Hot Yoga Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Fever

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.

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

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

November 30, 2025/in Featured, Grand Rapids Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga /by Shannon Austin

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

December 17, 2023/in Hot Yoga /by Shannon Austin

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.

Mastering Chaturanga

March 8, 2022/in Hot Yoga, Yoga /by Shannon Austin

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.

It makes your wrists stronger and more flexible.
It builds muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms.
It tones and stretches your core muscles.
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

January 21, 2021/in Grand Rapids Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga Benefits /by Shannon Austin

“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

January 20, 2021/in Featured, Hot Yoga, Yoga /by Shannon Austin

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.

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 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!

Why do I sweat so much in hot yoga?

August 29, 2019/in Grand Rapids Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga /by Shannon Austin

Have you ever thought to yourself mid-class: “Nobody could possibly sweat more than me right now”? Or, on the flip side, have you ever left your hot yoga class without a drop on your body wondering why everyone else is so much sweatier? We’ve ALL been there.

Everyone’s body works differently, so you’re not wrong if you fall in either camp – or somewhere in between.

Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling down, so never be embarrassed by the state of your shirt after an intense hot yoga class. And, just because you’re sweating buckets doesn’t mean you’ve worked harder than your classmates.

Each one of us has between 2-4 million sweat glands on our bodies. Women have more sweat glands than men, but men’s bodies generally are more active.

Other contributing factors include:

The number of sweat glands you have
How hot the temperature is
How intensely you’re exercising
Genetic predisposition
Bodyweight
Amount of water consumed
Level of anxiety at the moment

While it might seem kind of backwards, the fact that you sweat a lot during a hot yoga workout actually signals that you’re in good shape! Physically fit people start sweating at lower temperatures, which allows them to perform longer since their body isn’t overheating.

How to stay safe in a hot yoga studio

Whether your body marinates in sweat or simply glistens gently, there are a handful of tactics you can employ to keep yourself safe in our hot yoga studio.

Drink cold water every 15 minutes or so to keep your core temperature out of the danger zone.

Consume an electrolyte-spiked sports drink after class to replenish the sodium and potassium you’re sweating out.

If you feel dizzy, nauseated, or develop a headache, either rest in child’s pose or leave the studio to get some cool air.

To cool down quickly after practice, avoid taking a frigid shower or splashing icy water on your face. The chilly temperature will constrict your blood vessels, causing hot blood to rush to your core. Rather, take a cool shower and stand in front of a fan to evaporate lingering sweat.

When you should talk to your doctor

If you’re truly sweating uncontrollably, you may want to ask your doctor about a medical condition called hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis, a condition where your sweating exceeds the amount your body needs to cool off, affects approximately 2-3% of Americans and should be treated by your doctor.

On the other hand, if you can’t sweat, you may want to look into anhidrosis (or hypohidrosis). While not sweating might seem like a blessing to some of us, this condition puts people at higher risk of heatstroke and they must be wary of exercising in high temperatures.

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Remember, everyone perspires in their own way, so never be ashamed of your sweat stains. Just grab a towel before class and get to work on your mat!

Is Yoga just for Women?

June 4, 2019/in Grand Rapids Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga /by Shannon Austin

In short, no.

One of the most prevalent yoga myths is that yoga is only for women. This is honestly one of the craziest myths – especially considering that ancient yoga was a male-dominated practice. It was created for 14-year-old boys people!! Women were not even able to practice it. Now that being said, the West has changed yoga in a plethora of ways; some may say it better, some may say it has lost its way.

I digress…

Why do men believe this idea that yoga is just for women? I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with mainstream media highlighting women in fancy yoga poses. I see why men have the idea it must be for skinny young chics but come on, we know what you see in social media is not reality.

A few other reasons they may have not boarded the yoga train: yoga isn’t a good enough workout for men; it’s too touchy-feely; you have to be flexible beforehand, and men’s bodies aren’t naturally built for these poses.

Let me make this very clear: yoga offers a tremendous array of benefits for everyone. That certainly includes our dudes.

