Monday, December 3, 2012

It's getting hot in here!

#1 on the getting to Ironman Arizona list is "Stay injury free".  In an effort to ward off any injuries I am practicing hot yoga. Let me clarify this is not Bikram Yoga but Hot Hatha Yoga. I have done both and while I enjoy Bikram the room is even hotter and sadly there is not a studio near me.  I practice at Sun Touch Yoga just a few miles from my home.

From their website "Hot Hatha is a 75 minute class offered in a 96 degree infrared heated room.  Designed to relieve stress, balance and strengthen the glandular system, circulation, digestion and nervous system, reshape muscles, tendons and posture. Fresh blood is brought to areas not normally affected and the whole body becomes supple and fit!  Detox and feel renewed! Move your body, free your mind!"

There is much discussion in the triathlon community whether anything other than swimming, biking and running is good for tri training. I am always surprised by the folks who think anything other than SBR is a waste of time.  When someone asks about fatigue on the bike the answer is often "bike more" as if taking the time to strengthen your upper body and core is not an option.

Dragging my sleepy tuhkus out of bed at 5:00am is not easy but getting into that hot room, seeing my friend's smiling face and   Pushing my body to places it wasn't able to go to before while getting a serious sweat on is good for ME

3 comments:

  1. I have really changed my routine to add more strength training. SBR is great, but if you have weak glute, quads, etc. you can be more prone to injury. I have heard great things about both yoga and hot yoga, and know athletes who swear by it for helping them remain injury free.

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  2. I've been practicing yoga for years. I tried hot yoga this past spring with my wife... Frankly, I couldn't see the point of the 105-degree room. They say it's "a workout just staying in the room for the hour". Yeah, right. Of course you'll feel drained after an hour. You ARE drained... of WATER! Just give me a mat in the living room and I'm good. I can do my own routine.

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  3. David, the yoga I practice is in a 96 degree room. I am much more flexible when my body/muscles are warm. A regular yoga class at room temperature I can't accomplish as much and get bored.

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