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What the heck is infrared yoga?

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MO FITNESS: Our resident fitness expert brings you another interesting way to burn that fat this winter.

By now, many of us have heard of bikram yoga and hot yoga, which are practised in artificially heated rooms. But have you heard of infrared yoga? Well, I hadn’t either, so I decided to give it a try.

Infrared yoga also involves heating, but in this case infrared heaters that do not emit UV rays are used to increase your body temperature. For International Yoga Day last Thursday, I was invited to join an infrared yoga class at the Wanderers Planet Fitness branch in Illovo, Johannesburg.

It was a typically cold and wintery Thursday afternoon, but the yoga room was as warm as a sweltering summer day in South Africa – typically, the rooms are heated to 36°C to 40°C.

After just a few minutes in the yoga room, my cold bones had warmed up, and the temperature really helped to alleviate the stiffness in my muscles after all the lifting and squatting I’d been doing at my home gym.

It’s said that the heat also helps with flexibility, improving skin tone, breaking down stubborn cellulite (say what?!) and stimulating collagen production.

Infrared yoga instructor Rhona “Rhazia” Manack really challenged the class and, while most of us were quite clumsy, it turned out to be great fun and good for a laugh – which served as an excellent additional workout for our abs. Infrared yoga classes are available at Planet Fitness branches in Bedfordview, Wanderers, Centurion and Fourways.

1Increased flexibility As the muscles warm up, you’re able to take advantage of a greater range of movement.

2 Detoxification This heated yoga will make you sweat, which provides your body with a natural way to rid itself of toxins.

3 Weight loss As you get warm, the body’s cooling system kicks in as it tries to force your body to regulate itself, and this uses up a lot of energy. Infrared heat also increases your metabolism.

4 Pain relief Infrared light penetrates tissue, muscles and joints, and so provides healing and regenerating benefits.

GIVEAWAY

June is Yoga Month. In celebration, Planet Fitness is giving two lucky Trending readers in Gauteng a
one-week gym access pass.

To enter, SMS the keyword INFRARED, your name, surname, email address and city to 34217. SMSes cost R1.50, free SMSes do not apply. Terms and conditions apply

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