Question about 60+ Yoga practitioners & heat

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I will be turning 66 in December. I’ve been practicing mostly “former Anusara” for the past year. I’ve noticed lately that the room temperature of classes is having a negative effect on me. These are usually 1.5 hour mixed level classes. It doesn’t seem to be the sequence of asanas, but it could be a combination of the class length, flow, and the heat. It may be I am at a decision point where I need to dial back the intensity of my Yoga classes.

I’m curious to know: 1) Do other students who are 60+ have an issue with the heat of a non-hot yoga class; 2) Can teachers give me their observations of 60+ students and intensity of a class, and opinions about possible solutions?

More info - I am active, doing 30 minutes of cardio at least three times a week at my health club, do functional training with resistance and TRX straps.

Thank you,

Ed S.

#2

Hello Ed,

Our classrooms are kept at ~73? and only occasionally does someone mention “whew it’s hot”. Several of my students in class are approaching the age range you mention and I have several private clients, one of whom is older. I’ve not observed any room temperature related issues in this segment of students.

However the practice isn’t a flow practice in and of itself. Such movements are used, with purpose, periodically. As such the only ongoing flowy stuff is the classical surya namaskar.

It is difficult to offer more since you’ve elected to use a very general term to describe the issue that you are confronting. “Negative effect” couldn’t be more vague. Without knowing the whats and wherefores I wouldn’t venture to toss darts in the dark to unearth a “possible solution”.

Warmly,

gordon

#3

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;76153]Hello Ed,

Our classrooms are kept at ~73? and only occasionally does someone mention “whew it’s hot”. Several of my students in class are approaching the age range you mention and I have several private clients, one of whom is older. I’ve not observed any room temperature related issues in this segment of students.

However the practice isn’t a flow practice in and of itself. Such movements are used, with purpose, periodically. As such the only ongoing flowy stuff is the classical surya namaskar.

It is difficult to offer more since you’ve elected to use a very general term to describe the issue that you are confronting. “Negative effect” couldn’t be more vague. Without knowing the whats and wherefores I wouldn’t venture to toss darts in the dark to unearth a “possible solution”.

Warmly,

gordon[/QUOTE]

Negative effects after a very hot Yoga class are: Very tired for the next 24/36 hours and I don’t work out or do Yoga; I feel the recovery time is too longs compared to after a gym workout or a cooler Yoga class; dehydrated - I have to drink a lot of liquids, maybe 60 oz.; food cravings, like protein bars, cookies, Cliff Bars, Kind Bars.

I may have worded the post badly, but I was curious if teachers have ever run into this with other students. It is nearly impossible to offer a diagnosis and comment on my specific experience.

I am also interested in Yoga students who have had a similar experiences.

Thank you,

Ed S.

#4

There was nothing wrong with the wording and it surely wasn’t bad or poor. I was alluding to the quandary of providing a professional viewpoint based only upon what I was given. Nothing more, nothing less.

I instruct students to drink half their body weight in ounces of fluid during the day, that half of that be filtered water, and that this guide is for a normal activity level and climate. More activity or warmer climates require increased hydration. Hydration is not facilitated by water. Flushing is facilitated by water. And, of course, this presumes that caffeine is avoided.

The food cravings may be a fuel requirement or an imbalance in the pancreas. Hunger is one thing. Replenishing is one thing. Craving is something else, especially when tied in to sweeteners as each of your examples are.

I never offer diagnosis. That is for western medicine. I offer what I know to those interested in receiving it when I’ve enough information to do so. If that was not the basis for your inquiry I apologize. A good yoga teacher encourages his/her students to examine these things for themselves as each person is different so you are correct, commenting on your specifics is impossible. Guidance is not.

As far as observations, I have not noticed fatigue or food cravings in my students over 60 nor have they mentioned such things to me, and we have the depth of relationship that allows for such exchange. What IS the room temperature in your classes, pray tell?