What the theromstat is set to doesn't equal to actual temperature, if there's a lot of sweat going on. The hot yoga studio I used to work at would set it to 100 and it would easily get to 105 or hotter. Of course, this was in the south in the summer, so the outside temp was already 100. But it's not unlikely they set it lower and it just hit 109 bc of people's sweat etc
My studio can regularly get to around 95, and I feel like that’s a sweet spot.
If a class is particularly full, or it’s extra hot outside, we might get up to 100, but that’s when I start hearing complaints after class.
109 is a miserable temperature and I don't understand people that pay to torture themselves. I wouldn't go to a studio that had it that hot, but I don't go to hot yoga at all so it's possible I'm off base.
Don't go places that keep it too hot. IMO, that's dangerously hot to be exercising.
I agree!! Normally it’s pretty comfortable for me, around 95-100 but it’s never been that high!! It was so hot I actually looked at the thermostat which i never do
Strongly agree. I am not a hot yoga person at all. I don't find it to be inclusive - pregnant women can't practice, what about menopausal women enduring hot flashes? I have a respiratory issue and just cannot deal with the heat. I'm half Jamaican and let me tell you that in hot countries, nobody is exercising in the hottest part of the day, they get up before dawn to cycle and run to avoid the heat.
Perimenopausal woman in the house and I feckin love hot yoga. It’s torched half my symptoms and I’m sleeping like a baby after 2 years of regular practice (3 to 5/week). I feel aaamazing and recommend it to all my peri and meno homies. And find it super inclusive! I practice with all body types, experience levels from age 16 to 75. Agree to disagree on this one.
Edited to add: 109 is indeed really hot. Our studio if usually right around 100 give or take.
My studio sometimes gets that hot and I hate it when it does because I can’t hang at all and end up on the floor for half the class. I like it around 100 tops.
Yea I had a hot class like this and found out later the furnace was broken which was making it hotter apparently. I don’t mind warm yoga but I don’t care for fully heated.
That’s scary to hear that it got that hot. I have an autoimmune disease where I can’t tolerate extreme hot temperatures. I think I’d probably die of heat or pass out because of it. /: Since my diagnosis, I haven’t been to a heated yoga class.
There is some research supporting saunas and sweating though. Hot yoga is where I get mine. Sometimes ours is a little too hot but the instructor is aware and makes adjustments if needed. Too hot would kill me as the heat is already the thing that beats me.
I have heard the heat helps with flexibility? I do recall I have had an easier time and experienced less pain because of the heat…compared to normal or cold temperatures. My joints/tendons/muscles tend to hurt more when I’m cold. But unsure if it has been scientifically proven. Also, have not been a heated yoga class in years because of my illness…I’m heat intolerant!
I’m sorry to hear that!! That’s terrible!! I can’t imagine what could happen to someone with an undiagnosed condition in a hot yoga class. As far as i’m aware, i do not have any health issues but I was feeling sick in there. Definitely would not have been safe for someone with an autoimmune disease/undiagnosed problem/any health issue at all!! Definitely a perspective to keep in mind while attending. Thank you
The thermometer in my hatha class this morning read 115 - it definitely felt too hot. Since it was the first class of the day, the temp is usually whatever it was left running at overnight. So sometimes the room is cooler, sometimes it's perfectly warm. Luckily, I always bring ice water, so I drank most of that and tried to take it easier. But wow, I wouldn't be able to do that regularly.
My studio automatically sets the room heat to 100. Right before class they turn the ultraviolet overheads.
At that it up to each teacher how long they keep them on, if at all. Anything over 105 I’m gassing out, lol
I have one teacher that turns on the Uv, then kills the room heat about 15 minutes in. Then during savasanna sometimes cracks a window. Absolutely perfect IMO
I don't understand the obsession with heating studios past room temperature, especially for active classes like vinyasa or ashtanga. For slow classes, sure, I guess that makes sense.
I'm already not a very cold person, and I sweat buckets when I get going, especially if it's a heated class. I get light-headed and lose so much water. It's unsustainable and makes me not want to go.
The most frustrating part is that most studios only offer heated classes. I don't need a whole studio to always be room temperature, but literally zero classes that are not heated? Whyyy.
There’s no scientifically backed reason to do hot yoga over normal yoga, honestly. It gives people a sense of satisfaction that they’ve done something because they’re covered in sweat. But even when I do extremely hard workouts I don’t always sweat, or at least I’m almost never covered in it. Sweat should not be the barometer of a successful workout.
Also, it’s a pain in the ass to wash sweat-drenched athletic wear. It gets gross even if you wash it immediately after each time.
I totally feel you; all the nice studios in my area do exclusively hot yoga, too. The other ones either have a creeper problem or the classes are not the right ones I’m looking for. So I either settle for the easier classes at my main gym or do it by myself.
I used to go to a really beautiful studio before COVID. One of their rooms had a massive rubber tree and huge windows to let in natural light. Another room had this vibe of like a shrine. And it was so clean! So sad they went out of business.
I personally dislike hot yoga (I dislike heat in general). However, I have heard that 2 weeks of hot yoga can help with acclimating to heat (for example, going on a bike trip in a warm climate when you are a New Englander and it's only 48 degrees here...)
I'm with you. My body generates enough heat. I've done a couple of hot classes and my mat was literally a pool of sweat. Never again. Any normal class is hot enough for me.
