Sunday mornings are for brunch, girl talk, matcha lattes, and yoga. Last weekend my girls and I, as part of our mission to try all of the yoga studios around town, signed up for a class at a time that worked for our group at a new place. Little did we know that our yoga class was hot yoga!
Born and raised in Los Angeles, I had heard of hot yoga before and had many friends that swore by it, but now I unexpectedly had the chance to try it for myself.
Thankfully our misunderstanding is something my friends and I can laugh about now, and in the lyrics of Kelly Clarkson: what didn’t kill us made us stronger. Here are my tips to enjoy your next hot yoga class.
1. Bring Water (!!)
I normally don’t need too many water breaks during regular yoga classes, but lemme tell you: hot yoga, is, like, really H-O-T. I was guzzling water in between every downward dog!
2. Don’t Forget a Towel
I made this mistake, and I was slipping and sliding all over my mat because YOU WILL SWEAT in hot yoga in case you didn’t know. Cover your mat with a long towel, and prepare yourself for the rain.
3. Don’t Sit Under the Heater
I was wondering when I walked in why my fellow yogis had placed their mats around the perimeter of the room. I naively thought it was my lucky day that there was a front and center spot in the class. The joke was very much on me because little did I know that I placed my mat directly under the infrared heater. As if the room wasn’t hot enough already…
4. Skip the Long, Black Leggings
As cute as my Lulu’s were, I instantly regretted my outfit choice once I realized how hot the room was. Next time, my Nike shorts are joining me instead.
5. Contacts > Glasses
For all my eyesight-impaired friends, do not wear your glasses. They will fog up, and you will complete a 75-minute yoga class without being able to see.
To avoid making my mistake, check whether your next yoga class is hot before going, and if it is, follow these tips for the ultimate zen experience. Namaste!
