Experience hot yoga in Grand Rapids the way it was meant to be: breath-centered, intelligently sequenced, and supported by the best heat in town. Our signature hot yoga classes blend vinyasa yoga, mindful movement, and steady breathwork inside a 99-degree room that encourages strength, mobility, and deep internal focus.

Benefits of Hot Yoga in Grand Rapids

Benefits of Hot Yoga in Grand Rapids

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Hot yoga in Grand Rapids has really take off over the last several years, and for good reason. With Michigan’s long winters, desk-heavy work culture, and high stress levels, more people are turning to heated yoga as a way to stay strong, flexible, and mentally clear year-round. But beyond the sweat and intensity, hot yoga offers very real physical and nervous-system benefits that make it especially valuable here.

Here’s what hot yoga uniquely provides, and why it works so well for bodies living in West Michigan.

Improved Circulation in a Cold Climate

Grand Rapids spends a large part of the year in colder temperatures. Cold weather naturally tightens muscles, stiffens joints, and reduces circulation. Practicing yoga in a heated room counteracts that effect immediately. The warmth increases blood flow to muscles and connective tissue, helping the body move more freely and recover more efficiently between workouts or long workdays.

For many people locally, hot yoga becomes the difference between feeling stuck and feeling fluid during the winter months.

Deeper Flexibility Without Long Warm-Ups

In a traditional room-temperature class, it can take a long time for the body to fully warm up. In a heated environment, muscles soften much more quickly. This allows students to access deeper ranges of motion with less resistance, which is especially helpful for:

•   Tight hips from sitting

•   Stiff backs from driving or desk work

•   Limited shoulder mobility from overhead training

This doesn’t mean forcing depth. It means the body becomes more responsive sooner, allowing flexibility to improve safely with awareness and control. This makes hot yoga safe for beginners as the body adapts quickly and is more forgiving.

Strength + Endurance in One Session

Hot yoga builds strength differently than traditional strength training. Holding postures in heat increases muscular fatigue much faster, which improves:

•   Muscular endurance

•   Joint stability

•   Core strength

•   Postural control

Because the heart rate naturally rises in heated classes, you also receive a cardiovascular benefit at the same time. This makes hot yoga a powerful full-body training option for people in Grand Rapids who want maximum return in a limited workout window.

Support for Digestion and Lymphatic Movement

The combination of movement, heat, and breath encourages lymphatic flow and digestive stimulation. Many students notice improved regularity, reduced bloating, and a lighter feeling in the body with consistent practice. Sweating also supports fluid movement through tissues that commonly become stagnant with stress and inactivity.

This is one of the reasons hot yoga is often felt as “cleansing,” even though the true detox organs are the liver and kidneys.

Mental Resilience and Stress Regulation

Grand Rapids is a hardworking city with high professional and family demands. Hot yoga challenges the nervous system in a controlled way. The heat increases sensory input, which requires strong focus, breath control, and mental steadiness. Over time, this builds:

•   Improved stress tolerance

•   Better emotional regulation

•   Greater mental clarity

•   A stronger sense of internal calm under pressure

Many people find that the skills learned in hot yoga directly transfer into daily life, helping them stay grounded in high-demand environments.

Consistent Practice Through All Seasons

One of the biggest benefits of hot yoga in Grand Rapids is consistency. When it’s dark, icy, or bitter cold outside, motivation often drops. Heated indoor practice provides a reliable training environment year-round. Students don’t have to rely on weather, daylight, or outdoor conditions to keep moving.

This consistency is what leads to long-term results in strength, flexibility, and mental health — not just short-term fitness bursts.

Improved Breath Awareness and Lung Capacity

Breathing in heat requires efficiency. Students quickly learn how to slow the breath, regulate CO₂ tolerance, and stay calm under load. Over time, this improves:

•   Lung capacity

•   Breath control under stress

•   Endurance in other workouts

•   Overall oxygen efficiency

This makes hot yoga an excellent complement to cycling, running, strength training, and high-output fitness modalities common in the Grand Rapids fitness community.

