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How to Choose the Right Mat for Hot Yoga

Yoga mats are a game changer when it comes to a sticky, sweaty yoga practice. Recently, I was far from my yoga home and decided to test out another hot studio. However, I did not have my favorite mat with me as I was out of town. I figured no big deal, I’ll just rent one. The studio in and of itself was fabulous. It hit most of the checks on my “list” as to what makes a great hot space.

Beautiful and clean studio and lounge
Adequate space to flow and breathe
A yoga teacher who was clear, creative, and enthusiastic
Knowledge of alignment and body mechanics
The heat was seriously on point

But one major thing missed the mark: their rental yoga mats did NOT provide appropriate grip and safety. This completely changed my practice from stellar to super disappointing.

I suppose I’ve been blessed to practice on great mats in my hot yoga practice, which has led me to take for granted the superior traction that’s necessary to have an out of body hot yoga experience. So when I tried practicing on a lesser quality mat, I was unbelievably distracted by the possibility of my downward dog being split in two from my slippery hands and feet! Let’s just say: that hot yoga experience was not my usual “you’re Wonder Woman” experience.

If you’re going to practice hot yoga, and feel like a superhero the entire time, invest in a yoga mat and/or towel that is intentionally designed to manage intense heat and sweat. Otherwise, you’re only cheating yourself because your practice will be so distracted from holding on for dear life, that you won’t be enjoying the practice (which is clearly the point).

A couple tips: Just because it has a famous brand name, doesn’t mean it’s the best for hot yoga. And resist the urge to buy a yoga mat from your local pharmacy, home goods store, or supermarket.

So, what should you look for in a hot yoga mat?

Consider the Thickness– The weight of your yoga mat has a lot to do with how comfortable it will be. Too thin and your knee may experience pain during low lunge; too thick, you may feel a weakened connection to the floor – making you more wobbly in balancing poses.

Standard yoga mats are about ⅛ inch thick, which is a great option for hot yoga. If you know you have sensitive knees, go thicker so your yoga experience isn’t uncomfortable. If you’re always on the go, try a wafer-thin mat that you can fold up and fit in a suitcase.

Go for the Grip– There’s nothing worse than slipping and sliding around on your yoga mat during an intense, hot class. This is the exact opposite of what the practice is supposed to be doing for you. We want to take ourselves out of the world of frustration and become one with the experience at hand, not over effort to stay in place. When you shop for your perfect mat, be sure to check the material. You’re looking for a closed cell mat or one that wick away the sweat versus absorb it like a sponge. Make sure the mat description says it is used for ‘hot yoga’ and if it doesn’t do the trick (after the break in period), return it or send it back. For online shopping, we prefer the Lifeform brand for its superior grip and grounding ability.

Don’t Skimp on the Cost– Though I’m all about saving money when possible, a high quality yoga mat is worth the splurge – especially when you’re committing to a consistent hot yoga practice. If you choose the cheapest option, it will not hold your dog and will quickly become a slip and slide. Keep the inexpensive mats for the traditional yoga room or your at home practice, not the hot space. In the hot space, it will absolutely deem useless as the minute you sweat, all grip is lost.

Choose Support- At the end of the day, your yoga mat is your safety net and your right hand man. You carry it everywhere, it rides shotgun in your car, and you shed a lot of negative energy on it. It will always catch you when you fall (unless you bought it at CVS). Choose one wisely, one that supports you 100% through every down dog and every life changing experience.

Disclosure: As an amazon affiliate we earn off qualifying products

Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength Clean & Safety Protocol

September 17, 2020/0 Comments/in Featured, Yoga Fever /by Shannon Austin

At Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength, we value the relationships we have built with our customers, community and our team members over the years. And we know that you rely on us to protect your health and safety while you are in our facility.

At this critical moment, your health is our highest priority. The fight against the virus of 2020 is not over, and we are committed to doing our part to prevent the spread of this disease in our community.

Working in close consultation with medical experts and health officials, YogaFever | Yoga Cycle Strength has developed a comprehensive set of protocols that meet or exceed the guidelines.

Below is a high-level overview of how Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength has reopened which we call “Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength Clean”. While not all inclusive, this summary will give you an overview of the comprehensive efforts we are taking as a small business to protect your health and safety all the while creating a plan that makes sense. Our staff is thoroughly trained on these protocols and plan, and we have applied these protocols consistently and aggressively.

Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength Clean represents a new way of doing business for us. And while we are committed to delivering the great service you’ve come to expect from us, your safety – and the safety of our team members – must be our highest priority during these unprecedented times.

Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength Cleaning Protocol in Response to the Virus Outbreak 2020:

HEALTH/HYGIENE

Do not touch your face or facemask
Regular hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds should be done after sneezing, coughing, or nose blowing, after using the restroom.
If soap and water are not available, use a (60% min) alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Sanitizing stations are installed logically throughout the studio.
Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength IC and STUDENTS must conduct health checks daily. Do not come to the studio to work out sick.

Do you have a fever?
Do you have respiratory symptoms?
If sick, seek care through your primary health provider.
If found to have the virus of 2020, all ICs and students should immediately self-report and notify the owner Shannon Austin at info@feverycs.com (616) 805-3603.

INTERIOR ENVIRONMENTS

All mats and bikes are 6 feet – 8 feet apart from person to person.

In our common area, please wear your mask at all times. You are required to wear a face mask upon entering.

Only wear gloves when cleaning. Gloves spread germs. Students should not wear gloves.

Each class will open doors 10 minutes prior to class. Weather permitting, the external doors will be propped open before and after class for one less touch area.