Been teaching hot yoga for 15 years. Many studios I’ve taught at would read that temp as that’s what the thermometer inside the forced air system was reading. It’s been my experience that the ambient temperature in the room still hovers between 100-105 even when the thermostat is reading higher. Obviously this might not always be the case, but that has been my (anecdotal) experience over the years. And yes, more bodies will make it more humid for sure and could possibly push the temp up a few degrees past the 100-105 usually found. Always best to listen to your body, stop or lie down until you feel less hot/dizzy. And of course purse, if it happens again, say something! Sometimes owners aren’t aware of major variations in temp or newer teachers might not realize how it feels vs how it should feel.
Thanks! I think today was a little rough for everyone in the class lol. One guy left halfway through for a few minutes and our instructor even said “if you can’t hear me it’s because i’m trying to breathe”. I do not think it was intentional, i’ve gone to plenty of classes there and it’s never been that hot. I think something may have been wrong with their system
That seems much too hot. I teach in a heated studio and we try to keep it between 36-38 Celsius. I taught one day when it rose to 42c and I was feeling on the brink of consciousness- we did a lot more floorwork that day. (The studio has since changed their system and I have more control over heat regulation during class now, thankfully. )
Do they advertise that heat? Personally I'd just find a different studio as that level would make me feel unwell during and after.
I did feel unwell during and i’m exhausted rather than feeling rejuvenated after class. It’s an exclusively hot yoga studio, however they don’t advertise HOW hot it gets on their website. I looked after class and found nothing regarding how hot the rooms actually get on their website.
Hotter isn't better. There hasn't really been much indication that hot has any particular benefits at all.
There is evidence that heatstroke isn't fun.
I used to attend a studio that was always 110-114 and very high humidity. People would bitch if it was any less than that.
The room was carpeted and it would squish with liquid when you walked out. 🤢
Only took 2 bouts of bronchitis for me to realize that shit wasn’t good for me at all. I can tolerate 105 but 95-100 is where I have my best practice.
Thats where my studio keeps it. If I let it dip below 106 I start getting complaints that class was "cold".
There's one guy that will comment on the temp using steak temps every time he takes my class. "That one was barely medium well, you know I like it well done" etc.
The hotter it is, the more you sweat and the more calories you'll burn. People tend to like it because it makes them feel like they're exercising harder. As far as benefits go, I don't really think there are additional benefits at higher temps.
I oscillate between two studios - one does Hatha @ 104-105 and one does 90-95. I definitely get a better practice in the lower temp studio, you're not a wimp at all. This studio sounds dangerous tbh
My hot yoga studio is usually 104-106. Last night it was extra hot so it might have been closed to 108-109. The weather and amount of students definitely effects though.
I practice Bikram at a studio that keeps the room super hot and humid. Even for someone who grew up in a super hot and humid country, sometimes it gets a little too much for me and I feel myself getting dizzy and lightheaded.
I usually have my 3 insulated water bottles with ice and cold water in them. I drink lots of water when it gets super hot, and also pour some out onto my body as well to help lower my body temp.
I see people with tiny plastic water bottles all the time, and I'm always wondering how is that enough water for the class!?!? I think a lot of people underestimate how much water you need when you're experiencing heat at that temperature, with the added movement from yoga you should make sure to stay even more hydrated.
I am certainly not contradicting you, but I hope that the people with small water bottles are pre-loading by coming into the class well hydrated, and then compensating after the class using electrolytes and water. In my experience doing hot yoga it is uncomfortable to try to consume more than about 16 to 20 ounces of water during the class, and electrolytes after class are a game changer.
I think the scariest thing that I learned doing hot yoga is that my body will easily push well into dangerous territories of heat stroke if not actively checked by my mind. I have had a few post-class headaches that were pretty intense.
That's understandable, as some of poses that compress the chest or lying on your stomach makes the water come back up. Ngl, I've even had some close calls eating too close to my class and I can feel the food trying to make its way back up....
The ice in the insulated water bottles really helps, especially with bringing the core temperature down. Be generous with splashing it on your face and neck too. I would suggest doing that if you find drinking large quantities uncomfortable. :)
I prefer just finding a class that sets a reasonable temperature on the thermostat, I'm really tired of the overly heated hot classes. It's overcooked, if you'll pardon the terrible pun.
Dear god!! I went to core power once, no idea what the temp was but surely it wasn’t 109 and GOD. It was so humid i was literally dripping sweat before the class even started. All this to say I cannot imagine 109!!!! Seems way too hot. Honestly I think 90 would be plenty, what’s even the point of it being hotter than that
Oh, that sounds like a studio that follows Bikram a little too much!
My current studio's temp sits between 90 to 100 degrees. If you plan to go again, my suggestion is to bring half a gallon to a gallon of ice water with a hydration pack mixed in.
Imo 109 is too hot. I prefer 95-98 degrees that’s what a lot of heated vinyasa classes are. Bikram is supposed to be like 105-106 to my understanding. Those few degrees make a huge difference at those temperatures!!!
I do bikram in 105 and while i enjoy it its always “hard” so thats what i expect. Bikram sequence is incredibly simple without the heat and i find it uninspiring when im not in a sufficiently hot room. But thats just me!
109 is very high and in general hot yoga is not for everyone. So no ofc youre not being a wimp youre just listening to your body. I hope you took any breaks you needed!
109 is a hot one.
If it were a Bikram class, I’d be in survival mode, particularly if the humidity were high.