Body Awareness and Injury Prevention

Because heat amplifies sensation, students become more aware of their physical thresholds. This heightened proprioception improves joint safety and teaches people how to distinguish between productive effort and strain. For many, this leads to fewer overuse injuries and better movement choices in daily life.

Who Hot Yoga Is Especially Helpful For in Grand Rapids

Hot yoga tends to be particularly beneficial for:

•   People who sit most of the day

•   Cold-weather tightness and seasonal stiffness

•   Athletes looking for mobility and recovery

•   High-stress professionals

•   Anyone wanting strength, cardio, and flexibility in one session

It’s also ideal for students who struggle to feel fully warmed up in traditional classes.

A Final Word

Hot yoga in Grand Rapids is more than just a trend — it’s a practical response to climate, lifestyle, and stress. The combination of heat, breath, and intelligent movement helps the body stay mobile, the mind stay clear, and the nervous system stay resilient through every season.

Whether you’re new to hot yoga or looking to deepen your physical and mental practice, hot yoga offers a powerful, sustainable way to support your health right here in West Michigan.

Book your first hot yoga class at Fever Yoga Cycle Strength.

hot yoga vs traditional yoga: what's the real difference?

Hot Yoga vs. Traditional Yoga: What’s the Real Difference?

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If you’ve ever hovered over a class schedule wondering whether to choose hot yoga or a traditional (non-heated) yoga class, you’re not alone. Both offer powerful benefits, but they feel very different in the body and serve different intentions. The real question isn’t which is “better” — it’s which one is right for you right now.

Here’s a clear breakdown of how hot yoga and traditional yoga actually differ, beyond the temperature.

The Environment

Traditional yoga is practiced in a room at normal temperature. This allows the body to warm up gradually through movement and breath. Sensations tend to build slowly, and the nervous system often stays in a more grounded, controlled state throughout practice.

Hot yoga is practiced in a heated room, typically between 90–105 degrees depending on the style and studio. The heat changes everything: how muscles respond, how quickly you sweat, how your breath feels, and how intensely you experience the practice. The environment itself becomes part of the workout.

Flexibility and Range of Motion

In traditional yoga, flexibility develops progressively as tissues warm through movement. It’s excellent for building long-term mobility with a slower, more controlled stretch response.

In hot yoga, heat allows muscles and connective tissue to soften more quickly. Many students notice they can move deeper into postures sooner. This doesn’t mean the stretch is safer automatically — it simply means the body feels more open faster. Awareness and restraint still matter just as much.

Strength Building

Traditional yoga builds strength through slower holds, controlled transitions, and sustained engagement. It emphasizes stability, joint integrity, and muscular endurance over time.

Hot yoga builds strength too, but with an added cardiovascular and muscular fatigue component from the heat. Holding postures while sweating heavily taxes the muscles differently and increases overall physical demand, even in familiar shapes.

Detoxification and Circulation

One of the most talked-about benefits of hot yoga is sweating. The heat promotes heavy perspiration, increased circulation, and a feeling of flushing the system. While the liver and kidneys do the true detox work, many people experience hot yoga as deeply cleansing on a physical and energetic level.

Traditional yoga still supports circulation and lymphatic movement, just without the intensity of heat-driven sweating. It’s often preferred for those who want a gentler internal reset without thermal stress.

Cardiovascular Demand

Traditional yoga typically keeps the heart rate lower and more steady, especially in slower styles like slow flow, yin, or restorative. It’s ideal for nervous system regulation and recovery.

Hot yoga elevates the heart rate more quickly due to both heat and physical effort. Even slower sequences feel more athletic in a heated room. This makes hot yoga a hybrid experience: part strength training, part cardio, part mobility work.

Mental and Nervous System Effects

Traditional yoga often supports introspection, nervous system down-regulation, and a meditative internal focus. Because the environment is neutral, the mind can settle more easily for many people.

