, and still strong enough to challenge even a seasoned athlete.

Why is the heat good?

The temperature of the rooms is similar to your body’s own temperature, which accelerates many of the benefits of your yoga practice. When your body is warmed up, it performs better. The heat means we can get into postures more deeply and effectively, and the benefits of the postures come faster. The heat also promotes detoxification through perspiration.

Why do we love the sweat??

The sweat is doing you so much good on so many different levels, including:

• Flush toxins out of the body
• Promote relaxation and well-being.
• Accelerate cardiovascular action.
• Facilitate calorie burning.

Just be careful if…

Hot yoga isn’t for everyone and does come with some risks. The heat can cause some people to have a false sense of flexibility and stretch deeper into poses. This can lead to muscle strains or damage to the joint, including ligaments and cartilage. Also, if you have any of the following health concerns, we would recommend speaking to your doctor before trying Bikram:

• You’ve ever had heat stroke or get fatigued, dizzy, or dehydrated quickly
• You have osteoarthritis, rheumatologic arthritis
• You have pain in your muscles or joints
• You have high blood pressure, low blood pressure, or heart disease.