Hot Yoga

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

This trend is dominating the industry. One of my instructors also teaches at a couple of other studios. One hot studio opened last week and had 77 people show up at the first day’s 6:30 class. And it has been a regular occurance at just about every class since then. The studio is located in the suburbs (luckily far away from me!)

I hear phrases like, “Oh, it’s only a trend.” But I think this is denial. Compare any hot studio with a regular studio, and you will see a disproportionate attendance in favour of the hot studio. In my discussions with other non-hot studio owners I can sense some dread as the fear of losing students, or not growing the client base, is unsettling.

How is it in your neck of the woods? If you are a studio owner, are you threatened by this trend? Have you considered converting your studio to hot in order to sustain yourself? Or are you unaffected and unmoved?

#2

Hi Flex!

I’m not a fan of Hot Yoga at all. Honestly I can’t understand its appeal. For me it is yoga stripped of everything I hold sacred. But the reality is it is quite popular. Here in the mid-west, it is growing and studios are filled. Luckily, the studio I teach at isn’t interested in offering it. Some of my students have tried it and haven’t had good things to say about it. They are turned off by how impersonal it is and the lack of attention to alignment.

I may not have 77 students, but the ones I do have know the meaning of yoga and are devoted. For that, I’m grateful.

Is it a trend? I certainly hope so! I was doing business at our bank recently and the manager somehow brought up yoga. I told her I was a yoga teacher and she asked, “Do you teach hot yoga?” Not, what style of yoga do you teach. This shows the impact of the hot yoga trend. BTW, she was not a fan of it having tried it, but nonetheless when she thought of yoga, it was hot yoga. Like I said, I hope this trend has peaked. Of course, this is bit my humble opinion.

#3

There is no doubt that most yoga teachers and ‘true to yogis’ are not fans of hot yoga. And the chorus of health professionals and sport therapists making a case against hot yoga is deafening. However, the masses drawn to the hot ‘spas’ are deaf to the rationalization.

I suppose that yogis can now take heart that non-authentic practitioners have found a place far away from their authentic studio and they can now practise true yoga in peace. Very good. But, in the case of my old studio where they were surrounded by 3 hot studios in 5 years - Bikram, Moksha, and one other, the authentic studios are in danger of becoming bankrupt, and so the practitioner seeking a studio may soon have nowhere to go (Rejoice! hail the the ‘true yogis’ :))

I, however, prefer the lessons learned from the story of the $6 haircut http://everydayriches.typepad.com/blog/2008/01/six-dollar-hair.html And, I will focus on this over the coming days until an idea comes to me.

#4

Yoga has survived wars and ignorance for thousands of years. It is likely that it will continue to do so. How we handle it in the interim is another matter altogether.

I stay focused on MY work. To get caught up in this thing or that thing when they are not of my path is merely distraction. As a coach I focused on my team and making them as good as they could be, with very little ado for the other team, save for a brief “report”.

#5

I must learn to not post first thing in the morning. Some glaring grammatical errors in my post! I need a proof reader! lol

#6

My first experience with any style of yoga was with Bikram yoga. I soon realized that Bikram was not my cup of tea. I now practice other styles of yoga that better suit my desires for practice. So I am actually grateful for the trend as it lead me to the yoga practice.

I would not be overly concerned about the numbers. If you want 70 students in a class, it is doable. A good promotional and marketing plan will generate all kinds of buzz and new attendees. Fortunately, most yoga studios recognize that over-crowded classes are unwise in the long-term.

I also would not worry to much about losing dedicated students to hot yoga. I attend a Bikram class every once in a while and I can tell you that very few have tried any other style of yoga.

#7

As the ‘mostly good egg’ advises, I do try to stay true to my studio and our goals. I wanted to point out a trend up here by the well-funded hot yoga industry. As a business person, I recognize certain strategies for what they are. It’s evident that the hot yoga studios I have seen recently are owned by pretty savvy and shrewd individuals. Established studios in neighbourhoods are targeted and hot studios built within a stone’s throw. As Fernmanus (great name BTW) points out, good marketing will prevail in numbers, and these guys understand marketing. Unfortunately, that spells dismay for the local neighbourhood studio relying on, not only dedicated students, but new-to-yoga students in order to pay the bills.

I only wanted to know if anyone else has recognized this strategy in their neighbourhoods, and if this is a trend unique to Canada? And, perhaps a sharing of ideas may produce a plan that helps out some studio owners in the long run.

#8

Flex,

No, the trend is not unique to Canada. We see it in the States as well. There are so many “guerilla marketing” tactics to combat the corporate yoga guys that I cannot list them all. My point was that all of their marketing money may draw in new users, but that does not guarantee that they will keep them.

I go to multiple studios. The best have a real sense of community. They listen to the input of their students and schedule classes that best accommodate the needs of the student, NOT the convenience of the teacher.

