Going for a full drench in a hot power yoga class
Walking into one of the studios at Hot 8 Yoga in Santa Monica, I feel like I’ve crossed into a different latitude. The temperature is 100 degrees, and the moisture in the air is palpable — think tropical rain forest or Southern bayou. Everyone is lying on mats, eyes closed.
The instructor, Carmen Guerrero, a striking woman with floral tattoos that curl up her arm, encourages us to feel our breath throughout our bodies, preparing us to “awaken the fire within.â€
Though I’ve practiced yoga for several years, this is my first foray into a heated studio. The receptionist described this class, hot power yoga, as “an intermediate to advanced class for yogis who really want to work out.â€
We begin with core exercises. The heat feels heavy like a blanket as fatigue starts to set in after only a few crunches. When we stand and begin flowing from downward dog to chaturanga — a hovering push-up position — the sweat starts to pour. Everyone’s yoga mat is covered with a towel drenched in a pattern that approximately matches the size and shape of his or her body. And all the glistening bodies in this room are amazingly fit, most of them half-naked — the men shirtless, many of the women clad in yoga bras and booty shorts.
I have to admit it feels warrior-like to see liquid squeezing from the pores of my arms, shins and ankles. (Who knew I had sweat glands on my ankles?) In the heat, I’m definitely more open and limber. When I curve into a back bend, my spine feels as pliable as Gumby.
Still, I can’t sustain the same level of workout I normally do. While the rest of the class flows through another sun salutation, I opt for a child’s pose, curled into a ball with rivulets of sweat drizzling into my mouth.
“Stay connected with your breathing,†the instructor prompts, though I don’t know how you could stay connected to anything else in the intense heat. Whereas I often find my mind wandering during yoga, here I’m focused on nothing but my breath and body sensations.
Deanna Ainsworth, yoga director at Hot 8 Yoga, had explained that this concentration is one of the benefits of a heated practice: “You can’t be anywhere else but right here in your body in this moment.â€
When the instructor dims the lights and says it’s time to relax, I know this to be true: I immediately fall into a deep and blissful meditation.
Hot 8 Yoga has two locations, in Santa Monica and Hollywood (see hot8yoga.com for class descriptions and schedule). Drop-in fee $25; new students’ introductory rate, $45 for unlimited classes for 30 days. A variety of other options are available.
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