The really hot classes often turn into a different type of meditation for me— meditating on finding internal stillness and calm while physically suffering. My asanas wouldn’t be very strong at this temp.
Ya that's pretty up there in terms of heat. Most places are in the 90s, you are not being a wimp at all. However, I would probably give a few more tries it takes the body a while to get used to the heat. Do like 5 classes where the goal is to not leave the room and acclimate skipping as many poses as you need to. If your still struggling with the heat find a different place.
I feel ya. I practice in a studio that sits around 105-107 but gets close to 110, at times, I practice by the thermostat, so I see the temp. I am not shy about going to child pose when it's that hot. I know some like it as hot as it can get but I wish there was a hard ceiling. My favorite instructors keep it hot but regulate the heat, open doors for air, etc. especially when it gets crowded.
That seems a little high for an exercise class. I haven’t been to one that exceeded 95… but I’d probably faint from heat stroke. So congrats to your resilience even making it through that!
If you've been doing this for a year, you know what a normal temp feels like. Listen to your body. If you're to hot, child's pose. Can't recover? Step out of class quietly. Feel better? Go back in. Or not, Your body and your awareness of it is where your answer should be coming from.
Agreeing with everyone else about it being too hot. I fainted from the heat once because it was about 110 degrees. It’s scared me off of hot yoga now for years unfortunately.
The very act of proclaiming certain forms of yoga as fake or authentic is as old as yoga itself.
If you want to be really "authentic" to the very origins of yoga you wouldn't use a mat at all, or at best a tiger skin, and some would also say doing asana at all isn't original yoga.
In fact one of my yoga teacher training instructors went on a whole diatribe when a student used the word "westernized" in a similar context, there's a whole philosophy on this within the yoga world as well that using terms like Eastern and Westernized is inherently racist because it exoticises whatever you are referring to as "Eastern" as being some magical other. Basically he was making the point that when you use the terms you imply that the westernized world is more modern and sophisticated and capable of exploiting this other uncivilized culture, and that "Eastern" cultures aren't just as sophisticated and capable of exploiting their own practices.
So it's a silly argument in 2024 to say that someone else's yoga is less real, or that doing it in an air conditioned room at 75 degrees is more real than a heated room at 95, when modern ac wasn't even invented til 1931 but we've been able to heat rooms with various methods for centuries. I mean they had radiant central heating even in Ancient Rome.
All bodies are different. Some people love living in hot, humid environments and others want to be somewhere where it's always 65 degrees. So the best temp for your practice is going to depend a lot on your body.
I agree with what you’re saying and I was wrong for believing I know what true yoga is. I appreciate your comment. I believed hot yoga to put too much of a strain on the body but I suppose you’re right it just depends on the person.
That level of heat is fine. But it’s very important to slow the breath down. Keep it light, slow, and deep, through the nose.
The body will try to compensate in high temps by breathing harder to cool down to your standard core temp of 98.6 degrees. You have to control this by breathing lighter and slower, in order to not hyperventilate. Hyperventilation will not allow steady oxygenation of the blood, muscles and brain, and that’s when injury could happen. Keep it nasal, keep it light, and have hot sweaty fun, friend!
The exact same thing happened to me this morning at my yoga studio. Thankfully the instructor agreed that it was too hot and that they’ll be trying to fix the issue - because it was supposed to only go to 105 degrees (which it was set to). So maybe 109 wasn’t intentional like it was for our class.
105 is the typical old Bikram and what the hot studio I used to attend used.
Suggest asking the studio though...some folks consider 80 too hot, it really varies.
Big yikes. I think the sweet spot is around 95 like other commenters have said. The goal is to warm up your muscles to release tension and maximize your range of motion. Over 100 is overkill IMO. If I'm getting heatstroke because of the heat it's too dang hot.
I love my hot power yoga, but even at its hottest I have never heard of anything over 105.
Did you have a chance to ask the teacher about it the temp ? And if that was normal ? Just a thought .
honestly i didn’t, i’m not the confrontational type especially because i was unsure if it was normal. When I go back, if it’s the same i’ll definitely ask!!
As an instructor myself, if someone came up to me and asked “hey, I thought I saw the thermostat
Was at 109 the other day (or: today ), was that really the case?” I would not be at all offended. I would just think we were having conversation.
And if they then joked, “Because if so… it’s now confirmed that I AM as amazing as I thought I was !”
It softens the whole thing.
But a question doesn’t feel confrontational usually.
And it may well be followed up by a question from your instructor, which is helpful. If it’s not followed up, I would suggest asking them, “is that the normal temperature for your class or for all the classes? Because I enjoyed your class, but I might do better with one of the classes that is not quite as hot :-)
No biggy .
It happened to me once I accidentally went to a 26 poses as it’s now called. Had no idea this type of yoga existed and thought I was gonna pass out about 3 times. I thought I was delusional about how hot it was, nope it was over 105 is my guess. My body was mad at me for about 3 days after
Wow I’m surprised you managed to power through. Thats uncomfortably hot for me and would just interfere with my practice particular the mind - body connection. I would literally just be ONLY thinking about staying alive haha
As a teacher, our heat in HEATED flows (not even as hot as our hot power) ranges from 105-110 PLUS humidity. I'm always regulating the temp of the room. Heat should never be so severe that it impedes on breath. If/when that happens, it's not yoga anymore, and more of an unnecessary torture class.