Unfortunately, this myth leads to a disappointing statistic: of the 20 million Americans who practice yoga, less than 18% of them are men. At Fever YCS we have plenty of men who show up on their mats day after day. But if you’ve never given it a try, I urge you to read on to discover the many benefits of overcoming this myth. Then, pop in to try your first yoga class!

3 Great Reasons to Give Yoga a Try

Yoga extends your muscles’ range of motion: Men typically target a select group of muscles at the gym, including hamstrings, glutes, abs, and shoulders. However, these muscles can only be trained so far. And, when exercised too heavily, they can become injured. However, yoga uses your natural body weight and resistance to build lean muscle mass, which improves blood flow and helps your muscles recover faster. I highly recommend complementing your gym exercises with a regular yoga practice.

Yoga provides a full spectrum of health: Unlike most male fitness regimes, yoga views health as more than visible muscle strength. And that’s because yoga strengthens more than just the physical body. It also teaches you to calm your mind and open your heart, leading to pain-free movement, increased flexibility, and decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and rage.

Yoga melts away your damaging competitive spirit: While this is certainly common in women too, men are often especially haunted by an intense spirit of competition. Yoga teaches you to keep your eyes – and focus – on your own mat. All that is asked of you is that you show up willing to respect the needs of your body, knowing that your worth has nothing to do with the person next to you.

Tips for Men Starting Yoga

Don’t force the movement: Many men have a gift of strength, but a tendency to work their body too hard, ignoring pain and discomfort. When you step on your mat, I encourage you to identify the difference between sensation and pain, learning when to modify to protect your body.

Focus on what’s working: You may not feel comfortable in certain poses, but powerful and masterful in others. Know that yoga is a practice where you have permission to take what you need. There will be no drill Sargent barking orders or requiring you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with!

Set aside your competitive spirit: As I mentioned before, know that you might not be the best yogi in the room. It’s time to get accustomed to that. The only thing you should be worried about is improving your own practice. And, sometimes, you may have to take a step backward before making progress.

Dump your belief that you must already be flexible: Thinking you have to be flexible to try yoga is like saying you have to be in shape to go to the gym or know how to cook to take a cooking class. The truth is, practicing yoga regularly will help you become more flexible over time.

Yoga truly is a strong, energetic, and challenging workout. But too many men never make it past that first-class or even show up at all. You may enter your first class as a skeptic, but I promise if you give it a few tries you’ll leave a sweaty convert! Oh, and one more tip—— yoga will improve your golf game by a mile. Now……who’s with me?

Building Heat in the Body with the Practice of Yoga

November 17, 2018/in Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga Benefits /by Shannon Austin

When we’re cold, our circulation decreases, which leads to constriction in the muscles and joints. Though I know how tempting it can be to avoid the snowy roads and stay snuggled up on your cozy couch, winter weather is actually one of the best times to keep up a consistent hot yoga practice. Through our practice, we develop an internal heat to keep us warm, happy, and healthy.

I suggest focusing on four specific practices this season: develop strong, consistent breath; work those abs until they burn; consume Ayurveda-friendly warm, seasonal foods and get yourself to the nearest hot yoga room.

Strong Breath

Kapalabhati is a cleansing breath technique in which you start in a comfortable seated position with a tall spine. Draw in a long inhale, then exhale forcefully from your lower belly. Continue pushing breath outward in this way without inhaling – the inhale happens naturally, I promise!

Focus on exhaling over and over again, starting with a steady pace before moving faster. After about 20 repetitions, exhale all your air out and draw in another deep breath. Slowly sigh it out. You can repeat this breathing style twice more, allowing for that important rested breath between rounds.

This breathing style removes carbon dioxide from your lungs and brings energy into your body.

Core Strength

Heat is created from your body’s furnace, located in the belly center. In yoga, we call this area the Manipura chakra, which is connected to the element of fire. Any work done in your core area will provide warmth. In the winter, we like to spend time prepping the body before diving into the more difficult core exercises.