One more point, you are your best friend and your worst enemy. In other words, worry less about the competition and do what is best for your business. I am a business owner (unrelated to yoga). I have had Fortune 500 competitors try to crush my business on a couple occasions. I learned, don’t run scared, be smart and win by producing a better product at a better value than the big guys can. Corporate yoga has so many limitations. Go to a class and you will quickly see what they do right and what they are missing.

#9

Thanks fernmanus. I come from the corporate world myself. This year I chose to close my 21-year, multi-million dollar company in order to do the things I really enjoy doing. I wrote down 5 simple goals, and I’m sticking to them.

Some of the anxiety I express is a reflection of what I see and hear from studio owners who have not had the benefit of you or I, regarding tactics. Maybe we can share with them and, armed with that knowledge, they can also release fear and focus on producing a better experience. Some already get it.

In my early years I worked as a media consultant for a large insurance company. In the 1980s deregulation allowed banks and other instutions to get into the insurance game. Even our local hardware giant Canadian Tire got into the insurance business. This sent the insurance industry into a panic. I was in the room when the presidents of 6 majors argued all day and cried like babies. Their solution (eventually) was - add value! The same thing happened with the travel industry (I can’t remember the last time I sat in front of, or spoke to, a travel agent).

Debate on yoga as an industry aside (please), if yoga is being sold as a commodity to the masses, is their experience likely to be deep enough for new yogis to seek out more from their practice that the corporate studios can offer? How do we use the example of the $6 haircut to empower traditional studios? I’m not convinced that ‘head in the sand’ strategy is best. But then, I do have an overactive crown chakra :slight_smile:

#10

In London I don’t see many ‘hot yoga’ centres popping up. All the people I know who have done it go a few times and then soon stop going, for them it was a passing fad. I only know of one person who is literally addicted to it, which in itself speaks volumes.

Consider what is the attraction to ‘hot yoga’, in my biased opinion I think it is accelerated performance and the need to sweat, both of which feed an unhealthy ego.

It’s not for me but I did get quite a ‘rush’ when I tried it.

#11

If you are a studio owner you might as well adapt to compete in the market.
Or provide something that the hot yoga studios don’t.

Hot Yoga isn’t going anywhere. It is a lock.

It is going to be very expensive to upgrade to a decent heating system but you are likely going to cover your nut.

We’ve a very successful yoga studio up here and they made a mint.

The competition responded with ‘hot yoga’ classes using anything from portable heaters, to wood stoves (actually that was pretty awesome), and yes very expensive heating and humidification systems.

Hot rooms were upgraded by demand for better flooring, better heat exchange systems and just about any facility that could run a hot room seems to have one.

The large fitness centre in town now has a beautiful hot room although it is not as popular since it charges a premium as if Yoga isn’t already priced to the elite.

I practice Hot Yoga once a week. I explore other Yoga efforts each of the other days. It’s all yoga. It’s all good.

#12

@Yogamark. I absolutely agree with you that hot yoga is going nowhere soon. The sheer numbers it attracts can attest to that. And many studios are converting in an effort to cash in.

What is debatable, though, is the clientele. As anyone old enough to remember the aerobics trend can attest, that crowd soon found it’s way to pilates studios. I don’t know anyone who does aerobics anymore. Question is: are the pilates crowd what makes up the volume in hot yoga studios? I don’t have enough information to say definitively, but my intuition tells me yes. Are the (mostly - not you :)) crowds likely to herd their way to the next trend and away from hot yoga?

Either way, as a new yoga studio owner I need to gauge this activity carefully, as well as providing the fantastic environment for practice I have been told we have to this point.

#13

I think, it is good that ‘hot Yoga’ is attracting lot of people. Being a trend, it will soon go cold and may be replaced by say ‘mirchi (Indian hot spice) Yoga’ or even ‘bhoga (indulgence) Yoga’ may become a craze. But it will attract several ‘newcomers’ to Yoga who may eventually get disillusioned with ‘hot’ but keep seeking true Yoga. After all, Yoga is all about self-realization.

Honestly liked InnerAthlete’s ‘My Yoga’! That and that alone is the truth.

#14

@FlexPenguin.
You have me there. I admit I was a huge Aerobics fanatic back in da day and now I can’t get enough Zumba. I love it and the story is mint!

I read it on-line so it must be true:
Zumba happened cuz buddy forgot his aerobics CDs and tried to smooth it out by overselling his clients with his personal latin grooves and moves.
It was a one off, he was just trying to cover his A$$ but the ladies loved it. Cha Ching! The were lining around the block and the zin phenom was born.

The next trend?
I’d love it if Yoga trans dance could just find the leader, (Shiva Rae?) And the tipping point needed to roll out. But I wouldn’t build a studio on it.

I would build one on HotYoga. It still has enough momentum to cover your costs and you can always spin the use of the space towards random eclectic, esoteric, or magical yogic efforts if and when it slows.

Road trip to Ottawa and I’ll show you around some of the studios and success stories round town that did it right. Or just pm me and I’ll send you some links from my fly on the wall perspective.

