The Heat Is On!

I've been trying to work a regular yoga class into my schedule (especially with marathon training), and it's been tough, to say the least. My schedule is fairly irregular, with classes, clients, and office work at my church; if nothing else, I've been making time to stretch on my own each day. Something I've wanted to try for a few months, however, is hot yoga. My gym doesn't offer hot yoga classes, so I started looking into studios in Atlanta that offer hot yoga classes that I could purchase in singles. I found a studio that a friend recommended, but the schedule of classes wasn't in line with my work schedule. I knew a nearby gym offered classes as well, but I didn't want to purchase a premium gym membership just to take a hot yoga class. What if I didn't like it?

About two days after I said to my husband, "I wish Adrenaline (the gym) would offer a Groupon deal on hot yoga classes", my phone notified me of a new Living Social deal.

Unlimited hot yoga classes, plus club access, and basic level classes for $20." At Adrenaline Fitness.

You better believe I made that purchase. That was a better deal than I'd asked for, and I snapped it right up. And last night, I went to my first class.

So, if you've never tried hot yoga, they tell you a lot in the name. That is, it's hot. The room is heated to about 110 degrees. Honestly, it's like doing yoga in a sauna. And why would I want to do that? Because the heat warms the muscles fast, allowing the body to get into poses and deeper stretches than one would achieve in a non-hot class.

Exactly what I needed. Being a runner, and training for a marathon, these things have left me less-bendy than I need to be.

So, the class, as you know, was hot. And it's strange, but I didn't begin to sweat until almost halfway through the class. The flows were fast and furious, and when the sweat started, it never stopped. Have you ever been in a workout that made sweat drip from your eyelashes? This happens to me in spin class each week, but this was a whole new ballgame.

Despite the sweat, I did get deeper into those stretches and I even was able to do a respectable triangle pose during the class. It was amazing. And just when the heat seems to become unbearable, the instructor turned it off for the remainder of class. And during savasana, she passed out wet cloths. Amazing. Why did I wait so long to try this?

If you have issues with extreme temperatures, hot yoga may not be the best option for you. Essentially, if you're excluded from saunas, you should forgo hot yoga altogether. However, if you're at a health level where you can sit in a sauna, I highly recommend a hot yoga class, if only once. Also not a joke - the advice to continue to drink plenty of water after class. It took me awhile to get back to a comfortable level of hydration, which is why I decided to make this something I do every few days and not on consecutive days.

What other fitness classes have you tried recently? I'm also excited to try Body Pump while I have this deal.