We may start with abdominal exercises that keep the spine fully supported by the floor. We’ll move into a couple rounds of Locust pose, while focusing on a very regulated breath. You’ll often find yourself in navasana (boat pose) later in class. Seated forward folds are sometimes used in the cooling portion of class, as we focus on contracting the belly on each exhale.

Nutritional Support

The sister science of yoga, Ayurveda, states that “like attracts like.” This means that the kapha and vata doshas tend to become aggravated during our dark, cold Michigan winters. The climate is simply too similar to their natural qualities. If you’re finding yourself experiencing many colds, poor circulation, joint pains, or negative emotions, try some of these tips.

Definitely eat plenty of soups, stews, cooked vegetables, and grains. Avoid cold salads and sandwiches.

Start your day with a hearty, warm breakfast to feed your digestive fire. Oatmeal is a great option.

Season your foods with warming spices, such as cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, and nutmeg.

Drink warm teas, hot water with lemon, or dry red wine to encourage circulation and stimulate digestion.

If you naturally tend to eat warmer, heartier foods in the winter – like soup, stir fry, casserole, quiches, pasta – you’re on the right track! While our bodies are designed to eat more in the winter, it’s still important to select your food carefully.

The cold, dry, and dark winter months can certainly tempt us away from our practice – and excercise in general. If we fall victim to that temptation, though, we’ll experience a number of negative consequences. I challenge you this winter to use your yoga practice as a means of caring for your entire being. Challenge yourself to practice a certain amount of days each week. For at least 60 minutes, you’ll be incredibly warm and fiery!

If you would like to learn more about building heat in the body using the sister science of yoga, Ayurveda, please visit Laura Burkett at Real Food Wellness.

Hot Yoga Studio

The hot yoga studio creates a sauna like atmosphere that will naturally detoxify the body while warming the external sheath, bones, muscles, ligaments and joints. Hot yoga raises your heart rate and core temperature, which dilates blood vessels and increases circulation in your muscles—a total win when muscles are stiffer in the cold weather months. Essentially, hot yoga helps build the heat from the core to the periphery and the periphery back to the core.

The Story Behind Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength

February 18, 2018/in Grand Rapids Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga /by Shannon Austin

Our Story: How Fever Became a Four-Pillar Wellness Studio

Fever Yoga Cycle Strength was founded in 2016 with a simple intention: to create a space where people could move, breathe, and reconnect with themselves in meaningful ways. What began as a single hot yoga room has evolved into something far more expansive — a multi-modality fitness studio designed to support the whole human experience.

Over the years, our community taught us that wellness isn’t one-dimensional. People weren’t just looking for a workout. They were looking for resilience, energy, nervous-system regulation, and a place to feel grounded again. So Fever grew — organically, thoughtfully, and in direct response to the real lives of the people who walk through our doors.

Today, Fever is built around four essential pillars of movement and recovery:

Flexibility

Our heated yoga studio supports mobility, joint health, and deep physical release. From powerful vinyasa to intentional breath-centered practice, flexibility at Fever is about freedom of movement and ease in the body.

Cardio

Our cycling room is where momentum lives. High-energy indoor rides that build endurance, mental grit, and cardiovascular strength — all without losing the soulful, inclusive feel that defines our community.

Strength

In our infrared heated strength and Pilates studio, we train with intention. We offer (non-heated) Barre, Pilates, and functional strength classes that are designed to build lean muscle, protect joints, and help you feel powerful in your own body.

Recovery

Recovery isn’t an afterthought at Fever — it’s a core part of performance. From sound healing to restorative modalities and upcoming bodywork services, this pillar exists to regulate the nervous system, restore balance, and help your body integrate everything you ask of it.

Fever is proudly woman-owned, locally rooted, and community-driven. It’s not about chasing trends or perfection. It’s about building a sustainable relationship with your body — one that evolves with you through every season of life.

This is what Fever YCS is now: not just a place to work out, but a space to come home to yourself.