The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Featured image via bromabakery.com

If you keep up at all with health and fitness trends, you probably know about all the innovative kinds of yoga out there. Viral videos on platforms such as Facebook have showcased things like beer yoga and goat yoga. One form of yoga that has been making waves in the Western world (and recently even in Egypt) is hot yoga. In these yoga classes, the AC is turned off if it is warm outside, or the room is heated and sometimes humidified. Essentially, you are doing yoga in what feels like a sauna. We know, we know – you’re probably wondering who on earth would want to do challenging poses while sweating like crazy. Well, a lot of people, actually.

There are many benefits to doing yoga in a heated environment. The most notable benefit that most people immediately comment on upon trying a hot yoga class is that you feel much more flexible. When your body, and therefore your muscles, are nicely heated, it is much easier to stretch and get into positions you may not normally be able to with ease. This can seriously assist you in advancing your yoga practice and getting more comfortable with certain poses.

Another benefit – all that sweat! There is a reason that saunas and steam rooms are available at pretty much every spa. Sweating is known to release toxins from the body, and can even be great for the skin. Many yoga poses are detoxifying for your system as well, so the combination of these two can make for a very cleansing experience.

A hot yoga class can also be very challenging, physically AND mentally. Working through the discomfort of some of the harder poses, making peace with the warm temperature, and remembering just to breathe can all be considered exercises in patience and perseverance. Not only will your body become stronger, but so will your mind and spirit. The refreshing feeling after the class is finished and you can shower off all the sweat is also a huge plus.

If hot yoga seems like something you’d like to incorporate into your fitness routine, or even something you’d just like to try out, Osana Family Wellness and Deers Egypt, both in the Cairo area, offer some classes. The Mala do not use AC for any of their yoga classes, so you do get some of that hot yoga experience. Just check their schedules!

Don’t forget to drink LOTS of water before and after the session!