Do you want to know how many calories hot yoga burns per hour? Is hot yoga effective for burning calories? Does hot yoga burn more calories than other exercises? Hot yoga can burn a good number of calories, often more than regular yoga because of the heat. It is effective for burning calories, but whether it burns more than other exercises depends on the exercise type and how hard you work. On average, a hot yoga class might help you burn between 300 and 500 calories in 60 to 90 minutes, but this can change a lot for each person.
Hot yoga is a popular way to exercise. It mixes yoga poses with a hot, humid room. People do it for many reasons. Some want to feel more flexible. Some like the mental challenge. Many people wonder about the fitness side. They want to know about calorie burning. How many calories do you burn during hot yoga? This is a common question. Let’s look at the facts.
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What is Hot Yoga?
Hot yoga is yoga done in a heated room. The room temperature is usually around 95-105°F (35-40°C). The air is often humid too. This is different from regular yoga. Regular yoga is done at room temperature.
There are different types of hot yoga. Bikram yoga is one famous type. It has a set series of 26 poses and two breathing exercises. It is always done in a room heated to 105°F (40.6°C) with 40% humidity. Other hot yoga classes might have different poses. They might have a slightly lower temperature. But the main idea is the same. You do yoga poses in a hot room.
The heat makes you sweat a lot. This is part of the experience. Some people feel it helps them stretch more deeply. It also makes the workout feel harder.
How Your Body Burns Calories
Your body uses energy all the time. Even when you rest. This energy is measured in calories. When you exercise, your body needs more energy. So you burn more calories.
How many calories you burn depends on several things:
- Your body weight
- How hard you exercise
- How long you exercise
- Your metabolism (how fast your body uses energy)
When you exercise, your muscles work. Working muscles need energy. This energy comes from calories in your food. Your body also burns calories to keep itself running. This includes breathing, blood flow, and keeping your body temperature.
Estimating Calories Burned in Hot Yoga
It is tricky to say exactly how many calories you burn in hot yoga. The numbers can be very different. Different studies show different results. Also, calorie burn is different for each person.
However, we can give an estimate of calories burned in hot yoga session. Many people want a simple number. Let’s look at some common estimates.
Some sources say you might burn 400-600 calories in a 90-minute Bikram class. Other hot yoga classes might burn a little less. Maybe 300-500 calories in 60-75 minutes. These are just average numbers.
It’s helpful to think about an average calories burned hot yoga class. For a typical 60-minute hot yoga session, many people estimate around 350-450 calories burned. Again, this is an average. Your actual burn could be lower or higher.
Why is there no single number? Because of the factors we talked about. Also, the heat itself affects things.
Does the heat burn calories? Not directly in the way exercise does. The heat makes your body work harder to stay cool. This extra work uses some calories. But the main calorie burn comes from doing the yoga poses.
Think about it like this: You burn calories doing yoga poses. You burn a few extra calories because your body is working in the heat. The heat makes your heart beat faster. It makes you sweat. These actions require energy.
Specific Styles: Bikram Yoga Calorie Burn
Bikram yoga is a specific type of hot yoga. It always follows the same pattern. A 90-minute class. 26 poses. Two breathing exercises. Room temperature at 105°F (40.6°C) with 40% humidity. Because it’s so consistent, people have studied Bikram yoga calorie burn more than other types.
Studies on Bikram yoga show a range of calorie burn.
* One study found women burned about 330 calories in a 90-minute class.
* Men burned about 460 calories in the same class.
These numbers are for the entire 90 minutes. So, how many calories does hot yoga burn per hour if it’s Bikram? You can divide the total by 1.5 hours. For women, it’s about 220 calories per hour. For men, it’s about 307 calories per hour.
This might seem lower than you expected. Some fitness trackers or online tools give much higher numbers. But studies using accurate measurements often show these lower numbers.
Why the difference? Many online tools or personal trackers estimate based on general activities. They don’t always account for the specific nature of hot yoga well. Also, some online tools might include water weight loss from sweat. But losing water weight is not the same as burning fat or calories.
So, while some resources might claim 600-1000 calories for Bikram, research suggests a more modest number. The 330-460 range for 90 minutes is likely closer to reality for the average person.