#15

Hi all,

Here’s why hot yoga appeals to me.
It stops the ‘chatter’ in my head, allowing complete focus on the effort. Sitting in heat/sauna, I have little success stopping the chatter. Hatha alone? I also have little success stopping the chatter to allow the complete focus I’m looking for. In the combination, I find I am able to focus very clearly on the movement and listen carefully to my body and breath to find limits while trying not to exceed them. (success varies by the day)

I’ve tried classic Hatha, Bikram and now Moksha (Hot Hatha), with Moksha being the preferred for both my husband and myself. For both of us, the extra heat helps relax the muscles to allow better stretching. I found the Bikram environment was pushing me into heat stroke/exhaustion while the Moksha environment is hot but not dangerous for me.

With increased flexibility and fitness, I’ll probably expand into Ashtanga.

#16

Hello Leigh,

You broach a very important topic with your reply above.
And that is the effect of the practice itself (which you outline) and the way or ways in which that can be applied in daily living.

When we find something that provides temporary relief, be it from a laceration to the skin or to the dialogue in our brain, that is a band-aid. It is not a healing. So the larger question, as it relates to yoga, is “how does this practice serve my living?”. And of course each person need only answer for themselves.

I have always contended that a yoga practice in which you are still flipping off folks while driving on the freeway five years after your practice has begun, isn’t a very effective practice. Of course this presumes the intention of Yoga is the growth of the human being (or consciousness, if the reader prefers that term).

That which is delivered to students of yoga “in the moment” (the duration of class, if you will) is nice, helpful, relieving, even wonderful. However the nectar has to be accessible in the other 23 hours and 30 minutes of the day - to one degree or another.

#17

I don’t see where it is any different than any of your more “correct” yoga, it is simply in a heated room. We offer 20 classes a week at our studio. The hot classes are the most popular. I teach “hot yoga” which is simply an Ashtanga based freestyle asana class. As always discussed here, there are 8 limbs, limb one gets em in the door. People like it because as your body warms you can deepen the stretch and you feel amazing after. I don’t like non hot yoga, but that’s just me. That’s it. Whats the problem? If you are not offering hot yoga your numbers may diminish. One of the gyms in town now offers it because we opened, they even sent there instructors up to take classes to see what it’s all about. It’s no different than any non hot class only with heat, as I said. Is it yoga? That would be derived by who is teaching more so than whether the room is hot. Btw, our studio has nothing to do with making money, in this economy it isn’t possible. We opened because no one offered the yoga we like and out of a passion to spread the “word”. So we did it ourselves. We, is the wife and I.

#18

Hi Gordon

I agree that the ability should translate to the rest of life, but one has to start somewhere. First is finding the experience, then comes the application to situations farther afield. Otherwise, its like trying to reach a blind person what ‘red’ is.

As someone who typically needs to ‘drown’ the chatter through loud music and/or intensely physical activity and/or less healthy methods, this is giving me a space to learn. Essentially, using the heated environment to relax the muscle and intensify the focus provides the opportunity to learn associate the movements (OR a heated environment) with a quiet mind so that the movements themselves become a tool to quiet the mind. (a CBT approach to yoga?)

I’m obviously an utter novice at yoga, I guess this happens to be where I’m comfortable learning to crawl :smiley:

#19

I’m not a fan of Hot Yoga at all. Honestly I can’t understand its appeal. For me it is yoga stripped of everything I hold sacred.

I find this thread hilarious, because it’s like one fake yoga moaning and complaining about another fake yoga. But now you understand how I feel in my thread “Commercial Yoga” As you consider Hot Yoga stripped of everything that is sacred in Yoga, I find any Yoga which is exclusively or predominantly asana based to be stripped of anything that is sacred in Yoga. To strip Yoga of its purpose is to divest Yoga of any meaning. The purpose of Yoga is embedded within the word itself, union i.e. self realization. This is of course Hindu philosophy. Henceforth I have always maintained Yoga cannot be separated from its Hindu philosophy.

#20

Thank you for reply Leigh.
It is a very sound, sensible, meaningful reply that I hope will be distilled by all who take it in.

It reaffirms that the person doing the doing has to determine (or in a Yogic context “discern”) what is appropriate for them. It is not, as some contend, a right or wrong yoga, a mine or yours yoga, a hot or tepid yoga…it is whether the student is being moved toward the Self. That can be in a variety of degrees (crawling, as example).

There are robust yoga practices and there are yoga practices which are only asana. Each has a role and unfortunately today there aren’t many of the former and are enormous amounts of the latter. And this is what allows people to pontificate about a lack of difference - because for the most part there is a lack of difference.

This does not mean that there aren’t some teacher doing some amazing, deep, nourishing work with their students. It is absolutely so. It’s just damn rare to find a teacher living what they are teaching and offering the plethora of tools, spread across the Eight Limbs.

Absolutely begin where you are and continue the process of self-discovery so that you may, at some point, abate the chatter efficiently over time.