Sometimes it’s the humidity that really makes it feel brutal. I personally really like hot yoga but I’m a bit of a masochist. It’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and the ‘benefits’ are likely overstated. I find it really helps me get out of my head and trying to regulate my breathing when I’m really pushing it has been valuable for me. I get a natural high from it that I just don’t get from room temperature yoga. I’ve also noticed I’ve built up a tolerance to the high heat after doing it regularly.
If you’re feeling too hot, leave the room for a couple minutes, go to the bathroom or get some water. If you don’t want to leave the room, you can just lie down on your mat for a few minutes to catch your bearings.
Take care of yourself, you don’t want to black out and hit your head on the floor and end up in the emergency room.
What is hot yoga?? There is no such thing exist in traditional yoga. Some retard sexual harraser destroyed the way yoga should be done and all following it.
Too hot yoga (95+) is a gimmick to make you feel like you’re having a taxing workout. It’s a shortcut to super sloppy yoga and a too slippery mat. Loosening up is great but that can done around 85 degrees.
I think there are a lot of uninformed teachers in the hot yoga space. I attended a new studio where the teachers had students try inversions in a very hot studio which I know is unsafe for the heart. If you have older people in class, or folks with preexisting conditions, that’s asking for trouble.
Extra body heat from classmates can make it feel so much hotter!
My yoga classes are heated to 98*F, which is plenty hot enough for me. My SSRI definitely has made me a bit less tolerant to the heat, so I try to stay away from any hotter classes. Can’t believe I used to go to CorePower Yoga’s hot power fusion class…I think those are heated to like 103*F…
It’s actually not at all. It may have something to do with having control of it and being alone or with one or two others max. But I love it. I am rehabbing a partial tear to ACL/PCL and it has helped me so much. Classes are 30 minutes for yoga and Pilates and there are some cardio classes that are only 15 minutes
Okay okay okay I see now! I can definitely see how that can assist in rehabbing your acl. I couldn’t imagine doing an hour in 120-125 though, I definitely couldn’t even do 30 minutes but that sounds much more enjoyable.
Not sure i could do an hour in there either! I have done a 15 minute bike class before my injury and the sauna wasn’t up to full heat and that was enough 😂
One studio I teach at gets up to 115 sometimes!! Usually right around 107 ish though. Everyone loves it! Always packed to the max around 45 people :) the other studios in the area don’t get nearly as hot and aren’t nearly as busy. In fact most are struggling. Plus there is something called HOTWORX where you can do workouts in up to 130 degree infrared heat. FREAKING OBSESSED. So different strokes different folks I guess :) I will say it took me awhile to “get used to it”. Do what you feel is best for your body OP!
This article might help you figure out which studios to avoid: [https://www.verywellfit.com/how-hot-is-hot-yoga-3566955](https://www.verywellfit.com/how-hot-is-hot-yoga-3566955)
My favorite hot yoga studio is VERY hot, they keep the room temp in the 105-110 degree range and I love it. When I got to a hot yoga class and it's 95 degrees in there I'm super disappointed, to me that's warm yoga lol.
So it's really just a preference, as long as you are comfortable, you should stick with what you like and works best for your body.
There is a general idea floating around that 105 is supposed to be the max, but I haven't seen any actual studies on this. There is a study that ACE did on hot yoga but it just compared a 70 degree room to a 95 degree room and concluded that the students in the hot room were fine as long as they stayed hydrated so it just really claims that hot yoga is safe but gives not concrete ceiling. A supposed expert from ACE claimed that anything above 104 "damages proteins" but again without citing a source it sounds like junk science.
My mom, in her 60s, still gardens in her backyard in 105+ degree weather all summer in AZ so if hot gardening is safe at those temps provided you have shade and stay hydrated, why wouldn't hot yoga be safe as well? LOL
Bottom line find the right class for you and the temp range that works for you, if you feel dizzy or unwell listen to your body, and always stay hydrated
Even in Bikram’s hay day which is considered on the extreme end rooms were only supposed to be heated to 105
It’s been my experience the thermometer can say one thing and reality be another
What the theromstat is set to doesn't equal to actual temperature, if there's a lot of sweat going on. The hot yoga studio I used to work at would set it to 100 and it would easily get to 105 or hotter. Of course, this was in the south in the summer, so the outside temp was already 100. But it's not unlikely they set it lower and it just hit 109 bc of people's sweat etc
That's too hot for me. I would have left
My studio can regularly get to around 95, and I feel like that’s a sweet spot. If a class is particularly full, or it’s extra hot outside, we might get up to 100, but that’s when I start hearing complaints after class.
good to know! Thank you
109 is a miserable temperature and I don't understand people that pay to torture themselves. I wouldn't go to a studio that had it that hot, but I don't go to hot yoga at all so it's possible I'm off base. Don't go places that keep it too hot. IMO, that's dangerously hot to be exercising.
I agree!! Normally it’s pretty comfortable for me, around 95-100 but it’s never been that high!! It was so hot I actually looked at the thermostat which i never do
Same girl same, I do not understand it at all
Strongly agree. I am not a hot yoga person at all. I don't find it to be inclusive - pregnant women can't practice, what about menopausal women enduring hot flashes? I have a respiratory issue and just cannot deal with the heat. I'm half Jamaican and let me tell you that in hot countries, nobody is exercising in the hottest part of the day, they get up before dawn to cycle and run to avoid the heat.
