Hot yoga can do wonders for your stamina and health. But, getting into the hot yoga flow can be difficult, and depending on you fitness experience, intimidating. This week I will be going to my first hot yoga class in over three months- it might as well be my first time.
Since I too am a bit nervous about going to hot yoga and forgetting which way is up, I have collected some great online tips and videos about your first hot yoga class. One of the greatest helps so far is this hot yoga class on YouTube. Although this is only a 60-minute class, it goes over a lot of the flows from hot yoga and will give a great idea of the intensity and poses done in your 90-minute class. This class can be done prior to your actual class. As for tips, I have a few that have helped me through many a first time-like hot yoga experience.
Towels
When it comes to hot yoga, you can never have enough towels. I like to bring one towel or yoga rug for my mat, a facial towel for my face, and a beach towel in my car. Having one or two small towels along with these will always be welcome at the end of your hot yoga experience.
Water
Let me start by saying that I was trained to not drink a lot of water. This has left me with a distaste for drinking water while working out- except when it comes to hot yoga. There are only a few water breaks during hot yoga, use them well. What I do and I have seen many others do is bring two large bottles of water, one cold and one frozen. By the time you are done with your first 16-24 oz water bottle, the second will be nice and chilly for your enjoyment. Ah, refreshing!
Also, remember to drink lot and lots and lots of water after your yoga class. It is common for people to sweat out over a liter of water and, even, pounds of water weight. Be sure to kick up your water intake to double the recommended amount. This will keep you energized and ready for your whole day, not just your 90-minute class.
Location
The location you pick for your hot yoga class can go a long way towards your positive experience. A rule of thumb is that the room will be cooler the closer you are to the door. Usually, the heat machine is in the far back corner of the room. Therefore, the far back corner tends to be the hottest part of the room and the farther you are from the heater, the cooler you will be.
You may be thinking, "I will take the space closest to the door and have a wonderfully cool class!" Mistake. Although this is the coolest place in the room, you will have no idea what is going on during the portions of the class when you are turned towards the door. Instead, go for the back row middle of the room. This will ensure that you are not in too intense of heat for the first class, but you will also have plenty of other people to refer to when lost. Win.
Food
There are a great deal of mixed opinions when it comes to food and hot yoga. Personally, I do not enjoy ever working out directly after a meal or snack. If you are in that mindset, it is best to eat a snack with somewhat equal amounts of proteins and carbs one to two hours before class. I like to snack on a protein bar or some Greek yogurt a few hours before class. Too much food can weight you down and leave you feeling heavy or sluggish, too little food can bring nausea and leave you feeling light headed during the class and after it is over.
Also remember to eat after your class gets out. This snack/meal should be high in protein and have the good carbs. A salad with some lean chicken would be a great post workout meal!