There are innumerable advantages to getting your hot yoga room. From the privacy that you’ll enjoy to round-the-clock access to the room, it sure is a rewarding experience to have one of these. The good thing is, that you can easily set one up.
On the other hand, however, getting the job done is easier said than done especially if you’re so used to being in a hot yoga studio and the thought of setting one has never crossed your mind.
Not to worry, however, in this post, we’ll be having an in-depth look at all you need to account for regarding how to create your own hot yoga room. To add icing to the cake, you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank as far as the equipment is concerned.
That being said, let’s find out what you need to do to get that home yoga studio up and running ASAP.
What Exactly Is Hot Yoga?
Before we get started, it would be worthwhile to have a look at exactly what hot yoga is, right?
Once you’re through with your first session, you’ll agree that term is no joke.: We’re talking about temperatures of up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit! Classes are often slower than other yoga forms like Vinyasa because the studio is so hot and humid. It’s not uncommon, however, to find warm Vinyasa lessons.
Take the Bikram hot yoga technique- one of the most challenging ones there are. If you sign up for a Bikram yoga session, you can expect to do a prescribed sequence of 26 poses in a room that is heated to 105 degrees F and humidified to roughly 40%.
The 26 poses were created to “warm and stretch muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the order in which they should be stretched,” according to the official Bikram website. Triangle posture, Tree Pose, and Cobra pose are just a few of the poses found in every Bikram class.
Hot yoga courses help your muscles relax and lengthen more easily, encourage your body to sweat, and push you to pay more attention to your breathing because of the high temperature. Expect to put in long hours and cleanse your mind of all thoughts other than what’s happening to your body.
Step 1: Cover Up Any Windows And Blinds
To begin, close any windows and, if possible, use a honeycomb-structured blind, since they are more successful at preserving room temperature. Mine is a rather affordable one from Ikea that’s already installed, so there was no further cost.
Step 2: Clear Up The Space
Next, strive to clear the space as much as possible. Consider simplicity. The more packed the room is with furniture, baskets or stacks of boxes, laundry, etc., the more difficult it is for the warm air to flow – not to mention that trying to practice yoga while surrounded by piles of items isn’t good for you! If this is your bedroom, do your best, but if you are fortunate enough to have a second room, clear it out!
Step 3: Crank Up The Room Temperature
Heating!! After a lot of trying and research, I came up with a two-pronged strategy.
First, I have an electric oil ‘fin’ heater that is good at heating a room but takes a long time to heat up and doesn’t move the air around, so this serves as my base heat, and then I have an electric fan heater blowing via the oil heater fins to disperse the warm air from the oil heater in addition to its heat.
We already have an oil heater and purchased a fan heater from Big W this week. I’ve discovered that if I heat the room for 2 hours before practicing, it reaches 40 ° C. and stays there.
Step 4: Keep Any Draughts Blocked
Use of a draft excluder to block any air that may come in via the holes under doors can stop any cool draughts. These can be obtained at an affordable price, or you can make your own for free by rolling up some towels!
Step 5: Crank Up The Humidity
All of the heat may make your room seem warm, but it also dries out the air. Using a humidifier, add some moisture to the room.
These can be inexpensive and attractive, you could get one online at quite an affordable price and they also come in different sizes. Regarding the size, they are more expensive if you want a larger, more efficient unit.
Step 6: Monitor The Room Temperature
Last but not least, you can go ahead and monitor the room temperature. This can be done by getting a simple temperature gauge.
How To Optimize Your Hot Yoga Home Workouts
You have your room set up which is great but unfortunately not enough. To complement the above DIY setup, here are some workout tips that’ll come in handy.
A Mirror Would Be A Useful Accessory
According to Fuller, a pose often differs from what it is supposed to be, and a mirror can assist you in self-correcting and fine-tuning your practice.
“Many individuals appreciate using a mirror to guarantee appropriate alignment and positioning,” adds Fuller, “while others choose not to use a mirror so they can focus on how their body feels in a pose rather than how it looks.”
