Sweating in a Hot Yoga class — Heat is a crucial element of Hot Yoga, and therefore so is hydration, sweating, and replenishment.

When most people think of Hot Yoga, they usually think of sweat. A large part of practicing Hot Yoga is preparing for the sweat: hydrating before class, preparing their practice area to deal with the sweat, and replenishing the body’s water and electrolytes after class. Heat is a crucial element of Hot Yoga, therefore so is hydration, sweating, and replenishment.

The heat is important because it helps your body operate at an optimal level by influencing better circulation and increasing your heart rate. It also prepares your body specifically for hot yoga by relaxing your muscles, allowing you to gain deeper stretching, and assisting in preventing injury. The heat has other benefits too; it helps burn more calories, assists in burning fat by breaking down glucose and fatty acids, and even cleanses your pores through sweating.

In this three part series we will discuss the art of sweating:

Part 1: Hydration

Part 2: The Benefits of Sweating

Part 3: Replenishment

Consult with your doctor before beginning any new physical activity. Keep in mind your personal particular needs such as:

Your body type
Your metabolism
Medications you take
Types of food you eat
Level of physical activity and overall exercise fitness
Living a sedentary versus physically active lifestyle
Past surgeries you’ve endured
Stress level
Blood pressure
Or any other pre-existing health conditions

These may affect how much water you need and how long it takes your body to absorb it.

Part 1: Hydration

Hydrating in a Hot Yoga class — Remember to hydrate before, during, and after exercise.

Water is essential to life. Most of our bodily systems are reliant on the right balance of water and electrolytes in order to function properly. Water plays a crucial role in:

Helping your body maintain temperature
Waste removal
Lubrication of joints
Saliva and digestion
Heart rate and blood pressure

On the microscopic level, our cells are full of water. Water is crucial in cell reproduction and assists cells in delivering nutrients to the body. It dissolves those nutrients and minerals and carries them through the bloodstream along with carbohydrates and proteins. This provides our bodies with the essentials it needs for healthy and proper function.

There is no magic number of ounces of water you should drink daily. Since everyone is different, your own hydration is personal to you for what your body needs each day. Most adult males will need about 3.7 liters of water a day while adult females will need about 2.7 liters. This includes fluids from water but also other drinks and foods such as coffee, tea, juice, milk, yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and more.

Hot Yoga on the beach — Be aware of conditions that could cause you to need more fluids than normal such as increased physical activity, exercise, pregnancy or breast-feeding, illness, and climate.

A good rule of thumb to staying hydrated is to drink water or other fluids when you feel thirsty. Be aware of conditions that could cause you to need more fluids than normal such as increased physical activity, exercise, pregnancy or breast-feeding, illness, and climate. If you are rarely thirsty and your urine is light yellow or clear, then you are most likely properly hydrated.

Before a Hot Yoga class, begin hydration 1-2 hours before your workout and again 15 minutes before workout. Don’t forget to properly hydrate post workout. Making hydration part of a daily routine, not just to hydrate for class is an important part of your practice.