Consumer Review - Hot Yoga

This is definitely not to rag on hot yoga as a whole. Practicing it is extremely good for your body, mind and chakra or inner spirit. The only problem I have is that every time I go to practice at Hot Yoga of Kirkland, I am so cramped the exercise loses a lot of its benefits.

If you have never done Bikram's hot yoga, it's class where you perform and hold a series of 26 positions lasting from 60-90 minutes. The catch is the room you are performing them in is 105 degrees with 60% humidity, so having your own personal space to sweat in is pretty important. I have never seen anyone leave class not doused in sweat and you are actually required to have a full towel and a water bottle with you to take the class.

Setting up with peoples mats touching mine on all sides always has me worrying about hitting my neighbor and not focusing on relaxing my mind and holding the positions properly. Some positions even have to be altered by the instructors because you cannot stretch any limbs beyond your mat.

All of the extra bodies also heavily alters the temperature in the room. I have taken the class is less crowded studios and there is never such a spike in temperature during the standing parts. At the Hot Yoga of Kirkland they actually have to open the door and let cool air in because the room consistently overheats, (opening the door during a hot yoga class is usually a big no-no).

If I am paying almost $15 a session I should be able to practice yoga with a decent amount of space. I included pictures of what a normal hot yoga class should look like. The ones at Hot Yoga of Kirkland (and I have gone to almost all the times on all different days), are so cramped peoples mats touch on all sides.