Hot yoga workouts worth exploring

Dawn Yoga on University Avenue at College Square Mall in Cedar Falls offers hot yoga classes all day long.

The summer sun is hot, but New Dawn yoga studio is hotter. Located on University Ave at College Square Mall in Cedar Falls, it’s the perfect place to relax and replenish with the guidance of their many yoga instructors who hold several different types of hot yoga classes throughout each day.

What is hot yoga? Hot yoga is exactly as it sounds, doing yoga in a hot room. The room can usually get up to 120 degrees. Now, 120 degrees may sound like a lot, perhaps unbearable to some, but I can assure the heat feels almost like nothing when you’re lost in the movements of a new yoga pose. Too busy measuring your next breath to line up with your movements in a yoga pose, the heat is the last thing you’re worried about. Not to mention, there is no requirement to constantly be in action during the entire yoga session. In fact, many of the yoga instructors encourage you to take a break, drink some water and wipe the sweat off of your face before getting back in the game. It is not their intention to bring harm to you. This is your time. You control how hard you want to push yourself in the time given.

Still sound too hot? Yoga in a hot room actually helps to relax your muscles, making those difficult yoga poses just that much easier with practice and time. Hot yoga can also help to increase flexibility and maintain high blood pressure, overall helping to improve general heart health.

Hot yoga is not for everyone, just as not every sport is for every person, but nothing will be lost if only given one try. You might surprise yourself and actually enjoy it. Though be warned, depending on the class level, you may find yourself sweating an increasing amount, so make sure to bring a towel with you.

After trying out hot yoga for four days straight, I have found it to be quite enjoyable. From an early morning class at 9 to a late 7-8 o’clock class, I have tried the majority of different selections of classes offered at New Dawn. Out of personal opinion, my favorite class would have to be either the early morning and/or late night vinyasa. This class is a mix of modern and traditional styles of yoga, which I have found to be the perfect combination of calming and energizing movements. 

Another thing I have found about hot yoga is that you will be tired afterward. It’s no secret that exercising, no matter what that happens to be for you, can wear you out depending on how much you push yourself and by how much time you put into said exercise. The same thing goes for yoga, be it regular or hot yoga. Much like any other sport, be sure you are drinking enough water before, during, and after exercising. Naturally, you will lose water through sweat through regular, everyday exercise, but with an elevated temperature, this process is also elevated. This is why it is so important to stay hydrated. Doing hot yoga or not, drinking water is just a necessary part of life. Though it becomes even more relevant in the event where you will be in a hot environment doing many, sometimes complicated, movements. 

Yoga is not for everyone either, though it is worth a try as it could potentially help your performance in another sport or otherwise. Though it might take a few classes to find what you’re most comfortable with, New Dawn yoga has whatever class you need to help you find your balance. With relatively reasonable pricing and a wide selection of class options, why not give hot yoga a try?