Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)

Hi Peter

Can you tell me next time you practice and your knees hurt, which series you were practising and which poses you felt the problem? Some of this issue could be compounded with alignment straying from optimum. There’s always more to a problem than meets the forum page, I can assure you

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Rachel

Thanks for your details.

Firstly it is my strong rule in any studio I teach, that if you cannot lock out the standing knee you do not kick out the other leg. Since this is where you initially feel the problem I suggest please stop right where you are. Work on the standing leg. Work on core strength. Work on holding your STANDING leg in good alignment (not just the lifted one) so that the ankle is lifted and your knee and hip are well aligned. It is possible that you have been leaning more on the inside of the standing foot (to help you find balance) and that has caused a problem with the knee. Then when you ‘kick’ out you have nothing on which to depend. In fact it’s probably causing more damage because of the attention you’re paying to the extending leg and the whole complicated issue of balance, you cannot pay as much attention to the one that really needs it.

For the next 2 poses please only go as far as you can while keeping alignment. Please think only of keeping your chest up high to create a parabola in your back for Standing Bow. If you drop your body, you are likely to be losing the active component of the pose. Keep the arm and chest up and pivot around the hip. The body will naturally come down by itself without losing that curve so you should never actually be consciously bringing the body down which actually has the effect of ironing out that curve.

For Stick. Please keep legs and hips in alignment and do not go past that point where your leg hurts. Don’t work through this. Work WITH it.

For ‘homework’ I have 2 videos for you to watch.

One concerns the way you use your legs and feet. That is called Great Posture From The Ground Up and the other is about your legs specifically and how that affects the hamstrings, the knees and lower back. That is called Opening Up Your Hamstrings With Hot Yoga.

See you soon. Come report back. Hope you feel better soon

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Nikki

Insane stress will do it for you! Good catch. Maybe practising 1 time per week was not enough to affect your stress levels appreciably. Now your body is responding. It’s just conjecture. But since posting your update a couple of weeks back, how is the situation?

We also really haven’t looked into what the temperature actually is, what kind of detergents or other irritants could be bothering you (although I recall you take great care to minimise the contact of dirty towels etc) so if nothing has changed then there are still other avenues to explore.

Hope all is going well.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jessica

I agree with Kristin. Plus, the yoga works on your system holistically rather than through just simple exercise. In that way your body’s systems (hormonal, digestive, and so on) optimise in function. One doesn’t simply lose more and more weight, especially if one’s body is functioning well. While you will need to eat well you will feel great, and on top of that, you will develop a greater sensitivity to what you need, when and how to eat… which is all part of the increased mindful awareness that comes with a regular and frequent practice of yoga!

Hope that helps you step closer to beginning and sustaining your practice.

Research will help you find lots of opinion. Lots of it will be negative and lots positive. The only way to find out …. 😉

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Kenn, Peter and Kristin

That’s hilarious, Kenn! Ice cream versus yoga! 😆

I don’t think you’re the voice of dissent. There is something about the conditions that these people are experiencing. I think we cannot assume that everyone has the same conditions from studio to studio. Your comfort in what you believe is 105 degrees is still a perception. Sure, there is this MYTH that a particular person said that the temp must be 105F and 40% humidity. That person actually never said that. But it’s been taken on as gospel. Unfortunately many make sure their systems start class at those levels (or something approximate) but then don’t take into account rising humidity AND temperature of the room due to many hot bodies exercising. The concomitant rise of both temp and moisture can make for dangerous and even conditions that can be risky and even life-threatening to some.

So I believe that the problem is created by the conditions being uncontrolled with the heat/moisture index too high making the body behave in a dysfunctional way.

Many people are told that the temperature is at a certain level. When pushed to confirm temp levels, some studios can be very cagey. They cover temperature gauges, they tape them up or conceal them even in another room, or if it is visible one discovers that the thermostats are placed in odd places so that the temp shown is not an accurate reading.

When practitioners say they like or dislike a temperature they are actually saying “I like how it feels when the temperature feels hot AND I sweat a certain amount”. That is in itself a moveable beast. High temps and low humidity will feel horrid to most. You could practise in 115F with 10% humidity and HATE it. You may actually report to me that it was not really that hot. On the flipside you could practise in 95F with 75% humidity and think it’s the bees knees.

Peter, is the intermediate class the same hot yoga class (bikram) at the 101 or a different set of poses?

As for “it’s good to be in pain and rebuild your knees”. What a belief system to have that one MUST be in pain to rebuild the knees or anything. I am happy you made the distinction between regular muscle pain and joint pain. While you COULD feel discomfort or ‘pain’ it is not necessary. Unfortunately that approach could and does get people into trouble. There are plenty of success stories. The people who are damaged don’t come back to the hot room. Of course you’re only going to hear the great stories. The other people have probably given up never to be heard of again!

Let me know about the type of yoga you’re able to do in what you say is intermediate room.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Tim

Thank you for your posts.

