Practicing in direct sunlight is not advisable! I did just that to take photos in Rishikesh in 2007. It was about 100 degrees... I definitely didn't feel so well after this half full bow pose!
Summer is here, which, in my opinion, is just wonderful! I love the heat, the sun, hours spent outdoors. While I love the addition of humidity and warmth to my yoga practice, the hot weather brings greater risks of dehydration and overheating. May this blog, which outlines important precautions, help you maintain a full and healthy practice all summer long!
The Sun!
Yogasana, or yogic postures, should not be practiced in direct sunlight. A little outdoor yoga in the early morning or late evening, however, when the sun is less powerful and the temperature lower, is generally safe. If you’d like to practice outside during the day, find an area with sufficient shade (such as under a tree or tent). The hot sun can cause our body to overheat, negatively affecting the internal benefits of the asana, and lead to sunburn. For the same reasons, it’s not advisable to practice yoga directly after spending time in the sun.
Water!
Hydration is crucial! Lacking sufficient fluids can lead to cramping, greater risk of muscle strain/tears, and dizziness. Be sure to drink enough water shortly before doing yoga. While I personally do not drink water during my practice, it’s ok to do so small quantities throughout your session if necessary. If you must take water, try to do so in between and not during sequences.
Drink plenty of water after practice, too.
Fans and AC
Proper ventilation is key. It’s not advisable to practice in a stifling space. Likewise, it can be contraindicative to do yoga in an artificially cool environment. Excessive AC can cause muscle tension and affect clear breathing, therefore it should be used minimally. Fans and open windows can be an excellent solution, although avoid being directly in front of the fan, as it can interfere with breathing and limit some of that great, detoxifying sweat!
Practice well!
And if you want more cooling yoga moves, give these a try.
Sophie Herbert is an alignment focused yoga teacher (and perpetual student), a singer-songwriter, and a visual artist. She has lived, studied, and volunteered extensively in India; teaches yoga in Brooklyn and Manhattan; and recently released her first full-length album, "Take a Clear Look." Please visit her website at SophieHerbert.com.
From: Rachael @ Holistically Haute | 7/12/11 at 10:13 am
Some great tips here. I know many people like to do yoga and other similar practices outdoors and it has been extremely hot so far this summer where I am...yoga in the shade of a big tree in a park with lots of water to drink sounds lovely.
From: Daniel Thaler | 7/13/11 at 10:31 pm
I remember the first time I did Bikram yoga. It was in Boston in the middle of the New England winter. It seems to be very big up there. I am not from India, I am from the northeastern United States with 4 distinct seasons, non so varying as summer and winter. I tend to, deliberately, put on some added weight which, without a doubt due to a regular yoga practice, is evenly distributed rather than just letting myself get fat, in the winter. Not from eating junk food, good wholesome food in larger quantities. I'm not a vegetarian, but do not eat much meat. In the winter months I eat slightly larger amounts. My weeks experience, maybe 5 classes, with Bikram yoga in Boston was enough for me. I guess they were somewhat advanced classes. I finished the classes, etc., and was the only one who took the opportunity that was afforded everyone to do any inversions if they so chose. That admittedly was an ego thing on my part. I was in teachers training and during the holiday break we were told that if we attended any other classes to get documentation. Before each class I arrived early and spoke to the instructor to have her sign off for me. I found out later that I should have spoken to the instructors after the CLASS. I could tell by the reactions from the students around me ("What the hell is with her today {the instructor}?"), etc., and the ensuing moans, groans, and gasps, that the classes were being made much more difficult than usual. That's when that old "oh yeah (profanity)" 'tude of mine kicked in and over to the wall I went to do inversions. I felt like laying there in a puddle like everyone else, but that was just not an option. I just don't think one is supposed to feel that depleted after a yoga class, to the point of nausea, headaches, dizziness, etc. Is that the purpose? Personally I believe that one should do their yoga practice in accordance with their natural environment. In the colder months work more on strengthening (not strictly of course) because your body may not be as flexible in the colder months, and work more on flexibility during the hotter months. The ideal way to eat is to eat locally and what's in season. I think the same philosophy is true for asana practice. Who wants to sit down to a fantastic Thanksgiving meal and eat lettuce and raw food? Coming in from the sometimes frigid Northeastern winters into a Brazilian rain forest environment to do yoga just doesn't, for me, seem to work either. I strongly agree with Sophie, no A/C only fans and proper ventilation.