Getting serious about your fitness goals this year? Yoga is one of my favorite ways to exercise and incorporate movement into my week, so when YO BK invited me to try one of their traditional hot yoga classes in Bushwick, I couldn’t say no.
Traditional hot yoga, or Bikram Yoga as it is commonly known, involves 26 poses in a room heated to 105°F. The heat may sound a bit too intense, but the poses are low-impact and great for strength building with the additional challenge of a little sweat.
Located off Metropolitan Ave., the Bushwick location is a tranquil and intimate space with a minimalist aesthetic. The front windows bring in light that’s as bright and welcoming as the front desk staff. For first-timers, the studio offers a complimentary yoga mat and towel for your session. There are also free lockers to store your belongings, and, of course, your phone.
Towards the back of the room you’ll find the yoga studio moderate in size. It’s neither too big where the space feels overwhelming, nor too small where you might feel claustrophobic.
I had been out of practice from yoga for about a year, so I sheepishly sat myself towards the back of the studio. While the class is welcome to yogis of all levels, my instructor made sure I was comfortable and respected my limits of flexibility. If you’ve been to yoga before, the flow will feel familiar. The 60-minute class was segmented into three sequences of sun salutations, backbends, and savasana. It didn’t start off too intense. The instructor gradually eased the class from stationary tree poses to a dynamic crow pose. At the end, I was certainly left sweating, but I felt recharged and refreshed.
The beauty of hot yoga isn’t the challenge of the heat itself, but the mindset the heat triggers. It’s hard for your thoughts to wander in a 105°F room. It helps your mind focus solely on the task at hand.
YO BK has locations in Bushwick, Williamsburg, Greenpoint which in total offer 130 Hot Yoga & Pilates classes throughout the week on an extended schedule. I know I’ll be back for another hot yoga sesh.