Hot yoga challenges the nervous system in a different way. Heat intensifies sensation, tests focus, and requires a high level of mental presence. Many students experience hot yoga as mentally strengthening — learning how to breathe, stay calm, and stay steady under pressure.

Who Each Style Is Best For

Traditional yoga is ideal if you:

•   Are new to yoga and want to learn alignment without heat stress

•   Are recovering from injury

•   Prefer slower, quieter movement

Hot yoga is ideal if you:

•   Enjoy sweating and intensity

•   Want a stronger physical and mental challenge

•   Are focused on flexibility and muscular endurance

•   Like structured, athletic movement

•   Want to combine strength, cardio, and mobility in one session

The Truth Most People Miss

Hot yoga and traditional yoga are not opposing practices — they complement each other. Many students feel their best when they practice both. Traditional yoga builds refinement, awareness, and recovery. Hot yoga builds resilience, strength, and stamina.

Your body’s needs change by season, stress level, age, training load, and life phase. There will be times when heat feels therapeutic — and times when room-temperature practice feels essential.

Choosing the Right Class for You

If you are brand new to yoga, traditional classes often provide the easiest entry point. If you already move well and enjoy intensity, hot yoga may feel energizing and empowering. If you train hard outside the studio, traditional yoga may not feel like enough. If your nervous system feels stagnant or sluggish, hot yoga can be deeply revitalizing.

The best choice is always the one that supports your body now — not what you think you “should” be doing.

Final Thought

Both hot yoga and traditional yoga offer profound physical and mental benefits. The temperature doesn’t determine the value of the practice — your intention, awareness, and consistency do. Whether you’re soaking in heat or moving in a neutral room, yoga meets you exactly where you are.

What to wear to hot yoga

What to Wear to a Hot Yoga Class

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Hot yoga requires more thought than a typical workout when it comes to what you wear. The right clothing keeps you cool, supported, and comfortable as you move through heat and humidity.

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WHAT TO WEAR TO HOT YOGA

1. Sweat-wicking tops and bras

Avoid cotton — it absorbs sweat, gets heavy, and will smell like mildew. Choose moisture-wicking pieces for hot yoga that keep you breathable and mobile.

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2. Fitted shorts or leggings

Clothing that stays in place helps you focus on your practice instead of adjusting fabric. Shorter lengths help with cooling, longer lengths help with grip — both work depending on what you are looking for out of your practice.

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3. Bare feet + grippy mat

Your mat is your foundation in a hot room. Grip matters even more when you’re sweating. Read our blog below on how to select the right yoga mat for the heated yoga room.

How to Choose the Right Mat for Hot Yoga

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4. Minimal accessories

Jewelry heats up quickly and can be uncomfortable. Keep it simple.

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5. Bring a towel + water bottle

A mat towel keeps you from slipping if you do not have the proper mat to support you. The towel is a solid work around. Water with electrolytes helps you maintain balance in the heat.

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6. Optional: headband or hair tie

Keeping your hair back helps with both cooling and focus. Definitely pull back long strands to keep from getting distracted.

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Wearing the right gear makes your first hot yoga experience smoother, safer, and far more enjoyable. Dress for breathability, bring a good mat, and keep your setup simple.

How to stay safe during your first hot yoga class

How to Stay Safe During Your First Hot Yoga Class

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Hot yoga can feel intense if you’re new — but it’s absolutely doable when you know how to prepare. With the right mindset, smart hydration, and a beginner-friendly approach, your first hot yoga class can feel empowering instead of overwhelming.

HOW TO STAY SAFE IN YOUR FIRST HOT YOGA CLASS

1. Hydrate before you arrive

Stay hydrated before your first hot yoga session. Electrolytes help your body handle heat more efficiently.

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2. Eat a light meal 2–3 hours beforehand

You don’t want to practice on a full stomach, but you also don’t want to be depleted. Eat something small a few hours in advance, think nuts, a piece of fruit or a healthy snack. Nourishing your body before and after hot yoga will be a game changer.