HOW TO ENTER THE STUDIO

Please pre-register and pre pay for every class as size will be limited due to spacial distancing. You will be charged automatically for a NO SHOW the value of the class which is $25 regardless of your membership level. So, if you have an unlimited memberships and “no show” you will be charged $25. If you booked a drop in and “no show”, that drop in class fee will be utilized. There are no refunds for “no show”. You have a window of 3 hour to cancel class with no penalty. Most studios are asking for 6 – 24 hours notice to not be charged a fee, we are simply asking for one hour to allow another member to slip in last minute.
There will be no lost and found.
Wash your hands.
Use the touch free check in station with your key card upon arrival.
All weights and bands will be utilized in barre and sculpt classes. Those props will be sanitized before the class. After your class, leave props at your designated space to be fully sanitized by our team.
Our HVAC system is brand new throughout the entire facility. That includes all duct work, vents, and ventilation. We have 2 extremely high tech Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) units that measure CO2 levels throughout the space and filters the air inside. When a certain level of CO2 is met, the ERV motor turns on and exhausts air out of the room and supplies fresh air from the outside in. We have had these adjusted and turned on so that stagnant air is exhausting continuously and fresh air is continuously is being supplied. This is important as we are constantly cleansing the air inside the studio spaces and common areas. Our engineers have configured that with this adjustment our studio spaces including common areas are flushing 100% of the air every hour.
Several classes will be live streamed to support our online community. These classes will not be able to be viewed later. They are booked the same way that a regular in studio class is booked but will say “live stream” when you book.
Studio C for spin classes will have regular in studio classes with teachers throughout the day with a limited capacity. While the studio does not have a live teacher, we will run $10 community classes that can be used by members for free where there will be YouTube classes played every hour on the hour. This means even if you cannot access a class with a teacher in studio, you still a “virtual in studio” RIDE. This may be more convenient for some as you can come with a small group and do a studio “take over” to get in your daily burn or just come alone and have the state of the art equipment to ride on with more privacy. All bikes will be heavily sanitized before and after each use.

CLEANING PROTOCOL

Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength has secured medical grade commercial cleaners, hand sanitizers, foggers, and cleaning protocol.

Yoga Studio, Barre Studio, and Spin Studio (after every class)

Wipe down all surfaces wall to wall
Wipe and sanitize all light switches and doors
Mop wall to wall with medical grade commercial cleaner
Foggers are used between classes to sanitize the air, floors and walls
Deep clean entrance, restrooms and common Area (2x day for retail, hourly for restrooms)
Sweep and mop wall to wall. Sanitize all walls, light switches and doors
Clean restroom fixtures, mirrors, door handles, counters
Sanitize all glass surfaces
Vacuum Walk off mats
Dust and Sanitize all low reach areas
Dust and Sanitize all high reach areas

*The sole purpose of this is to provide information about the safety of our facility. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you suspect you may have an illness or the virus of 2020, please consult your medical practitioner immediately.

All About AcroYoga

January 26, 2019/in Featured, Yoga Fever /by Shannon Austin

Acroyoga is a form of partner yoga that combines yoga, acrobatics, and Thai massage. Among the two-person team, the person doing the lifting is called the base and the person being lifted is the flyer.

Why We Love Acroyoga:

This joyful practice is about having fun and challenging your body and mind in a new, fresh way. Often, we get so stuck in our daily rut of work, household chores, and family responsibilities that we fail to bring play and joy into our lives. And, let’s face it, we can take our yoga practice very seriously at times.

But in Acroyoga, laughter is a regular, consistent component, brought together by the natural playfulness of bringing two energies together on one mat. The great thing about acroyoga is that it’s a form of building each other up – in the most literal sense.

Acroyoga is for Everyone (No Experience is Required):

One of the first responses we hear when holding an acroyoga class is “I could never do that!” Actually, YES you can. Just like traditional yoga, acro accepts you where you are and guides you through the necessary building blocks at whatever pace you need. Sure, some background with flexibility and strength makes the physicality of acro easier, but it’s definitely not a requirement. Acroyoga is physically demanding, but the communication you have with your partner is equally as important to helping you be successful.

The Best Partner for Acroyoga:

You may think that larger people do the lifting and smaller people do the flying; or that men lift and women fly. Not necessarily the case. You’ll find that technique is much more important than strength.

Honestly, the best partner in acroyoga is someone you can laugh with! I totally understand the intimidation factor that comes with this practice, so having an adventure buddy by your side will help you take that leap into an exciting new world of play and fitness. Whether it’s a stranger turned best friend, a significant other, or a sister – whoever you have the most fun with will be your best acro partner.

The Biggest Challenge in Acroyoga:

Hands down, the biggest challenge students of acroyoga face is trust. Our society is conditioned to tackle our tasks independently, stubbornly refusing to rely on others. Acro flips that norm on its head, creating a fun, safe space to return to the basics of what makes a strong community. You’re forced to have faith in one another, clearly and directly communicate your needs, learn to work together, and then fly – together.

Not only will you learn the basics of Acroyoga but you’ll learn to trust your own strength and balance. You have to give up some control when flying, but surrendering to the balance of your base offers a peace you can’t get anywhere else.

Are You Ready to Fly?

We’re hosting our Acroyoga workshops throughout the year, be sure to subscribe to be in the know on our next fly sesh. In this partner based offering, we’ll explore basic stretches and partner drills, along with therapeutic flying, simple L basing, and standing poses. Rest assured, you will also learn partner safety and how to spot these poses with others! This 90-minute workshop is all about having fun and allowing yourself to play with new friends and old. Bring your sweetie, friend, or brother and let’s freakin’ fly!