Hot yoga comes in many types with each type based on a form of yoga, such as Bikram and Moksha. Like yoga itself, not all hot yoga types are popular among enthusiasts for many reasons. Here are a few of the hot yoga forms that we consider to be the hottest – that’s the most popular, not the hottest in terms of temperature.
Bikram Yoga
When many people hear the phrase “hot yoga”, they will likely think of Bikram yoga for good reasons. In a way, it’s the grandfather of the modern hot yoga since it was introduced by Bikram Choudhury to the United States in 1970.
In Bikram yoga, the practitioners learn to perform 26 postures in controlled succession and repeated twice while in a heated room; the typical temperature is 105°F. The regimented approach isn’t for everybody but it has its merits including the predictability of the sequence. Such predictability soothes the mind amidst the uncontrollable aspects of life.
Evolation Yoga
Mark Drost formerly worked as a senior Bikram yoga instructor before he left and created his own yoga philosophy, Evolation Yoga. For this reason, Evolation Yoga has several similarities with Bikram yoga including the 26 posture sequence. But Drost also added meditation as well as emphasized change, flexibility and the ability to evolve into the mix.
Evolation Yoga also offers yin, flow, and Ashtanga classes with room temperatures ranging from 75°F to 90°F. For its original classes, the temperature is usually set at 105°F.
Moksha Yoga
Aside from the postures, moksha yoga also emphasizes peace, support, learning, and awareness. While the actual postures and their sequence varies from one studio to the next, the classes always start with a relaxation pose meant to center the mind.
The focus is also on developing the practitioner’s core strength and body flexibility. In many studios, there’s also an emphasis on being an eco-conscious person, a natural transition since yoga philosophy centers on touching base with the universe.
Heated Vinyasa
If you can’t take the heat but you still want to enjoy the benefits of hot yoga, you may want to consider heated vinyasa. Here, the room temperature is only between 85°F and 90°F.
Vinyasa focuses on the alignment between the movement and the breath. It’s then among the best forms of yoga where flow is concerned. Each pose is held for a specific number of breaths so there’s an emphasis on both control and form.
Ask your local YogaWorks studio about hot yoga classes and consider being enrolled in one of them today!