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3. Pace yourself

Your first class is not the one to test your limits. Resting on your back or belly is normal and respected. If you know childs pose, take that when you need to rest. It’s important you listen to your body and acclimate to the different dynamics happening within the heated space.

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4. Choose a beginner-friendly flow

Look for classes labeled beginner, all-levels or slow flow vinyasa. Ask the teacher where to set your mat for the best experience. Often times beginners flock to the back of the class, but that actually makes it more difficult to be visual in front of you or behind you. The best spot is somewhere in the middle of the room to keep visual lines clear.

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5. Bring the right gear

A grippy mat, towel, and water bottle with electrolytes will make a huge difference. Wearing the proper moisture wicking clothes suited for hot yoga is key to a comfortable experience. Cotton will get soaked through very quickly and will stick to the body and create odor. Avoid synthetic or cotton fibers and work with organic clothes that will enhance your hot yoga experience not hinder it.

The right mat is essential for hot yoga. A proper hot studio will have mats for rent that are specific to the hot yoga space. Ask for assistance on the best mat for your experience. The mats that can be purchased at target are a ‘open cell’ structure. That means once you start sweating, your mat will act as a sponge and you will slip and slide. You need a ‘closed cell’ structure to wick away the sweat, not absorb it. These mats are more costly, but they create a much more stable and enjoyable experience.

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6. Listen to your body

Dizziness, nausea, or blurry vision mean it’s time to rest and breathe. Heat acclimation takes time and happens naturally with consistent practice. We often say give it 3 classes before your body starts to truly acclimate to the hot environment.

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7. Cool down properly

Don’t rush out. Give yourself a few minutes in Savasana to let your system recalibrate. Your body and mind need that time to integrate the totality of the hot yoga practice.

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Hot yoga is for beginners and it can be transformative — especially when approached with awareness. Take it slow, hydrate well, and remember that every practitioner was once a beginner.

Is hot yoga safe for beginners? Everything you need to know (Grand Rapids Edition)

Is Hot Yoga Safe for Beginners? Everything You Need to Know

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Hot yoga can look intense from the outside — 99° heat, and sweat everywhere, deeply flowing sequences — but the truth is this: hot yoga classes in Grand Rapids can be incredibly safe for beginners when the environment is built correctly and when teachers know how to guide all bodies, all ages, and all experience levels.

At Fever Yoga Cycle Strength, our hot yoga room was intentionally designed with on-purpose forced-air heat, balanced humidity, and energy-recovery ventilation that pulls fresh air in continuously according to the Co2 and oxygen levels within the room. This makes the practice not only accessible for beginners, but safer, cleaner, and more supportive than most hot studios. In fact, the entire air quality is turned over within 45 minutes. We hear all the time that our heat is by far superior to other spaces they have visited.

Below is your full breakdown.

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1. The Heat Is Controlled, Clean, and Beginner-Friendly

Our hot room isn’t “dry heat” or inconsistent space heaters. It’s a purpose-built system that maintains:

• ~99° heat

• ~45% humidity

• Continuously refreshed oxygen via ERVs that sense CO₂ levels and pump in fresh air on demand

Most beginners worry hot yoga will feel suffocating. Ours doesn’t — because the air is constantly moving, replenishing, and circulating cleanly. You get heat that helps your muscles open, but with air quality that actually feels breathable.

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2. You Don’t Need to Be Flexible or Fit to Start Hot Yoga

Hot Yoga beginners tell us this all the time:

“I’ll start hot yoga once I’m in better shape.”

No.

Come exactly as you are. You build strength, flexibility, and stamina by coming, again and again — not by waiting.

We see every age, every shape, every background in our hot yoga room:

• Teens

• 20s–40s

• 50s–70s+

Many of our students start with zero yoga experience. Hot yoga is scalable for every single level.