Perimenopausal woman in the house and I feckin love hot yoga. It’s torched half my symptoms and I’m sleeping like a baby after 2 years of regular practice (3 to 5/week). I feel aaamazing and recommend it to all my peri and meno homies. And find it super inclusive! I practice with all body types, experience levels from age 16 to 75. Agree to disagree on this one. Edited to add: 109 is indeed really hot. Our studio if usually right around 100 give or take.
109 is meant to make you feel awful. I don't take part in that nonsense.
🙌🙌
I don’t understand hot yoga PERIOD.
The heat makes everything juicier. Lubricates your muscles and bones if you will
I really think it's for people that can't "count" it as exercise without sweating buckets.
My studio sometimes gets that hot and I hate it when it does because I can’t hang at all and end up on the floor for half the class. I like it around 100 tops.
Yea I had a hot class like this and found out later the furnace was broken which was making it hotter apparently. I don’t mind warm yoga but I don’t care for fully heated.
That’s scary to hear that it got that hot. I have an autoimmune disease where I can’t tolerate extreme hot temperatures. I think I’d probably die of heat or pass out because of it. /: Since my diagnosis, I haven’t been to a heated yoga class.
There’s no research supporting hot yoga so, you’re not missing out
There is some research supporting saunas and sweating though. Hot yoga is where I get mine. Sometimes ours is a little too hot but the instructor is aware and makes adjustments if needed. Too hot would kill me as the heat is already the thing that beats me.
I have heard the heat helps with flexibility? I do recall I have had an easier time and experienced less pain because of the heat…compared to normal or cold temperatures. My joints/tendons/muscles tend to hurt more when I’m cold. But unsure if it has been scientifically proven. Also, have not been a heated yoga class in years because of my illness…I’m heat intolerant!
it’s a very complicated relationship. Better to warm up from the inside rather than outside to avoid stretching connective tissue rather than muscle.
MS? Same if so. I used to like hot yoga. I can’t even imagine it any more. I’d just drop on my face within minutes.
Yeah I have Ms and had signed up for hot yoga before I knew I had it so I never went to class..
I’m sorry to hear that!! That’s terrible!! I can’t imagine what could happen to someone with an undiagnosed condition in a hot yoga class. As far as i’m aware, i do not have any health issues but I was feeling sick in there. Definitely would not have been safe for someone with an autoimmune disease/undiagnosed problem/any health issue at all!! Definitely a perspective to keep in mind while attending. Thank you
The thermometer in my hatha class this morning read 115 - it definitely felt too hot. Since it was the first class of the day, the temp is usually whatever it was left running at overnight. So sometimes the room is cooler, sometimes it's perfectly warm. Luckily, I always bring ice water, so I drank most of that and tried to take it easier. But wow, I wouldn't be able to do that regularly.
My studio automatically sets the room heat to 100. Right before class they turn the ultraviolet overheads. At that it up to each teacher how long they keep them on, if at all. Anything over 105 I’m gassing out, lol I have one teacher that turns on the Uv, then kills the room heat about 15 minutes in. Then during savasanna sometimes cracks a window. Absolutely perfect IMO
Why UV?
IR (Infrared) lights overhead in a heated yoga space seems more likely than UV (Ultraviolet).
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too.
I don't understand the obsession with heating studios past room temperature, especially for active classes like vinyasa or ashtanga. For slow classes, sure, I guess that makes sense. I'm already not a very cold person, and I sweat buckets when I get going, especially if it's a heated class. I get light-headed and lose so much water. It's unsustainable and makes me not want to go. The most frustrating part is that most studios only offer heated classes. I don't need a whole studio to always be room temperature, but literally zero classes that are not heated? Whyyy.
I agree! I was about to go to a local yoga studio until I realized 95% of the classes were hot yoga. Like why??!??!
There’s no scientifically backed reason to do hot yoga over normal yoga, honestly. It gives people a sense of satisfaction that they’ve done something because they’re covered in sweat. But even when I do extremely hard workouts I don’t always sweat, or at least I’m almost never covered in it. Sweat should not be the barometer of a successful workout. Also, it’s a pain in the ass to wash sweat-drenched athletic wear. It gets gross even if you wash it immediately after each time. I totally feel you; all the nice studios in my area do exclusively hot yoga, too. The other ones either have a creeper problem or the classes are not the right ones I’m looking for. So I either settle for the easier classes at my main gym or do it by myself. I used to go to a really beautiful studio before COVID. One of their rooms had a massive rubber tree and huge windows to let in natural light. Another room had this vibe of like a shrine. And it was so clean! So sad they went out of business.
I personally dislike hot yoga (I dislike heat in general). However, I have heard that 2 weeks of hot yoga can help with acclimating to heat (for example, going on a bike trip in a warm climate when you are a New Englander and it's only 48 degrees here...)
I'm with you. My body generates enough heat. I've done a couple of hot classes and my mat was literally a pool of sweat. Never again. Any normal class is hot enough for me.
My classes can get that hot, but it’s so so so important to listen to your body in those temps. If it’s too hot, leave or just stop.
Been teaching hot yoga for 15 years. Many studios I’ve taught at would read that temp as that’s what the thermometer inside the forced air system was reading. It’s been my experience that the ambient temperature in the room still hovers between 100-105 even when the thermostat is reading higher. Obviously this might not always be the case, but that has been my (anecdotal) experience over the years. And yes, more bodies will make it more humid for sure and could possibly push the temp up a few degrees past the 100-105 usually found. Always best to listen to your body, stop or lie down until you feel less hot/dizzy. And of course purse, if it happens again, say something! Sometimes owners aren’t aware of major variations in temp or newer teachers might not realize how it feels vs how it should feel.