Other hot yoga classes might burn a similar amount per hour. It depends on how active the class is. A flowing Vinyasa style hot yoga might burn more calories than a slower Hatha style hot yoga. Even in the heat.
Factors Affecting Hot Yoga Calorie Expenditure
Many things change how many calories you burn during hot yoga. It’s not a fixed number for everyone. Understanding these factors helps explain why.
- Body Weight: A heavier person will burn more calories than a lighter person doing the same activity. This is because a heavier body needs more energy to move and support itself.
- Effort Level/Intensity: How hard are you working? Are you holding poses strongly? Are you resting often? Are you challenging yourself? The more effort you put in, the more calories you burn. A class with more movement (like Vinyasa) might burn more than a class with longer holds (like Hatha or even Bikram, depending on your approach to the poses).
- Class Duration: A 90-minute class will burn more total calories than a 60-minute class, assuming the intensity is similar. The phrase “how many calories does hot yoga burn per hour” is useful, but the total time matters for total burn.
- Your Fitness Level: Someone new to yoga might find the poses harder. They might use more energy. Someone very fit might perform the poses with less strain, burning fewer calories for the same movements. However, a fit person might also be able to maintain higher intensity for longer. So this factor can be complex.
- Room Temperature and Humidity: Higher heat makes your body work harder to cool down. This adds slightly to the calorie burn. Higher humidity makes it even harder for your body to cool. This also adds a little extra burn. But remember, this is a small part of the total. The main burn comes from the yoga poses.
- Individual Metabolism: Some people naturally burn calories faster than others. This is partly due to genetics, muscle mass, and other body factors.
These factors mean your personal hot yoga calorie burn calculator will give you a different number than someone else’s. You can’t just look at a chart. You need to think about yourself and the specific class.
Hot Yoga vs Regular Yoga Calorie Burn Comparison
Now, let’s compare hot yoga to yoga done at normal room temperature. Does the heat really make a difference in calorie burn?
Yes, generally, hot yoga does burn more calories than regular yoga. But the difference might not be huge.
Why more? As we discussed, the heat makes your body work harder. Your heart rate goes up. You sweat more. Your body uses energy to try and cool down. This extra work adds to the calories burned from the yoga poses.
Let’s look at some numbers for comparison.
- Regular Yoga: A 60-minute regular yoga class might burn around 180-350 calories. The range depends a lot on the style. A gentle restorative class burns less. A powerful Vinyasa or Ashtanga class burns more.
- Hot Yoga: A 60-minute hot yoga class might burn around 300-450 calories. Again, this depends on the style and heat level.
So, comparing the average calories burned hot yoga class (60 mins, ~350-450 kcal) to an average regular yoga class (60 mins, ~180-350 kcal), hot yoga typically burns more.
The heat seems to add maybe 100-200 calories per hour for many people compared to doing the same yoga sequence in a cool room. This is an estimate, of course.
This comparison helps answer: Is hot yoga effective for burning calories? Yes, it burns calories. And does hot yoga burn more calories than other exercises? When compared to regular yoga, often yes.
But how does it compare to other types of exercise?
Does Hot Yoga Burn More Calories Than Other Exercises?
This is a big question. It depends entirely on “other exercises”.
Let’s compare hot yoga (say, 350-450 calories per hour) to some common activities:
- Walking: Brisk walking (3.5 mph) for an hour might burn 250-400 calories, depending on weight and speed. Slower walking burns less.
- Running: Running (5 mph) for an hour can burn 500-800+ calories. Faster running burns much more.
- Cycling: Moderate cycling for an hour might burn 400-600 calories. Faster cycling burns more.
- Swimming: Moderate swimming for an hour can burn 400-600+ calories, depending on stroke and speed.
- Weightlifting: An hour of weightlifting might burn 300-500 calories, depending on the intensity and rest time.
Looking at these numbers, hot yoga burns more calories than slow walking or gentle exercises. But it generally burns fewer calories than running, swimming, or vigorous cycling. It might be similar to moderate weightlifting or brisk walking.
So, while hot yoga is effective for burning calories, it’s usually not the most calorie-burning exercise you can do. High-intensity cardio like running or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) typically burns significantly more calories per hour.