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3. The Vinyasa Flow Helps, Not Hurts

Our hot classes follow a vinyasa-based format — linking breath and movement — but we teach intelligently. Here’s how we keep you safe in your first hot yoga class:

• Clear cuing

• Options for every pose

• Slower warm-ups so your body can adjust to heat

• Safe sequencing designed to stabilize, not overwhelm

• Safe hot yoga mats designed to keep you stable as you practice in the heated space

You won’t be thrown into advanced postures without modifications offered. You’ll never feel behind. Our teachers aren’t reading off scripts — they’re guiding you and personalizing the experience to ensure your comfort.

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4. Sweating Helps Detox, Hydrate, and Heal

Beginners are often nervous about the sweat. But sweating is one of the body’s healthiest responses:

• Boosts circulation

• Helps regulate body temperature

• Lubricates joints

• Supports detoxification

• Helps reduce stress hormones

When paired with our moist, balanced heat, your body finds flow, not burnout.

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5. You Control the Intensity

This is the part nobody tells beginners:

Hot yoga doesn’t require intensity — it requires presence.

You can:

• take breaks

• drink water

• rest in child’s pose anytime

• skip poses

• come out early

You never have to “push through” anything. This is your practice, your pace, your body.

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6. The Benefits of Hot Yoga Start Immediately

Beginners usually notice within 1–3 classes:

• deeper sleep

• reduced stress

• improved mobility

• feeling “lighter” mentally and physically

• more energy

• better mood regulation

• increased circulation

And with consistent practice, strength builds fast — especially core, legs, and postural muscles.

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7. Your First Hot Yoga Class at Fever (What to Expect)

Here’s exactly what walking into your first class will feel like:

• A warm, welcoming room — never overwhelming

• Kind, experienced teachers who help you set up

• A community of real people, not fitness models

• Music that sets a grounded flow

• A sequence that builds slowly and safely

• Space to breathe, move, and reconnect to yourself

Most beginners leave thinking:

“I can do this and I feel amazing.”

And that’s the point.

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Is Hot Yoga Safe for Beginners? Absolutely — When Done Right.

With properly designed heat, fresh-air circulation, smart sequencing, and teachers who know how to guide every level, hot yoga becomes one of the safest and most transformative practices you can start.

If you’re ready to begin — or begin again — our Grand Rapids community is here for you.

Book your first hot yoga class → Hot Yoga Schedule

 

Hot yoga in Grand Rapids at Fever Yoga Cycle Strength

Hot Yoga in Grand Rapids: Discover the Best Heat at Fever

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Hot yoga hits different at Fever — and it’s not just the temperature.

Our hot room is built for 99° heat, 45% humidity, clean fresh air, and the kind of vinyasa flow that leaves you feeling clear, strong, and alive. This is where breath, movement, heat, and energy work together to elevate your entire yoga practice.

If you’re searching for hot yoga in Grand Rapids or wondering if hot yoga is right for you,  here are benefits that set Fever YCS apart — and why our students say it’s the best heat in town.

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1. The Perfect Balance: 99° Heat + 45% Humidity

Hot enough to warm your body quickly.

Balanced enough to breathe, move, and stay energized.

The 99° / 45% combo supports:

•   safer, faster warm-up

•   deeper muscle engagement

•   increased circulation

•   enhanced flexibility

•   smoother transitions

•   a stronger vinyasa practice overall

This isn’t “sweltering” heat. It’s training heat — crafted to support performance, longevity, and results.

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2. Clean, Fresh Air — Powered by ERV Technology

Often times hot yoga rooms recycle air.

Ours doesn’t.

Our hot room uses a full ERV (energy recovery ventilation) system that constantly measures oxygen and CO₂ levels and pumps fresh air into the space as soon as it hits a threshold.

This means:

•   cleaner air

•   safer training

•   less fatigue

•   better focus

•   no “airless” hot yoga feeling

It’s hot yoga with fresh air — not stagnant heat.

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3. A Practice for Every Body: Ages 17 to 70+

If you think you’re “too old,” “too tight,” or “not flexible enough”…

come take class and look around.

Our hot yoga community includes:

•   teens

•   young professionals

•   parents

•   people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s

•   all genders

•   all backgrounds

•   all body types

If you can breathe, you can practice here.

