7 Reasons Arriving Early to Hot Yoga Class Benefits You

Everyone knows the early bird gets the worm. But that doesn’t necessarily apply to hot yoga class. And here’s why.

The concept of the early bird getting the worm makes it seem like there’s only one worm. Like there’s a supply issue with a resource you need. So, you have to arrive early. And that way you get access to the limited benefit.

However, we believe everyone can have access to the benefits of a hot yoga class. And arriving early doesn’t give you access to a limited supply of goodness. It actually helps contribute to the amount of goodness that’s available to everyone who’s participating. So, let’s talk about how arriving early to hot yoga class will benefit you AND everyone who is practicing with you.

1. Getting in.

   Arriving early means you for sure get into the studio for your hot yoga class! It’s a bummer that we have to be on the lookout. However, for your safety and security, we lock the doors as soon as class starts. Sometimes our teachers have class helpers. In that case, if you have reserved a spot in one of our classes, the helper can be on the lookout for your arrival. But many times, our teachers are leading classes alone.

   And in order to give you the best yoga experience in every class, our teachers concentrate on leading the class, correcting postures, and monitoring your well-being. That means if you arrive after class begins, most of the time, you’ll be locked out of the studio. And we want you here! The more students we have in each class, the more energy that’s shared with the class. So, get to class early so none of us miss out!

2. Getting the Best.

   You deserve a great hot yoga class! And one of the keys to having a great class is an instructor operating at peak performance. Arriving early to class gives your instructor the best opportunity to have a great mindset for teaching you well.

   If you’ve been practicing yoga with us for any period of time, you know our hot yoga classes are a moving meditation. Have you ever tried to get into a meditation mindset while your kids are calling your name, asking for snacks, asking you life questions, all while your phone is ringing? If you have, then you know what it’s like to be a yoga teacher right before class. 🙂

   Your experience starts as soon as you walk into our studio. We want that experience to be as calming and stress relieving as possible. If one person runs into the studio at the last minute, it’s probably not too much of a disruption. But if several people run into the class last minute, it takes away from everyone’s calming and meditative experience. That includes you AND your teacher! Help your leader give you the best possible yoga experience by arriving early and calmly making your way into the hot room.

3. Getting Ready for Hot Yoga Class.

   There are a few things you have to do before your hot yoga class starts. Arriving early gives you time to check in, put your things away, and fill up your water bottle.

   Read why hydration is so important before, during, and after your hot yoga class.

   The last thing you want to do is spend the first few minutes of class calming down from your frenzied entry. Starting your yoga practice or any meditation with an intention helps you connect with your goals, gratitude, and your mind and body. So, do yourself a favor and head to the hot room a few minutes early to set your intention and get the most out of your practice.

4. Getting Set.

   Life is full of constant distractions. We want the hot room to be a distraction-free zone for you and everyone who practices with us. Arriving early to the hot room gives you the chance to get your mat set without having to run through a gauntlet of moving bodies.

   And especially if you’re a beginner, you know how important it is to be able to hear and concentrate on the instruction from the teachers. So, getting into your spot and minimizing extra movement in the room during your practice can help you and everyone around you concentrate better.

5. Acclimating Yourself.

   

   First time participant hot room experience

   You get used to the elevated temperature before you start adding movement. Some of our consistent, long-time yogis have acclimated to the hot room over the time of their practice. But for most of us, we still have to get used to the elevated temperatures in the hot classes when we enter the studio. Just breathing in the heat and humidity of our hot yoga and pilates classes takes some time. And some of that is psychological. Getting into the hot room early helps your lungs and your mind acclimate to being in the intense heat and humidity before you ever start practicing.

6. Going deeper.

   Hanging out pre-workout in the hot room gets your muscles nice and loose. One of the wonderful things about the hot room is how it loosens your muscles while you practice. In order to get the full effect of getting into postures with warm muscles, it’s a great idea to get into the hot room early. That way your muscles have a chance to warm up before you even start the yoga movements. And having warm muscles means you can quickly get deep into the first posture movements and go even deeper during the second round of movements.

   Want to know more about the two rounds of postures in Hot Yoga 26 & 2 classes? Read here about our hot yoga class format.

7. Giving Your All to Your Hot Yoga Class.

   There is power in community movement. One of our favorite parts of hot yoga is the community. It’s probably why you practice with us regularly. Practicing yoga in a community is about shared energy. When we move together, in concert, we’re giving and receiving the energy of the community around us.

   When one member of the community is missing or is out of sync, it pulls the collective energy of the community down. There is strength and power in our synchronized movement. If you want to fully contribute and experience that strength, you’ve got to be ready to move together from the beginning. Arriving early helps you get set to give and receive.

“During cataclysmic global events, our collective consciousness synchronizes. So do the numeric sequences created by random number generators. Science can’t explain the phenomenon, but religion does. It’s called prayer. A collective request sent up in unison, a shared hope, fear relieved, a life spared. Numbers are constant… until they’re not. In times of tragedy… times of collective joy, in these brief moments, it is only the shared emotional experience that makes the world seem less random. Maybe it’s coincidence. And maybe it’s the answer to our prayers.” – Touch