This doesn’t mean hot yoga isn’t a good workout. It provides strength, flexibility, and mental benefits that other exercises don’t. Calorie burn is only one measure of a workout’s value.
Is Hot Yoga Effective for Burning Calories?
Yes, hot yoga is effective for burning calories. As we’ve seen, an estimate of calories burned in hot yoga session is typically in the range of 300-500+ calories per hour. This is a good number of calories for one workout.
Regular practice can contribute meaningfully to your weekly calorie expenditure. If you do hot yoga several times a week, those calories add up.
However, effectiveness depends on your goal. If your only goal is to burn the absolute maximum number of calories in the shortest time, other activities like running or cycling might be more “effective” purely in terms of calorie burn rate.
If your goal is overall fitness, combining calorie burning with flexibility, strength, and balance, then hot yoga is very effective. It offers a holistic workout.
Also, the heat might make you feel like you’ve burned more calories than you have. You sweat a lot. This feels like a hard workout. And it is a hard workout! But the heavy sweating is mainly water loss, not calorie loss directly. Don’t confuse sweating with high calorie burn.
The best way to think about it: hot yoga burns a decent number of calories. It’s a solid workout choice for calorie expenditure, especially compared to non-heated yoga.
Hot Yoga Weight Loss Results
Can hot yoga help you lose weight? Yes, it can be part of a weight loss plan. Weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you eat over time. This is called creating a calorie deficit.
Hot yoga helps create this deficit by burning calories during the session. If you burn 400 calories in a class, that’s 400 calories contributing to your deficit.
However, hot yoga alone is often not enough for significant weight loss, especially if your diet doesn’t change. Exercise is only one part of the weight loss equation. Diet plays a very big role, perhaps the biggest.
To lose one pound of body fat, you need to create a deficit of about 3500 calories.
* If you burn 400 calories per hot yoga class, you’d need about 9 classes to burn 3500 calories just from the yoga. This doesn’t account for the calories you eat.
Many people report positive hot yoga weight loss results. This is often because they:
1. Attend classes regularly (burning consistent calories).
2. Become more mindful about their health, which might lead to better eating habits.
3. Build muscle (muscle burns more calories at rest than fat).
4. Reduce stress, which can help with weight management.
So, while the calorie burn from a single class might not be as high as some intense cardio, regular hot yoga combined with healthy eating can definitely lead to weight loss.
Don’t rely solely on the hot yoga calorie burn calculator for weight loss plans. It’s a tool, but consistent effort in both exercise and diet is key for hot yoga weight loss results.
Using a Hot Yoga Calorie Burn Calculator
You can find many tools online or in fitness apps that act as a hot yoga calorie burn calculator. These tools ask for information like:
- Your body weight
- The type of yoga (often listed as “Hot Yoga” or “Bikram Yoga”)
- The duration of the class
Based on this data and general formulas, the calculator gives you an estimate of calories burned.
For example, if you use a typical hot yoga calorie burn calculator for a 150-pound person doing 60 minutes of hot yoga, it might give you a number around 400-450 calories. If you enter 200 pounds, the number will be higher, maybe 500-600 calories.
Are these calculators accurate? They provide a useful estimate. But remember the factors we discussed earlier (intensity, personal metabolism, exact temperature). A calculator uses average data. It doesn’t know how hard you worked in that specific class.
Therefore, use a hot yoga calorie burn calculator as a guide, not an exact measurement. It gives you a rough idea. Your actual calorie burn could be 10-20% higher or lower than the calculator says.
Fitness trackers (like smartwatches) also estimate calorie burn. They use your heart rate and other data. They might give a more personalized number than an online calculator. However, even these trackers can be less accurate in hot, humid conditions, as the heat affects heart rate differently.
An estimate of calories burned in hot yoga session from a calculator or tracker is a starting point.
Grasping the Numbers
Let’s revisit the numbers for clarity.
- Average calories burned hot yoga class (60 mins): Roughly 350-450 calories.
- Bikram yoga calorie burn (90 mins): Roughly 330-460 calories (based on studies).