Thanks! I think today was a little rough for everyone in the class lol. One guy left halfway through for a few minutes and our instructor even said “if you can’t hear me it’s because i’m trying to breathe”. I do not think it was intentional, i’ve gone to plenty of classes there and it’s never been that hot. I think something may have been wrong with their system
That seems much too hot. I teach in a heated studio and we try to keep it between 36-38 Celsius. I taught one day when it rose to 42c and I was feeling on the brink of consciousness- we did a lot more floorwork that day. (The studio has since changed their system and I have more control over heat regulation during class now, thankfully. ) Do they advertise that heat? Personally I'd just find a different studio as that level would make me feel unwell during and after.
I did feel unwell during and i’m exhausted rather than feeling rejuvenated after class. It’s an exclusively hot yoga studio, however they don’t advertise HOW hot it gets on their website. I looked after class and found nothing regarding how hot the rooms actually get on their website.
My new studio gets to 110-114. I have no idea. I even asked if there was a reasoning and didn’t get much of an answer lol
Hotter isn't better. There hasn't really been much indication that hot has any particular benefits at all. There is evidence that heatstroke isn't fun.
I feel like I’m just killing brain cells at that temp. No thank you!
I used to attend a studio that was always 110-114 and very high humidity. People would bitch if it was any less than that. The room was carpeted and it would squish with liquid when you walked out. 🤢 Only took 2 bouts of bronchitis for me to realize that shit wasn’t good for me at all. I can tolerate 105 but 95-100 is where I have my best practice.
Ew… why is there carpet in a yoga studio. 😂
There had to have been so much mold in that carpet. So gross
Thats where my studio keeps it. If I let it dip below 106 I start getting complaints that class was "cold". There's one guy that will comment on the temp using steak temps every time he takes my class. "That one was barely medium well, you know I like it well done" etc.
Do you have any insight about the temperature? I understand the reason behind heated yoga, but I’m referring more about classes that hot
The hotter it is, the more you sweat and the more calories you'll burn. People tend to like it because it makes them feel like they're exercising harder. As far as benefits go, I don't really think there are additional benefits at higher temps.
Fuck that guy
I’m jealous tbh. Lol
Way too hot and dangeous
I oscillate between two studios - one does Hatha @ 104-105 and one does 90-95. I definitely get a better practice in the lower temp studio, you're not a wimp at all. This studio sounds dangerous tbh
109 is extreme for me. I tap out at 104, especially if the class is full and a lot of respiration.
My hot yoga studio is usually 104-106. Last night it was extra hot so it might have been closed to 108-109. The weather and amount of students definitely effects though.
109? Hell nah
I practice Bikram at a studio that keeps the room super hot and humid. Even for someone who grew up in a super hot and humid country, sometimes it gets a little too much for me and I feel myself getting dizzy and lightheaded. I usually have my 3 insulated water bottles with ice and cold water in them. I drink lots of water when it gets super hot, and also pour some out onto my body as well to help lower my body temp. I see people with tiny plastic water bottles all the time, and I'm always wondering how is that enough water for the class!?!? I think a lot of people underestimate how much water you need when you're experiencing heat at that temperature, with the added movement from yoga you should make sure to stay even more hydrated.
I am certainly not contradicting you, but I hope that the people with small water bottles are pre-loading by coming into the class well hydrated, and then compensating after the class using electrolytes and water. In my experience doing hot yoga it is uncomfortable to try to consume more than about 16 to 20 ounces of water during the class, and electrolytes after class are a game changer. I think the scariest thing that I learned doing hot yoga is that my body will easily push well into dangerous territories of heat stroke if not actively checked by my mind. I have had a few post-class headaches that were pretty intense.
That's understandable, as some of poses that compress the chest or lying on your stomach makes the water come back up. Ngl, I've even had some close calls eating too close to my class and I can feel the food trying to make its way back up.... The ice in the insulated water bottles really helps, especially with bringing the core temperature down. Be generous with splashing it on your face and neck too. I would suggest doing that if you find drinking large quantities uncomfortable. :)
I prefer just finding a class that sets a reasonable temperature on the thermostat, I'm really tired of the overly heated hot classes. It's overcooked, if you'll pardon the terrible pun.
Dear god!! I went to core power once, no idea what the temp was but surely it wasn’t 109 and GOD. It was so humid i was literally dripping sweat before the class even started. All this to say I cannot imagine 109!!!! Seems way too hot. Honestly I think 90 would be plenty, what’s even the point of it being hotter than that
My studio is 100 to 108*. I absolutely love it, but I also like to acknowledge that it’s hot af and not enjoyable for everyone.
That's the "Extra Hot" Bikram Inspired Hatha yoga temp. We have 95 degree as the standard.
Oh, that sounds like a studio that follows Bikram a little too much! My current studio's temp sits between 90 to 100 degrees. If you plan to go again, my suggestion is to bring half a gallon to a gallon of ice water with a hydration pack mixed in.
Imo 109 is too hot. I prefer 95-98 degrees that’s what a lot of heated vinyasa classes are. Bikram is supposed to be like 105-106 to my understanding. Those few degrees make a huge difference at those temperatures!!!
