An Introduction to Infrared
What is Infrared Heat and How will it Complement Your Workouts?
If you’re considering joining us here at OYF Far Infrared Yoga & Fitness once we open our doors, you might have noticed one of the key tenets of our business is the Infrared heating we offer in our classes. It’s so important to us, that we even put it in our business name! If you aren’t as familiar with what infrared heat is or why you might want it as part of your workout, don’t fret! Lucky for you, its benefits are also one of our favorite things to talk about. Today, let’s break down what infrared heat is, how it’s different from traditional hot yoga practices, and what it can add to your workout.
What is infrared heat?
As explained by How Stuff Works, infrared heat is “a product of light that is invisible to our eyes”. When we’re feeling infrared heat, we’re feeling warmth because of light hitting us, much like when we feel warm in the sun. There are multiple types of infrared heat. At our studios, we use Far infrared heat, which is differentiated from other infrared by the section of the electromagnetic spectrum the heat exists within. This type of heat is capable of “deep tissue penetration”, which can be used for pain management, muscle recovery, and skin rejuvenation, all reasons why we think it is a great fit for our fitness classes.
How is infrared different than your typical hot yoga?
If you’ve never been to a hot yoga class, you might have some concerns about what it would feel like to workout in a hot room. If you have visions of sweating buckets or struggling to breathe in a stuffy, congested room, we understand why you might have this concern. You might even have heard stories of friends who’ve been to hot yoga classes and had this experience. But while in a traditional hot yoga class, the heat is being pumped in through the air around you and so the experience might be like doing yoga outside on a humid day, we think you’ll find the experience in our studios quite different. In infrared, the heat is coming from the room itself, from infrared heating panels, and is transmitted to you via light. This not only prevents the stuffy air feeling that can come along with an overheated room but also makes it feel like a more natural heat, like the sun. You might discover you find this type of heat more comfortable than you imagine – relaxing even.
It’s Not Only Yoga
You may have noticed our yoga classes aren’t our only heated classes! We have plenty of heated yoga options, but you can also take strength, stretching, or cardio-based classes in our infrared heat. For example, you may want to focus in on a specific area of strength training in Hot Absolutely Burning Butts or Hot Amazing Arms & Shoulders, or you might be in the mood for a more well-rounded stretch in Hot Candlelight Deep Stretch & Relaxation. There are benefits to exercising in far infrared heat that will help support your progress in all of these classes, such as pain relief and detoxification. Infrared heat can help lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and reduce muscle tension. A new study on hot yoga even suggested that it could help treat depression.
With the variety of options we provide for far infrared workouts, you can experience these benefits no matter what style of workout you prefer. Come see for yourself how working out in far infrared heated rooms impacts and improves your workouts at a studio near you.