Hot yoga vs regular yoga: which is right for you?

The short answer is that hot yoga is regular yoga done in a room heated to 32 to 42 degrees. The heat raises the cardiovascular intensity, softens the connective tissue and creates a specific kind of physical and mental challenge that some people love and some people hate. Regular yoga at room temperature is more accessible, more sustainable for daily practice, and easier to integrate into pregnancy, illness or older age.

Both are useful. Neither is universally better. Here is how to think about which one is right for you.

What hot yoga adds

Cardiovascular intensity. The heat raises your heart rate above what the same sequence would at room temperature. A 90-minute Bikram class is in the same ballpark as a moderate run for calorie expenditure (around 500 to 700 calories).

Deeper stretches. Warm muscles and connective tissue stretch further with less resistance. The flexibility gains in a hot class come faster than in a room-temperature class.

Mental challenge. Sitting with the discomfort of heat is, for some practitioners, the point. The mental exercise of staying calm in a hot room transfers to staying calm under other forms of stress.

Sweat. A lot of it. This is satisfying for some people and off-putting for others.

What regular yoga keeps

Accessibility. Most people can do a room-temperature yoga class. Many people cannot tolerate 40 degrees.

Daily practice sustainability. Two hot yoga classes a week is a reasonable maximum for most practitioners. Six daily room-temperature classes is no problem.

Safety in pregnancy, illness, heart conditions and heat sensitivity. Regular yoga adapts. Hot yoga generally does not.

Cost. Regular yoga is usually cheaper per class than hot yoga because the studios do not have the infrastructure cost of heating.

Older age adaptation. Hot yoga becomes harder to recover from after 50 for most people. Regular yoga continues to work into 80s and 90s with appropriate modifications.

The science on hot yoga specifically

A 2018 study in the journal Experimental Physiology compared 12 weeks of Bikram with 12 weeks of the same sequence done at room temperature. The cardiovascular and metabolic benefits were similar. The difference was in heart rate during practice (higher in heat) and subjective experience (more challenging in heat).

This is useful to know. The heat is not creating unique benefits that regular yoga cannot provide. It is intensifying the experience of the same practice.

The studies on sustained injury risk are mixed. Acute risks (heat exhaustion, dehydration, dizziness) are higher in hot yoga. Chronic injury risk appears similar.

Who hot yoga is right for

People who want a strong cardiovascular workout from their yoga
People who genuinely enjoy heat
People whose connective tissue is naturally tight and benefits from warming
People with chronic muscular tension who find the heat releases it
People who like the mental challenge of staying calm in discomfort

Who regular yoga is right for

People who want a sustainable daily practice
Pregnant women, people with heart conditions, people sensitive to heat
People over 60 (in most cases)
People who find heat overwhelming or anxiety-inducing
People who want to develop the breath and meditation aspects of yoga more than the physical workout

Auckland studios for each

For hot yoga: Eastwest Yoga (Ponsonby and Newmarket) for traditional Bikram, HIYOGA (Queen Street and Henderson) for best value, Sweat Yoga (Newmarket) for Hot HIIT Pilates, Achel (Botany) for East Auckland. For infrared (which is heated pilates and HIIT, with Thermo Yin as the one yoga class), Redroom at City Works and Takapuna.

For regular yoga: Kenkō Studios (Eden Terrace) for design and balanced practice, Auckland Yoga Academy (Federal Street) for traditional Ashtanga, The Yoga Ground (Grey Lynn) for welcoming community, The Loft (Beach Road) for bhakti and community, Sala (Ponsonby) for multidisciplinary.

Can you do both?

Yes, and many people benefit from the combination. A typical mixed practice might be two hot classes and two regular classes a week, or three regular and one hot. The hot classes provide cardiovascular intensity and deep stretches; the regular classes provide sustainability and breath development.

FAQ

Is hot yoga better than regular yoga? Neither is universally better. Hot yoga is more intense and provides more cardiovascular benefit per class; regular yoga is more sustainable for daily practice and safer in more conditions.

How many calories does hot yoga burn? A 90-minute hot yoga class burns approximately 500 to 700 calories depending on individual factors. A 60-minute regular yoga class burns 200 to 400.

Is hot yoga safe? For most healthy adults, yes. Hydration before, during and after is essential. People with cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy, heat sensitivity or uncontrolled blood pressure should not do hot yoga without medical clearance.

Can hot yoga help with weight loss? Hot yoga burns more calories than regular yoga but is not specifically more effective for weight loss than other moderate exercise. Diet remains the larger factor.