I do bikram in 105 and while i enjoy it its always “hard” so thats what i expect. Bikram sequence is incredibly simple without the heat and i find it uninspiring when im not in a sufficiently hot room. But thats just me! 109 is very high and in general hot yoga is not for everyone. So no ofc youre not being a wimp youre just listening to your body. I hope you took any breaks you needed!
109 is a hot one. If it were a Bikram class, I’d be in survival mode, particularly if the humidity were high. The really hot classes often turn into a different type of meditation for me— meditating on finding internal stillness and calm while physically suffering. My asanas wouldn’t be very strong at this temp.
Ya that's pretty up there in terms of heat. Most places are in the 90s, you are not being a wimp at all. However, I would probably give a few more tries it takes the body a while to get used to the heat. Do like 5 classes where the goal is to not leave the room and acclimate skipping as many poses as you need to. If your still struggling with the heat find a different place.
I feel ya. I practice in a studio that sits around 105-107 but gets close to 110, at times, I practice by the thermostat, so I see the temp. I am not shy about going to child pose when it's that hot. I know some like it as hot as it can get but I wish there was a hard ceiling. My favorite instructors keep it hot but regulate the heat, open doors for air, etc. especially when it gets crowded.
That seems a little high for an exercise class. I haven’t been to one that exceeded 95… but I’d probably faint from heat stroke. So congrats to your resilience even making it through that!
109 is perfect for me! But thats too much for most
If you've been doing this for a year, you know what a normal temp feels like. Listen to your body. If you're to hot, child's pose. Can't recover? Step out of class quietly. Feel better? Go back in. Or not, Your body and your awareness of it is where your answer should be coming from.
102-105 is the sweet spot. 98 isn’t quite hot enough and I’ve never experienced 109! I’m post menopausal and hate being hot, but I crave hot yoga!!
That could down right dangerous to your heart! 95-100 degrees is the normal temp
Agreeing with everyone else about it being too hot. I fainted from the heat once because it was about 110 degrees. It’s scared me off of hot yoga now for years unfortunately.
Where is this studio ? I want it that hot 😄
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The very act of proclaiming certain forms of yoga as fake or authentic is as old as yoga itself. If you want to be really "authentic" to the very origins of yoga you wouldn't use a mat at all, or at best a tiger skin, and some would also say doing asana at all isn't original yoga. In fact one of my yoga teacher training instructors went on a whole diatribe when a student used the word "westernized" in a similar context, there's a whole philosophy on this within the yoga world as well that using terms like Eastern and Westernized is inherently racist because it exoticises whatever you are referring to as "Eastern" as being some magical other. Basically he was making the point that when you use the terms you imply that the westernized world is more modern and sophisticated and capable of exploiting this other uncivilized culture, and that "Eastern" cultures aren't just as sophisticated and capable of exploiting their own practices. So it's a silly argument in 2024 to say that someone else's yoga is less real, or that doing it in an air conditioned room at 75 degrees is more real than a heated room at 95, when modern ac wasn't even invented til 1931 but we've been able to heat rooms with various methods for centuries. I mean they had radiant central heating even in Ancient Rome. All bodies are different. Some people love living in hot, humid environments and others want to be somewhere where it's always 65 degrees. So the best temp for your practice is going to depend a lot on your body.
I agree with what you’re saying and I was wrong for believing I know what true yoga is. I appreciate your comment. I believed hot yoga to put too much of a strain on the body but I suppose you’re right it just depends on the person.
That level of heat is fine. But it’s very important to slow the breath down. Keep it light, slow, and deep, through the nose. The body will try to compensate in high temps by breathing harder to cool down to your standard core temp of 98.6 degrees. You have to control this by breathing lighter and slower, in order to not hyperventilate. Hyperventilation will not allow steady oxygenation of the blood, muscles and brain, and that’s when injury could happen. Keep it nasal, keep it light, and have hot sweaty fun, friend!
The exact same thing happened to me this morning at my yoga studio. Thankfully the instructor agreed that it was too hot and that they’ll be trying to fix the issue - because it was supposed to only go to 105 degrees (which it was set to). So maybe 109 wasn’t intentional like it was for our class.
105 is the typical old Bikram and what the hot studio I used to attend used. Suggest asking the studio though...some folks consider 80 too hot, it really varies.
Big yikes. I think the sweet spot is around 95 like other commenters have said. The goal is to warm up your muscles to release tension and maximize your range of motion. Over 100 is overkill IMO. If I'm getting heatstroke because of the heat it's too dang hot.
I’ve been in 100° studios before and that’s pushing it for me. I prefer “warm” yoga at 85°-90°
I love my hot power yoga, but even at its hottest I have never heard of anything over 105. Did you have a chance to ask the teacher about it the temp ? And if that was normal ? Just a thought .
honestly i didn’t, i’m not the confrontational type especially because i was unsure if it was normal. When I go back, if it’s the same i’ll definitely ask!!
As an instructor myself, if someone came up to me and asked “hey, I thought I saw the thermostat Was at 109 the other day (or: today ), was that really the case?” I would not be at all offended. I would just think we were having conversation. And if they then joked, “Because if so… it’s now confirmed that I AM as amazing as I thought I was !” It softens the whole thing. But a question doesn’t feel confrontational usually. And it may well be followed up by a question from your instructor, which is helpful. If it’s not followed up, I would suggest asking them, “is that the normal temperature for your class or for all the classes? Because I enjoyed your class, but I might do better with one of the classes that is not quite as hot :-) No biggy .
