Hot or heated workouts are rising in popularity because of their many benefits. For one, since your heart rate is higher when performing hot workouts, they allow you to burn energy faster. This in return allows you to burn fat much faster as well. They’re also a great way for high-performance athletes to prepare for competition in extreme heat. If you’re still unfamiliar with the whole concept and would like to give hot workouts a try, here are three options you could choose from.
Hot Yoga
Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga is one of the most widespread forms of hot workout you can find. One of the many benefits of Bikram Yoga is that it helps increase muscle tone gently without putting too much stress on your joints and muscles. It’s also a great low-intensity way to burn fat.
Another benefit of Bikram Yoga is that since sessions are held at a high temperature and humidity, your muscle will be able to heat up much faster, which will allow you to stretch more comfortably. And if you haven’t tried yoga yet, you shouldn’t be intimidated by it. Bikram Yoga uses simple, entry-level poses everybody can do. You’ll also be able to build a strong foundation by repeating these poses twice per class with your instructor.
However, before you start, there are some things you should know first. While you want to be well hydrated, you shouldn’t chug a gallon of water just before your session or else you’ll feel uncomfortable during your poses. It’s better to drink gradually during the day or the night before if your session is early in the morning. You should also consult with your doctor before you start since it can be risky for people with heart problems or high blood pressure.
Hot Boxing or Muay Thai
While the main goal of martial arts is usually self-defense, the types of boxing classes you’ll get at many health centers will be more centered around fitness than actually learning techniques. Practicing boxing movements or hitting a punching bag can exert a lot of energy and can be a great way to lose weight, especially when you bring heat into it.
While not all health classes will offer hot boxing sessions, you can always rev up your body heat by using a sauna vest. A sauna vest will not only allow you to increase the intensity of your workout session but will also improve your posture and give you some much needed back support as well. If you want to learn more about sauna vests and want to know where to get one, you can get one from Kewlioo here.
If you want to take things up a notch, you could do the same thing with Muay Thai. Muay Thai is a popular form of kickboxing that will get your whole body moving. While it was strictly a self-defense technique not too long ago, more health centers are now offering variations that incorporate more of a dance element into it to focus on cardio and weight loss.
Hot Pilates
Pilates was all the rage not too long ago and was praised by everyone from athletes and actors all the way up to your regular soccer mom and dad. But while Pilatesis primarily focused on low-intensity bodyweight muscle building, hot Pilates is more intense.
Hot Pilates is a form of high interval intensity workout, which focuses on shorts bursts of energy instead of endurance training. Classes are held at very high heat (around 96 to 100 degrees) with an energetic musical backdrop. But it’s not for everyone, however. This form of exercise is very demanding and is not recommended for beginners. But if you’re already very active, this is a great way to build your glutes, core, and upper body.
Conclusion
These workout methods will allow you to get your heart pumping and activate your sweat glands. If you want to burn more fat and build muscle tone while trying something new, you should definitely give one or all of these a try.