I first heard about hot yoga while listening to The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Old Joe likes to kick up the intensity on his workouts, and he seemed to be a big fan of striking a pose in a hot, humid room designed to make you pour sweat.
When I first tried hot yoga, I was fairly new to yoga in general. I was still learning most of the poses, struggling to make my body contort into the various stretches, uncertain whether I was getting anything of value out of my efforts.
But this I know about myself: I like testing my body’s limits. And sweating, apparently, can be quite good for you.
So, a couple of years ago, I found myself sitting in a Bikram hot yoga class. For 90 minutes, I followed the instructor’s leading through 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises, all while managing 105-degree heat.
And that was it – I was in love.
So much so that I chose to train as an instructor myself in the hot 26&2 style, along with flow.
These days, I pepper hot yoga classes throughout my regular weekly workouts – right now, a mix of indoor climbing, flow yoga, and alpine hiking to remote locations to flyfish the beautiful Montana rivers.
Hot yoga has become much more familiar, much less anxiety-producing concept. It feels amazing to sweat out all of my toxins while warming my muscles for optimum performance.
But, if you’re not careful, it’s super easy to get dehydrated. So, my greatest advice to anyone doing hot yoga on a regular basis is to find a favorite hydration beverage option.
I discovered Nuun tablets during our family’s 3-month trip to Costa Rica last year. There, I did lots of yoga outdoors in the sweltering jungle heat, and afterward, my body would feel depeleted and dehydrated.
So, to keep my electrolytes and energy up, I’d drop one of these babies into a glass of water and – BOOM – so much better.
Nuun carries several varieties in lots of different flavors, for everything from better sleep to increased immunity.
Another great option, particularly if you’re inclined toward all-natural living, is to make your own electrolyte beverage using this natural sports drink recipe on one of my wife’s favorite websites: Wellness Mama. That way, you can play around with flavors and ingredients to create your own customized drink.
Salud! Here’s to your good health.
Please note: I am neither a health expert, nor a trained physician. Please take my advice with caution, and seek the input of a qualified health professional before engaging in any strenuous activity or consuming recommended supplements.
Yoga With Nick G 