BRINGING YOGA TO YOUR HOME SAUNA

If you love hot yoga, there is no better or more relaxing way to fit in a session than in your home sauna. Saunas offer many health benefits, from detoxification of skin’s impurities and easing tension from sore muscles, to reducing stress and improving sleep patterns. Adding yoga to the mix offers the chance of improved fitness while reaping the many rewards of sauna use.

FIRST STEPS

The first step to get the most out of your sauna hot yoga session is to set the temperature. That can range anywhere from 92° F to a maximum of 105° F with 40 per cent humidity.

If your sauna is large enough, bring a mat for some floor work. Ensure you have a towel and plenty of water to stay hydrated. Start with some slow, calming breaths until you feel ready to begin.

YOGA IN A LARGE SAUNA

Some of the best moves to increase your flexibility are simple generally easy to perform.

Head to Knee Forward Bend

While seated, extend one leg out in front of you and place the bottom of your opposite foot against your thigh. After making sure your hips are aligned, inhale and reach up with your arms as far as you can. As you exhale, bend forward, face toward your knee. Lock your fingers around the bottom of your foot.

Cobra Pose

Lie face down on your mat and place your hands, palms down, under your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body. Press the tops of your feet and your pubic bone into the mat, then lift your head and chest off the floor as you inhale. Draw your shoulders back without hunching them up by your ears.

Downward Facing Dog

Start on your hands and knees with arms shoulder-width apart. With fingers splayed, distribute your weight evenly across both hands, then exhale and lift your knees off of your mat. Lift your tailbone up toward the ceiling with feet hips’ width apart and toes forward. Press your heels into the floor, keeping your legs straight. Keep your head down and neck relaxed.

YOGA IN A SMALL SAUNA

Even if space is limited in your sauna, you can still get in a good yoga session. Here are three of the best moves when space is at a premium:

Standing Back Bend

Bend your torso backward, thrusting your hips forward and arching your spine. If you have room, reach your arms back and over your head. In the modified version, you simply place your hands on your lower back.

Dangle Pose

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Bend until your chest touches the lower part of your thighs. Next, bow forward with your head toward the floor and fold your arms in front of your face, each hand grasping the opposite elbow.

Garland Pose

Bend your knees and lower your hips. Your head should be up and your back straight. Bring your palms together and press your inner thighs back in line with your triceps.

THE BENEFITS

The heat of the sauna combined with yoga quickly warms muscles, offering you an increased range of motion. Frequent hot yoga can increase flexibility considerably with the added benefit of toning your muscles and shedding excess weight.

Other benefits of hot yoga include improvement in posture, increase in breath capacity, prevention of injuries and an improvement in your body’s ability to heal and revitalize itself.

WCI POOLS & SPAS

Interested in hot yoga from home? WCI Pools & Spas is here to help. We have been providing Central Iowa with high-quality products from saunas, to hot tubs to pools, for more than 40 years. Browse our online gallery to learn more about the Finnleo sauna models we offer or visit our Ames or Urbandale showroom to talk to one of our experts.