Hot yoga is safe for beginners. It wraps strength, mobility, breath, and meditation into movement — you don’t need to fit a mold to belong and it’s okay to be brand new to the practice.

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4. Stress Reduction + Mental Reset

Heat + breath +  hot flow creates a neurological recalibration:

•   your breathing deepens

•   your nervous system softens

•   your focus sharpens

•   your thoughts settle

This is where the movement becomes meditation — the medicine most people don’t realize they’ve been missing.

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5. Detoxification + Circulation Boost

Our hot room supports:

•   increased sweating

•   improved lymphatic flow

•   faster recovery

•   reduced inflammation

•   clearer skin

•   better mobility

You’ll feel lighter, cleaner, and more open long after class ends. It’s important to stay hydrated to avoid dehydration during hot yoga so be sure to drink extra water on days you’ll practice.

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6. Strength + Cardio in Every Hot Flow

Vinyasa yoga creates flexibility — and it builds functional strength.

Every class trains:

•   core

•   shoulders

•   hips

•   legs

•   stability

•   balance

•   endurance

Heat amplifies muscle activation, helping you build lean, powerful strength without impact.

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7. A Community That Moves Together

People come to Fever for the heat —

but they return for the energy in the room.

It’s uplifting, inclusive, and unapologetically real.

No cliques.

No comparison.

Just movement, breath, sweat, and support.

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Experience Hot Yoga in Grand Rapids the Fever Way

If you’re looking for real hot yoga — clean air, strong heat, true vinyasa, and a community that feels like a pulse — this is it.

Book a hot yoga class in Grand Rapids → www.feverycs.com/

Nourishing your body before and after hot yoga

Nourishing Your Body Before and After Hot Yoga

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As you know, yoga involves movement, twisting, and turning. The last thing you want when you’re busy flowing through a new sequence is to experience a stomachache, bloating or gas. But it’s really hard to fuel our bodies correctly. Sometimes we accidentally eat gassy veggies before yoga class and other times we forget to drink an adequate amount of water.

As yoga instructors, many of our students ask what to eat, when to eat, and how to hydrate properly in order to gain the most benefits from hot yoga.

We think this is a great question and hope we can show you some simple tricks to staying healthy and energized throughout your yoga practice. Especially in the heat of summer, it can be tough to keep our body full of the nutrients we need to make it through intense work outs and hot yoga classes.

Why is this so important? When you have the right amount of food and water in your body, you’re able to build and tone your muscles. But when you fail to do so, your body finds itself in “preservation” mode, too busy trying to provide basic energy and unable to create new muscle and leaves you susceptible to yoga injuries.

6 Tips for Nourishing Your Body the Right Way

Time It Right: So, when’s the best time to eat before yoga class? Ideally, we ask you not to eat 2 hours prior to yoga. However,  it doesn’t hurt to load up on a 200-300 calorie healthy snack an hour or so before class. This will keep your stomach from rumbling obnoxiously while also providing enough time for digestion.

TIP! Bring some apple slices and peanut butter with you to work so you can munch on them before heading to class or grab an orange. Oranges are 87% water content and are loaded with vitamin C. They’re perfect for adding some quick hydration. 

Avoid Fatty Foods: You probably already know this one, but before any workout, you should stay away from fatty or greasy foods. Focus instead on foods with fast-acting carbohydrates or lean protein. Your body can use this energy immediately to provide the boost you need.

TIP! Carrots and hummus is a light, easy snack that will give you the energy and nutrients you need. Save the tofu burger & fries for a once-in-a-while thing (and not before you hit class). 

Bring an Eco-Friendly Water Bottle: At Fever, we strongly encourage you to bring an environmentally friendly water bottle to each and every class or we sell H2O at the studio in the event you forgot to pack one along. Bring water into the studio with you and remember to drink it whenever necessary (even during the class). We won’t always remind you to hydrate so be conscious of your intake before, during and after to avoid dehydration during hot yoga.

