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Like most working moms, Gillian Russell doesn\u2019t get a lot of time to herself. She has every good excuse to not show up to a 6:30 a.m. workout. And yet numerous days a week she shows up early to a hot yoga<\/a> class.<\/p>\n \u201cI love room-temperature yoga too, but hot yoga makes my body feel so open and relaxed,\u201d Russell said. \u201cLike melted butter. It\u2019s hard work and you have to push through some discomfort, but the reward is delightful.\u201d<\/p>\n Feeling like melted butter sounds pretty wonderful to me, but I\u2019m going to need a lot more information on what exactly hot yoga is before I sign up for a class because honestly, pushing through physical discomfort in a hot room sounds not terribly inviting.<\/p>\n I spoke with certified hot yoga instructors to get a thorough understanding of how the practice works, how it can be beneficial and what you should know before booking a class.<\/p>\n Hot yoga came to be a thing in the western world when Bikram Choudhury, a controversial yoga practitioner, imported a version of the practice from India and stamped the name \u201cBikram\u201d on it in the early 1970s.<\/p>\n Long story short: Choudhury, who has been the subject of civil suits alleging sexual assault and discrimination against racial and sexual minorities, was basically just trying to build a cult and a monopoly \u2013 but Bikram Yoga is still the most popular form of hot yoga in the U.S., and it\u2019s no longer associated with the controversial man. <\/p>\n Bikram Yoga is a hatha-based practice, meaning it\u2019s done slowly, with a focus on balance and alignment. Every class follows the same sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises in a room heated to 105\u00b0 with around 40% humidity.<\/p>\n In its original incarnation, Bikram Yoga was intended to be a pretty miserable experience, with Choudhury famously calling his heated spaces \u201ctorture chambers.\u201d Drinking water as needed or taking a break on your terms was forbidden.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was not handled as it should have been,\u201d said Kelly Isaac, certified hot yoga instructor and co-founder of ID Hot Yoga, New York City<\/a>. \u201cBut in 2026 these types of hot yoga classes are few and far between. The priority is now on wellness and on taking care of yourself.\u201d\n<\/div>\n There\u2019s growing research suggesting that hot yoga has a number of health benefits. <\/p>\n One study published by Sports Medicine in 2025<\/a> found that consistent hot yoga practice may improve aspects of heart and metabolic health, along with supporting bone density \u2014 all areas where women need as much help as they can get as they age. Then there\u2019s the mounting research that speaks to the role hot yoga can play in fostering psychological wellness and stress reduction. <\/p>\n The only issue is that there\u2019s not much evidence to say that hot yoga does any of this better <\/em><\/em>than non-heated yoga. So you could say, \u201cWell I don\u2019t need to bother with a hot room to get the full benefits of yoga\u201d and nobody could rightly say you\u2019re wrong. But they may say you\u2019re missing the point. A big draw of hot yoga for the people who love it is the heat itself.<\/p>\n \u201cI tend to run cold, and there’s something very cathartic about just being in the heat,\u201d said Laura Lusson, an E-RYT 500 and RPYT-certified yoga instructor and co-owner of The Space Between<\/a> in Chicago. \u201cI feel I can move more freely. My range of motion is greater, and I stay aware to avoid overreaching. Sweating feels good.\u201d\n<\/div>\n Nowadays you\u2019ll find studios and gyms offering all types of hot yoga, including vinyasa, which is more fast-paced and flow-based than hatha. You\u2019ll even see hot pilates classes and hot HIIT classes at some gyms and studios. But aspiring hot yogi beware: There\u2019s valid controversy around making an already challenging workout more intense with added heat.<\/p>\n \u201cVinyasa is fast and hard without the heat, and the breath you use builds an internal fire,\u201d Isaac said. \u201cSo vinyasa should not be carried out in a hot room, but it is in many studios across the world.\u201d<\/p>\n But some hot yogi devotees wouldn\u2019t have their yoga workouts any other way. Russell is among them. That early morning class she never misses? It\u2019s a hot vinyasa flow. Now, since Russell enjoys the class and is in great physical shape, there\u2019s no reason she should quit, but until you\u2019re acclimated to hot yoga, stick with a more traditional hatha-based class.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Curious about trying hot yoga? The next step on your journey is getting medical clearance from your healthcare provider (HCP). It may be a pain to get, but this is really the only safe way to get started with hot yoga.<\/p>\n Note that hot yoga is not considered safe for pregnant women at any stage in their pregnancy, and your HCP may recommend a different type of exercise if you have a heart condition or are prone to high blood pressure<\/a>, because hot yoga (even the slow kind) increases your heart rate. <\/p>\n Dehydration is the most common risk associated with hot yoga, so take all measures to prevent it.<\/p>\n \u201cBased on my personal experience, the key is to go in hydrated but not overly full of water (which can make you feel sick) and to hydrate afterward,\u201d Lusson said. \u201cI like coconut water for electrolytes.\u201d <\/p>\n Bear in mind that hot yoga is supposed to be challenging, but not agonizing. It\u2019s good to feel a stretch deeply but not to the point of being in pain. <\/p>\n \u201cMy motto in teaching: If something doesn’t feel good, or if you feel ill, stop what you’re doing,\u201d Lusson said. \u201cThe teacher will talk with you and will help.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, know that hot yoga can be an awesome workout at any age. Russell noted that there\u2019s so much imagery in our society of young, toned and ultra-flexible women doing advanced poses that older women may feel intimidated to try hot yoga, even if they\u2019re perfectly able.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are always modifications to poses and you don\u2019t need to stand on your head or wrap yourself up like a pretzel to get the benefits,\u201d Russell said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nHot yoga has a dark past, but is now grounded in wellness <\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nThe health benefits of hot yoga are there \u2014 but not necessarily unique to the practice <\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nHot yoga is already intense, but some studios are making it even more so<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nWhat to know before booking a hot yoga class<\/strong><\/h3>\n