Maddie’s Hot Yoga Experience [OPINION]

They aren't kidding around when they call it HOT yoga. 

When it comes to gyms and workout classes, I've just about tried them all. While Pilates has my heart, I've heard a lot about Yoga 101 through other people I workout with. After updating and painting my house all weekend, I needed some yoga relief. My body was tense and sore and it deserved some sweating and stretching.

This wasn't my first go-around with yoga. I took a semester of yoga in college, and Pilates has a lot of yoga components to it. But boy, I wasn't prepared for this kind of yoga. They aren't kidding when they call it HOT yoga - it was well over 100 degrees in the room. Not to mention we were packed like sardines in an unusually crowded class. The instructor said there aren't typically that many people in the room at once, so I expect a smaller crowd next time around.

I took an intro class, as I'm not exceptionally skilled in yoga at all. According to the Yoga 101 website, an intro class is 75 minutes long and is good for all levels. The website reads: "If you are new to yoga or simply want a more in-depth breakdown of the poses, this is a great introduction to the 101 class, with an emphasis on the basics of hot yoga, breathing and alignment. Relaxed and informal with Q&A opportunities."

Although it was an intro class, I felt a little left out sometimes. There were a lot of people in there that knew what every pose name meant, and knew how to transition quickly. I had to kind of look around and see what others were doing to get in the correct position. Although I have some previous experience, it was still a little too fast-paced for an "intro" class, in my opinion.

The heat didn't bother me at all. I LOVE being hot, so being nice and toasty in a room while stretching and eventually meditating was a good time for me. They do ask that you take a minute to regroup or pause if you're feeling too hot, but that never happened to me. Also, it's important to bring plenty of water...and continue drinking lots during the day afterward to replenish.

I had Groupon for Yoga 101, which got me 10 classes for $60 - a steal, honestly. Most workout classes range around $10-12 a class, so it's a bargain.

I don't recommend going to something like this if you're a clean freak or weird about personal space. I am both of these things, but I still really enjoyed it. I kept thinking about all the good I was doing for my body, so my OCD kind of floated away.

At the very end of a blazing hot workout, they bring around lavender-scented cold towels that feel and smell amazing! It was honestly the best part of it all. I still have 9 more classes to use, and I can't wait. I'm going to give it a few more tries before deciding on a membership, but it's wedding season, y'all, and I'm trying to burn come cals.