TIP! When your instructor offers the opportunity to skip chaturanga and go straight to a downward dog, use the extra time to hydrate if needed. Listen to your body – it’ll tell you when the time is right.

Snack Smart before AM Class: It’s hard enough to drag yourself to an early morning yoga class, let alone trying to throw in eating properly before the crack of dawn. We recommend eating as lightly as possible before class, then consuming a solid breakfast afterward.

TIP! For your sunrise yoga session, opt for half a cup of oatmeal, half an avocado, or a small handful of almonds. A cup of tea works well, also.

Befriend your Blender: Some of the best pre-workout snacks are healthy, protein smoothies. These fruit and veggie-filled drinks are all the rage these days, so it won’t take you long to google a recipe you like. If you head to yoga straight from school or work, mix it up in the morning and keep it in the fridge during the day.

TIP! Hydration is super important before yoga, so try adding ingredients like green tea, oranges, pineapple, or mango. The antioxidants will also prevent muscle soreness.

Hydrate and Replenish with Liquid IV: The first thing you’ll want to do after rolling up your mat is to drink some H20 and maybe even add some electrolytes to your water. Electrolytes help you replenish the much-needed nutrients, sodium and minerals your body lost during your sweat sesh. Whatever you do, just be mindful to keep your water bottle near you for at least an hour after class, although your body may crave extra water for the rest of the day.

TIP! You can also add in some other, naturally-hydrating drinks like fruit juice or coconut water. Even foods like cucumber, watermelon, and pineapple (all chilled) are a great post-hot yoga treat.

Remember, these are only suggestions. There are certainly additional food items you can add to the list. And it’s important to note that everyone’s body is different. Listen to yours to decipher which foods it can digest well and which are better left for an off-day. And after hot yoga, stock up on your lean protein by eating yogurt, drinking low-fat milk, or snacking on turkey and hardboiled eggs.

Most importantly, remember that these tips are designed to help you focus on your hot yoga practice in Grand Rapids, MI. We want our yogis to be fully invested in each hot yoga session, not worried about becoming dehydrated or depleting their adrenals.

STAY HYDRATED.

Disclosure: As an amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

 

mastering chatarunga

Mastering Chaturanga

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Ever heard your yoga teacher call out “chaturanga” and wonder if you’re doing it correctly? We feel you. Chaturanga Dandasana – or four-limbed staff pose – is the one yoga pose yogis love to hate. Most of us do it incorrectly or half-heartedly for years before finding the light.

Because this is such a physically and emotionally challenging pose, there’s a tendency to rush through it to get it over with. But a lack of attention is perhaps the biggest problem. While chaturanga can be a great way to tone your arms and core, your alignment needs to be spot on. Otherwise, you’ll risk shoulder or back injury.

The Benefits of Chaturanga:

Why do we put ourselves through this tough pose? There are several reasons why yoga instructors sprinkle chaturanga dandasana throughout their classes. Here are some of my favorite reasons for using chaturanga to transition between your yoga sequences.

  1. It makes your wrists stronger and more flexible.
  2. It builds muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms.
  3. It tones and stretches your core muscles.
  4. Add all of this together and it’s a great preparatory pose for arm balances and inversions

The upper-body and lower-belly strength you acquire by practicing chaturanga translates wonderfully into the power and core consciousness you need for arm balances like crow pose and side plank.

Where Most of Us Go Wrong:

It’s challenging to know when you are doing your chaturanga correctly. And since it’s a pose of repetition, it can lead to injury when performed incorrectly over and over again. Here are a couple ways even the best of us mess up our chaturangas sometimes.

  • Our hands are too close to our shoulders, causing our elbows to bend further than 90 degrees.
  • Our bodies either collapse to the ground with a saggy back or we stick our butt out toward the ceiling putting too much pressure on our shoulders.
  • Our elbows fall outward instead of hugging our core.
  • We lazily move through chaturanga, barely bending at the elbow before quickly rushing into upward dog.