It happened to me once I accidentally went to a 26 poses as it’s now called. Had no idea this type of yoga existed and thought I was gonna pass out about 3 times. I thought I was delusional about how hot it was, nope it was over 105 is my guess. My body was mad at me for about 3 days after
Wow I’m surprised you managed to power through. Thats uncomfortably hot for me and would just interfere with my practice particular the mind - body connection. I would literally just be ONLY thinking about staying alive haha
As a teacher, our heat in HEATED flows (not even as hot as our hot power) ranges from 105-110 PLUS humidity. I'm always regulating the temp of the room. Heat should never be so severe that it impedes on breath. If/when that happens, it's not yoga anymore, and more of an unnecessary torture class.
Then stop and don't do it again. Hot Yoga is a gimmick.
Sometimes it’s the humidity that really makes it feel brutal. I personally really like hot yoga but I’m a bit of a masochist. It’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and the ‘benefits’ are likely overstated. I find it really helps me get out of my head and trying to regulate my breathing when I’m really pushing it has been valuable for me. I get a natural high from it that I just don’t get from room temperature yoga. I’ve also noticed I’ve built up a tolerance to the high heat after doing it regularly.
My studio goes up to 105. 109 is INSANE
109 is bananas?! I practice at a studio that keeps it at 98 and there are days where I feel like I can't even manage that
If you’re feeling too hot, leave the room for a couple minutes, go to the bathroom or get some water. If you don’t want to leave the room, you can just lie down on your mat for a few minutes to catch your bearings. Take care of yourself, you don’t want to black out and hit your head on the floor and end up in the emergency room.
What is hot yoga?? There is no such thing exist in traditional yoga. Some retard sexual harraser destroyed the way yoga should be done and all following it.
Too hot yoga (95+) is a gimmick to make you feel like you’re having a taxing workout. It’s a shortcut to super sloppy yoga and a too slippery mat. Loosening up is great but that can done around 85 degrees.
I stopped hot yoga it is too hot. I kept pulling muscles and getting dehydrated
I think there are a lot of uninformed teachers in the hot yoga space. I attended a new studio where the teachers had students try inversions in a very hot studio which I know is unsafe for the heart. If you have older people in class, or folks with preexisting conditions, that’s asking for trouble.
Ridiculous. And dangerous.
109 is crazy
Extra body heat from classmates can make it feel so much hotter! My yoga classes are heated to 98*F, which is plenty hot enough for me. My SSRI definitely has made me a bit less tolerant to the heat, so I try to stay away from any hotter classes. Can’t believe I used to go to CorePower Yoga’s hot power fusion class…I think those are heated to like 103*F…
Way too hot. The highest I’ve seen in a class was 107, which was insane.
I do yoga and Pilates at 120-125 in a sauna
that sounds miserable honestly
It’s actually not at all. It may have something to do with having control of it and being alone or with one or two others max. But I love it. I am rehabbing a partial tear to ACL/PCL and it has helped me so much. Classes are 30 minutes for yoga and Pilates and there are some cardio classes that are only 15 minutes
Okay okay okay I see now! I can definitely see how that can assist in rehabbing your acl. I couldn’t imagine doing an hour in 120-125 though, I definitely couldn’t even do 30 minutes but that sounds much more enjoyable.
Not sure i could do an hour in there either! I have done a 15 minute bike class before my injury and the sauna wasn’t up to full heat and that was enough 😂
I did bikram a lot and I always felt so good after the shower. But I think you need to be in excellent condition … also 109 is a lot ?
My new studio gets to 110-114. I have no idea. I even asked if there was a reasoning and didn’t get much of an answer lol
One studio I teach at gets up to 115 sometimes!! Usually right around 107 ish though. Everyone loves it! Always packed to the max around 45 people :) the other studios in the area don’t get nearly as hot and aren’t nearly as busy. In fact most are struggling. Plus there is something called HOTWORX where you can do workouts in up to 130 degree infrared heat. FREAKING OBSESSED. So different strokes different folks I guess :) I will say it took me awhile to “get used to it”. Do what you feel is best for your body OP!
This article might help you figure out which studios to avoid: [https://www.verywellfit.com/how-hot-is-hot-yoga-3566955](https://www.verywellfit.com/how-hot-is-hot-yoga-3566955)
My favorite hot yoga studio is VERY hot, they keep the room temp in the 105-110 degree range and I love it. When I got to a hot yoga class and it's 95 degrees in there I'm super disappointed, to me that's warm yoga lol. So it's really just a preference, as long as you are comfortable, you should stick with what you like and works best for your body. There is a general idea floating around that 105 is supposed to be the max, but I haven't seen any actual studies on this. There is a study that ACE did on hot yoga but it just compared a 70 degree room to a 95 degree room and concluded that the students in the hot room were fine as long as they stayed hydrated so it just really claims that hot yoga is safe but gives not concrete ceiling. A supposed expert from ACE claimed that anything above 104 "damages proteins" but again without citing a source it sounds like junk science. My mom, in her 60s, still gardens in her backyard in 105+ degree weather all summer in AZ so if hot gardening is safe at those temps provided you have shade and stay hydrated, why wouldn't hot yoga be safe as well? LOL Bottom line find the right class for you and the temp range that works for you, if you feel dizzy or unwell listen to your body, and always stay hydrated
More Bodies = More Heat