Perhaps you can tell me how you integrate infrared systems with humidifiers and thermostats. I am pleased to see that you have figured heat and humidification (heat index) into your thinking. How controllable is the system? Do you integrate the heating with humidification (or even dehumidification for those that need it) so that it’s a set and forget system?

I had a thermostat designed to turn on banks of heaters. There was a high set point and a low set point and the system kept the temperature within 0.3 degrees of target. Is that possible with infrared systems? There was a timer. I had it set for seasons and for holidays. This meant we didn’t have to turn it on or off except in exceptional circumstances. It was instantly adjustable if the day was particularly humid. We could turn the high set point down for that class or turn it off early. I have rarely found another system that could do that. I would like to know if one could work in that level of dependability into an infrared system.

Can you help me understand something by commenting on the following please? I was told by another heating specialist that infrared was not advisable because the heat sensors were in the floor (ie under the heaters) and therefore the mats or people could be in the way and therefore the control was diminished and often very poor.

Looking forward to reading your response.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Super! :cheese: I really want to know how you go.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Erin

I am glad you are looking at electrolytes. There are many supplements out there. I use sea salt. I am sure you’ll find something that suits you. But I don’t think that’s the underlying problem.

As for people lying down and leaving and you needing to take frequent breaks I cannot be sure as to the real reason without more info… But here are some ideas for you.

If regular practitioners are frequently resting, lying down or leaving that is usually a sign that conditions are not optimum. In other words, the temperature (combined with the humidity to create what we call ‘the heat index’) is too high.

If you live in a humid zone and temperatures are high in the room, then it is possible to suffer heat exhaustion or other heat-related illnesses.

As I said before, some people can handle these conditions but if only some can and others cannot then there is a problem IMHO. Studios need to support the majority AS WELL AS optimal health conditions. There are no prizes for practising in the highest temperature you can. Not saying this is happening for you but it might be.

Remember that if you’re in the room and the temperature is set to 42C and it’s tolerable, then with practice the room is going to get more and more humid through that 90 minute period.

When one understands the crucial inter-relationship of humidity with temperature then it is possible to adjust them both to create a heat index that gives that great sweat and heat while staying safe for the body. For example I can practise between 38-40 degrees C and have the humidity set to 60 and it feels great plus it is safe. A customer of mine in a particularly humid part of China reports that the humidity is EXTREMELY high, in the 90+% range inside and outside the room and it is almost impossible to manipulate the conditions. If you’re not in an extreme zone like that, then safe temp/humidity control (heat index) is possible.

Core temperatures are an important point here. The body cannot cool itself if the core temperature rises beyond a certain point and it literally becomes a life threatening scenario. I am not saying that this is happening, but it has the potential to happen. Do some research on core temperature levels and heat exhaustion and heat stroke and hyponatremia (low sodium). You’ll see there are overlaps in the symptoms so it pays to have a general understanding.

Does your studio have circulating fans to keep the air moving?

That’s enough for this post!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Erin

May I ask how new you are to hot yoga? How many times have you been? How often do you go per week? Has this happened from day one? Do you get this problem every time you practise or just sometimes? Do you have any idea to what temperature they heat the room? How do you manage a class? Are you able to get through the whole class? If you have to stop class part way through for a break because perhaps you’re exhausted, do you just stop for a minute or 2, a side of a pose, or do you have to lie down? Are there others who are taking breaks when you do class?

Can you also please go and Google heat exhaustion? It is possible that the environment is overly hot. Many studios heat too high and to levels I consider to be unsafe. Understand that they can suit some people, so if you bring this up with some students they will say that they think it’s fine. Also if you bring it up with some teachers they will often assume that the temp effects are to be conquered. So just gather your information.

Heating to a level of 105 degrees with high humidity works in theory. However, the conditions never, ever stay constant. Usually, when you start class at those conditions the temperature rises and so does the humidity and the ‘heat index’. This could be causing stress on your system.

Your thoughts? Please answer the questions. I don’t want to jump to conclusions but I did want you to know what I was thinking.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Peter

I am going to wait a little while to see what others have to offer regarding their opinions. You’re getting a strong message though, aren’t you? 😉 Your body is wise.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jess

Has it really been 3 weeks? Did you get your cushy block yet? It’s probably also a good time to tell me of any progress with any of the poses you mentioned.

For example: What do you mean by Awkward kills your legs? Where, when? Which part?

When something is difficult on one leg, what is the issue? Are you moving around or falling out? Do you feel your ankle collapsing?

Is it that you find it difficult to kneel with hips on heels with legs together and legs apart? Is there any position that you can sit with hips on heels? I guess that makes fixed firm difficult too?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Sinclair

Well, I want to hear how it goes. It’s a personal decision to go back when YOU want and when you feel it’s safe to do so (the right thing for you). It’s definitely something I would choose to do earlier rather than later (of course it would always be on a case by case basis and determined by a multitude of factors). I hope you come back and report. It sounds as though you have done a little ground work to get you back on track anyhow which to me sounds like the prudent thing to have done.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