I have been always curious about hot yoga. How does it feel to have a yoga class in the heat? Well, I received a discount cupon during Yoga Festival this year, which finally pushed me to try it out.
The coupon was valid in in the new yoga studio Valo in the Redi shopping center. The location is right in front of the Kalasatama metro station. Because it was my first time going to the studio, it was a little difficult to find, especially because all the elevators in Redi do not stop at every floor. However, I found my way there eventually.
I reserved a class to Hathayoga. The room temperature for this session was 60 degrees. I wore a top and a pair of short pants, which was just perfect. I suggest to wear a tight top so that you can focus on the moves and not the feeling that your shirt is not doing its job. The male yoga teacher wore only a pair of black shorts, which surprised me. I think it might be common, however, because the room is so hot.
The yoga studio was brand new and very cozy. You could go to the hall before the class started to get in the right mood, listen to the music with spa vibes and just lay on your mat. In the class we did nine asanas that were stretching and relaxing. We hold some yoga poses for a couple of minutes. We mostly did the moves with closed eyes, which helped us to focus on the moment and movement itself. If you have not streched for a while it might be a bit uncomfortable, but the warm air and breathing through your nose helps to hold on the strecth. After going though the whole routine we did guided relaxation, which was great. I felt sleepy and relaxed. There was no hurry to leave after the class so you could take your time to get up.
I had expected to sweat a lot more than I did. I didn’t have a yoga towel with me, but that was not a problem. It would not be in vain to bring one however, especially if you sweat a lot. Also the studio has a free shower to use, so take your showering towel with you if you would like to use the facilities. If you don’t own a yoga mat, they rent them for 3 euros.
I could feel the difference in my body after class. My poise was better and my mind and body felt relaxed and refreshed. Especially if you have been feeling stressed out (like who doesn’t?) or disconnected from your body this yoga can help you to de-stress and get connected again.