Why Hot Yoga is Hot

In exploring the subject of hot yoga, we thought there is no better source than Dick Watts. He's been doing hot yoga for ten years.

"Full bore for ten years." he said. "I got on this schedule about when my kids learned to drive."

His weekly schedule includes five sessions of hot yoga, two sessions of ashtanga yoga and two sessions of kundalini yoga. Watts will be 63 in February.

Hot yoga is a series of poses done in a room that's heated. How hot? Depends on the class, but as hot as 105 degrees.

What's so intriguing about perspiring like a field hand?

"I secretely think it's good for your skin," said Watts. "Gives it a good backwash."

"Besides," he contiued in a lighter vain, "it's the only place I can be warm this winter."

Meditation

All the poses in a hot yoga class are the same and are practiced in the same order. Rather than surrender to boredom, Watts uses the practice as a vehicle for meditation.

"It's a long meditation. It's slow so you know what's comng next. It's challenging to keep the focus."

So all that sweating is good for the mind?

"I view it as a long meditation."

Physical enlightenment

With the heat the body warms quickly and most people find that they can go further into the poses. Watts senses that he can make space in his body that is otherwise difficult. He calls it "physical enlightenment," making space for light to come in. In other words, it helps you to "lighten up."

All the while you are expanding your limits and keeping injuries down.
 

Water

Finally Watts said that he thought that his hot yoga practice made him drink more water.

"A good thing," he said.