How to Make Chaturanga More Accessible:

One option is to practice the pose with your knees on the floor – there’s no shame in this. It will help you build strength to lower down in one line. Closely monitor your elbow alignment. Next, recognize how deep you go as you lower yourself toward the floor, catching yourself before you begin to sag. Finally, share the strength of the pose between your upper and lower body so that your legs can ease the burden.

Ask for Help

If you’re seeking to build your yoga practice and gain safety and alignment within your body, schedule a private yoga class. You’d be surprised how just 1 session can move the needle to a stronger more accurate awareness of your body during every class moving forward.

how to avoid dehydration during hot yoga

How to Avoid Dehydration During Hot Yoga

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“Make sure you drink lots of water.” I’m sure most of you have heard this at Fever Yoga Cycle Strength as you’re rolling up your mat and packing to leave class. In fact, you hear this tip frequently, whether you’re training for a race, practicing yoga in heated rooms, or simply maintaining a healthy life.

The statement itself sounds simple enough, but I often notice dehydrated students in our hot yoga classes in Grand Rapids. Recognizing this problem up a list of other questions: What is the best way to hydrate? How do you know if you’ve had enough water? What are the key signs to look out for to avoid dehydration?

Tiredness, dizziness, cramped muscles, or no sweat – even in our incredibly hot room – are a few symptoms of dehydration. For beginners to hot yoga, it’s totally acceptable to require a few classes for your body to acclimate to the heat, but continued struggle can be a sign of not enough water.

We’ve talked before about the best tips and tricks to nourish your body before a hot yoga class, but I want to focus on the critical importance of hydration.

Prepping for Your Hot Yoga Class in Grand Rapids

Enter the hot yoga studio already properly hydrated. It’s simply too hard to do it once you’re already in the room, as it takes your body about 45 minutes to process water. Hydration before yoga is essential to avoiding stiffness and cramping. Ideally, the bottle you bring will simply be for refreshment.

Then, make absolutely sure that you hydrate after class. I know many of you lead busy lives and are running off to the next thing after class, but don’t ditch that water bottle! Nutritionists recommend drinking at least 20 ounces of water after class to replace the fluids you burned off during class.

Sneaky Tips to Getting the Right Hydration for Hot Yoga

When practicing hot yoga or Hot Pilates, you simply cannot hydrate properly with water alone; you need the right balance of water and electrolytes. However, I advise against the many sports drinks out there, as they often have too much sodium and sugar. Coconut water, though, cannot be beat! With five key electrolytes, along with vitamins and potassium, it’s an ideal alternative. In fact, coconut water is so similar to blood plasma that it can be used as intravenous fluid in emergency transfusions – crazy, right?

Eat your water. The right foods can help you stay hydrated. Fruits and vegetables – especially lettuce, broccoli, grapefruit, cucumber, and watermelon – will increase your metabolism.

Spike your drink. Sometimes water needs a little boost of flavor. If you’re growing tired of your water intake, enhance your water with a kick of flavor – whether it’s a natural remedy like cucumbers, oranges, or lemons or a flavored powder.

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I want to challenge each of you to embark on your own personal hydration challenge. Sip on water all day, even when you don’t feel thirsty. Fill your reusable bottle as soon as you finish it. Slowly drink a bottle of water over the course of the hour leading up to yoga class. And drink another in the 30 minutes after class. Stock up on produce high in water volume. Give it a week and see how your yoga practice is transformed!

How to choose the right mat for hot yoga

How to Choose the Right Mat for Hot Yoga 

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Yoga mats are a game changer when it comes to a sticky, sweaty hot 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.

  1. Beautiful and clean studio and lounge
  2. Adequate space to flow and breathe
  3. A yoga teacher who was clear, creative, and enthusiastic
  4. Knowledge of alignment and body mechanics
  5. 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 hot yoga 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.

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 Target). Choose one wisely, one that supports you 100% through every down dog and every life changing experience. We highly recommend shopping local within your community, like your local Fitness Shala, Fever Yoga Cycle Strength in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

See you on the mat!

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