Hot power yoga is a fast-paced, strength-based style of yoga practiced in a hot room. It’s the ultimate combination of sweat, movement, and yoga.
During a hot power yoga class, you’ll practice movements in a room heated above normal temperature. Expect lots of sweat, varied movements and flows, and a really good workout.
In this article, we will learn about the benefits of hot power yoga, what it is, and how to practice it. We’ll also be sharing a few of our favorite poses and online classes so that you can get started today!
Hot Power Yoga Definition
Hot power yoga is a combination of two popular styles of yoga – hot yoga and power yoga. While hot yoga is any style of yoga practiced in a heated environment, power yoga is an energetic style of yoga (a bit like vinyasa yoga) where you focus on moving between positions following the speed of your breath. Combine these two styles of yoga, and you’ve got hot power yoga!
Generally, a hot power yoga room is heated to between 85 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit – which is a little bit cooler than other styles of hot yoga.
Hot power yoga is a style of yoga focused on fitness, movement, and flowing with your breath. A bit like vinyasa yoga with aspects of ashtanga yoga thrown in. Although a hot power yoga class is designed to make you sweat, you’ll still find that classes are a mental, physical, and spiritual practice.
Benefits of Hot Power Yoga
As with any yoga practice, there are some general and some more specific benefits to practicing hot power yoga. Here are just a few of the benefits that you may experience from practicing hot power yoga.
Increased strength
Practicing yoga in hot rooms has been found to develop muscle strength, particularly in the lower body.
Improved flexibility
Hot yoga allows you to stretch further than your normal range of motion, meaning that hot power yoga classes will, over time, improve flexibility. With regular practice, it’s also likely that you’ll begin to notice a greater range of motion in your joints and muscles.
Greater physical and mental balance
Moving with your breath is a form of meditation and will help to improve the relationship between your mind and body. By practicing yoga regularly, you’ll achieve greater balance both physically and mentally.
Reduced stress
Yoga is a great way to spend time on self-care and leave the worries and stress of daily life behind for a while. It’s also worth noting that, while practicing hot power yoga, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to think about anything other than how many seconds you have left in chair pose!
Improved circulation
Spending time exercising in a warm environment is great for circulation and providing your organs with oxygen-rich blood.
Related: Hot Yoga vs. Regular Yoga: Which Is Better for You?
When to Practice Hot Power Yoga
Hot power yoga is ideal if you’re familiar with yoga and have practiced several times before, and you’re looking for something a bit more strenuous. If you like to combine yoga with exercise, hot power yoga might be perfect for you!
Hot Power Yoga Poses
Hot power yoga poses include:
Chair pose
Start by standing at the front of your mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Exhale as you bend your knees and send your glutes back as though you’re sitting into a chair. Focus on engaging your glutes and hamstrings. On an inhale, sweep your arms up and overhead. Keep your arms straight and engaged by imagining that you’re holding a large beach ball. Gaze ahead, soften your face, and breathe deeply, bending deeper into your knees on each exhale.
Exit the pose by moving into forward bend pose or mountain pose (standing).
Upward-facing dog
Start by laying on your belly with your arms placed on the mat below your shoulders and your toes untucked. As you inhale, push into your hands to straighten your arms and lift your torso up and away from the mat. Lift your knees and hips away from the mat so that only your palms and the tops of your feet are making contact with the ground. Gaze ahead and slightly up. Push your chest through your forearms to open up your heart space and bring some weight into your hips to add a gentle backbend.
Exit the pose by exhaling into downward-facing dog.
Dancer pose
Start by standing on your mat with your feet slightly apart. Gradually bring all of your weight into your right foot, and spend a little time finding your center of gravity here. When you’re ready, hinge at the hips to bring your torso forwards and left leg backward, almost as though you’re trying to make a ‘T’ shape with your body. Push into your standing leg to stay strong and choose a point about 1 meter in front of your mat to focus on.
Bend your leg knee to bring your toes towards your head and reach your left arm back to grab your foot. Grow tall through your standing leg and push your foot into your hand to open your chest. Reach forward with your right hand and stay here for 3-5 breaths.
Exit the pose by exhaling to mountain pose (standing) or warrior I.
Warrior II
Start by standing at the front of your mat. Take a big step back with your right foot (about one meter) and turn your right toes 90 degrees so that they’re facing away from you. Turn your torso to face the right and reach your arms out to your sides. Gaze over your left fingers and take an exhale as you bend deeply into your left knee. Ensure that your knee isn’t overhanging your ankle – increase the distance between your feet if you need to. Sink into your hips and engage your hamstrings and glutes by imagining that you’re trying to squeeze them together.
How to Practice Hot Power Yoga
You can start experiencing hot power yoga from the comfort of your own home by picking a couple of the exercises that we’ve described above. However, the best place to experience hot power yoga is in a studio where the room has been heated.
Before you head to a studio, why not get started with a couple of the poses that we outlined above or follow a YouTube video? We’ve shared a few of our favorites in the next section.
Start Hot Power Yoga at Home
If you can’t make it to a yoga studio or want to try hot power yoga at home, check out these follow-along videos.
Not all of these online classes combine hot and power yoga, but you’ll get a taste of a hot power yoga class by trying one!
15 Minute Hot and Sweaty Yoga Routine
Power Yoga – with Adriene
Hot Yoga at Home! – Hatha Yoga Class
Hot Power Yoga FAQs
Is Hot Power Yoga Good for Weight Loss?
Hot power yoga can help you to lose weight through fat loss. You’ll burn more calories than you would in a slower-paced yoga class.
What Is the Difference Between Hot Yoga and Power Yoga?
While hot yoga is any style practiced in a heated room, power yoga is strength-based, similar to vinyasa yoga and ashtanga yoga. When practiced together, you’ll get a hot and sweaty workout made up of some of the more challenging yoga poses.
Is It Ok to Do Hot Yoga Every Day?
As long as you take time to rest between hot yoga classes, hydrate, and eat well, it’s ok to practice hot yoga or hot power yoga every day. If you have any medical conditions, check with your doctor before taking up a regular hot yoga or hot power yoga practice.
Important: Check with your doctor before trying hot power yoga for the first time if you have any injury, illness, or pain. Hot power yoga is not safe to practice during pregnancy.