It may also be simpler to balance if you look at a stationary item such as a light or a candle rather than yourself in the mirror. Spend some time in your hot yoga sanctuary choosing what is best for you.
Ensure That You Always Have An Open Space
Permitting yourself to release your mind and body from stress factors is one of the numerous benefits of yoga.
If the location you’re practicing in at home is cluttered with furniture, work materials, your child’s toys, or any other visual distractions, this can be challenging. If possible, set aside an area solely for yoga.
Don’t Underestimate The Importance Of Staying Hydrated
It’s vital to drink water before, during, and after a hot yoga routine. Throughout your workout, take sips of water every few minutes and hydrate shortly thereafter.
Trust The Process: Ease Into The Workouts
Allow your body time to acclimate to the poses and the warmer environment if you’re new to yoga in general or hot yoga in particular.
Experts advise beginning with a shorter practice (e.g., 20 to 30 mins) to see how your body reacts to the heat. “As your heat tolerance and cardiovascular fitness improve, you can increase the time,” she explains, up to 75 minutes.
Wearing Layers Does More Than You Think
It is also recommended to consider layering over your yoga clothes to help you warm up faster at the start of your session. You can take off your sweats and sweater as you build up heat.
The general rule of thumb as far as hot yoga is concerned is cleansing the body at the end of the day.
Safety Shouldn’t Be Overlooked Whatsoever
Even though hot yoga is safe and pleasurable for almost everybody, most experts recommend that you always consult your doctor before starting a new training routine.
If you have high blood pressure, are prone to seizures, are pregnant, or have any other particular circumstances, it is always wise to check with your doctor before beginning to practice hot yoga.
More so, …
Considering you’ll be using electrical appliances, you must employ the use of circuit breakers, observe electric fire hazards, etc.
Power Specifications
It takes more power than you can put in outlets to heat a spare bedroom (100 sq ft) to a hot yoga temperature. The maximum power output for plug-in alternatives is 1,500W, which is about the same as a hair drier.
In a typically insulated 100sq ft space, 3,000W is required to reach a high yoga temperature of 100-105 degrees. Instead of using two 1,500W plug-ins, why not use two 1,500W plug-ins? Because it is too much power and overloads the circuit, it will trip your electrical panel’s breaker.
The IR system is installed by using new wiring on a 240-volt circuit. This is the same voltage used by clothes drier and an electric stove.
Every home in the United States has 240V accessible, which is what you’ll need to power your IR setup in your domestic hot yoga room.
If you want to learn more about power requirements and heating elements, there are numerous research materials available.
Pay Close Attention To Your Floor Space
This includes the room’s size, ceiling height, insulation material, windows, and everything else that has an impact on heat retention. If all other conditions are equal, a space with smaller floor space will need fewer infrared heaters (lower wattage) to achieve a hot yoga temp.
For instance, a 200-square-foot home hot yoga studio will require approximately 6,000W to reach temperatures of 100-105°F, whereas a 100-square-foot studio will only require 3,000W.
If you imagine your room as a bathtub, the water represents heat, and the drain represents solitary windows, air vents, gaps beneath doors, and uninsulated walls that allow heat to escape.
You must ensure that heat cannot easily escape from these spots in your chosen room to achieve your desired temperature.
Due to heat loss and the thermal density of the concrete floors, a poorly insulated garage with concrete floors and single-glazed windows will require more heaters and a longer time to reach your target temperature. We propose smaller rooms with well-insulated walls, triple-pane windows, and vinyl flooring.
When determining your budget for an infrared water heater for your hot yoga room, the room’s envelope is the most important consideration that will determine how much heat is required.
Final Verdict
From the much that we have looked at, how to create your own hot yoga room should now be much clearer. As you should in any DIY project, it is equally as important to do thorough research on the equipment needed and observe utmost safety.
All in all, with your yoga studio set up, I’d recommend that you do some research on the best hot yoga workouts for beginners if it’s your first time.