- How many calories does hot yoga burn per hour (based on Bikram study): Roughly 220-310 calories per hour.
- Estimate of calories burned in hot yoga session (general): Could range from 250 calories for a gentle 60 mins to 600+ for a very intense 90 mins by a heavy person.
It is important to use these numbers wisely. They are not perfect. They show that hot yoga is a good way to burn calories. But they also show it’s not necessarily the highest calorie-burning activity available.
Focus less on hitting a specific calorie number. Focus more on the consistency of your practice. Regular hot yoga is beneficial even if the exact calorie count is debated.
Beyond Calories
Hot yoga offers many benefits besides calorie burning. These are important too.
- Flexibility: The heat can help muscles stretch more deeply and safely. This can improve your range of motion.
- Strength: Holding poses builds muscle strength over time.
- Balance: Many poses challenge your balance. This improves your stability.
- Stress Reduction: Yoga is known for its calming effects. The focus on breath and movement can quiet the mind. The challenging nature of hot yoga can also build mental toughness.
- Detoxification (via Sweat): While not true “detox” in a medical sense, sweating profusely can make you feel refreshed and clean.
- Improved Circulation: The heat and poses can improve blood flow.
These benefits contribute to overall health and well-being. They are just as valuable as the calories you burn. For example, building muscle (strength benefit) helps your body burn more calories even at rest. Reducing stress might help prevent stress-related weight gain.
So, don’t focus only on the hot yoga calorie burn calculator or the numbers. Think about all the good things hot yoga does for you.
Tips for Maximizing Calorie Burn Safely
If you want to burn more calories in hot yoga, here are some safe ways to try:
- Go Regularly: Consistency is key. More classes mean more calories burned over time.
- Increase Intensity (Safely): Hold poses with strength. Engage your muscles fully. Don’t just flop into a pose. Move with energy during flow sequences. Listen to your body, though. Don’t push into pain.
- Stay for the Whole Class: Don’t leave early. The final poses and Savasana (resting pose) are important parts of the practice.
- Hydrate Well: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after class. This is critical in the heat. Being well-hydrated allows your body to perform better and regulate temperature more effectively, which can support calorie burning effort.
- Listen to Your Body: If you feel dizzy or sick, rest or leave the room. Pushing too hard in the heat is dangerous. Safety comes first, always. A good class is one where you are safe and can return again.
- Challenge Yourself Within Limits: Try poses you find difficult (safely!). Don’t compare yourself to others. Your challenge is personal.
Remember that the heat itself adds some calorie burn, but the main factor is how actively and strongly you do the yoga poses. Focus on proper form and engaging your muscles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the heat in hot yoga dangerous?
For most healthy people, hot yoga is safe. But the heat can be risky for some. People with heart problems, low blood pressure, or who are pregnant should talk to a doctor first. Always listen to your body. Leave the room if you feel unwell. Stay hydrated.
Do you lose water weight in hot yoga?
Yes, you sweat a lot. This causes temporary water loss. You might weigh less right after class. But this weight comes back when you drink water. It is not fat loss or calorie loss from burning body tissue.
How often should I do hot yoga for weight loss?
Combining exercise with diet is best for weight loss. Aim for 3-5 hot yoga classes per week if you enjoy it and it fits your schedule. Combine it with other activities and healthy eating for best results.
Can beginners do hot yoga?
Yes, beginners can do hot yoga. Most studios offer classes for all levels. It might feel very hard at first because of the heat. It’s okay to rest when you need to. Don’t feel you have to do every pose perfectly or stay for the whole time on your first try.
Does sweating a lot mean I burned more calories?
Sweating is your body’s way of cooling down. You sweat more in the heat, but this doesn’t directly mean you burned more calories from exercise. You used some calories to sweat and cool down, but the main burn comes from moving your body in the poses. You can sweat a lot just sitting in a sauna, but you don’t burn many exercise calories.
How does hot yoga help build muscle?
Holding yoga poses works your muscles. Poses like Warrior II, Chair Pose, and Plank require muscle strength. Doing these regularly builds muscle tone and strength over time.
Can I trust fitness trackers for hot yoga calorie burn?
Fitness trackers use sensors to estimate your calorie burn. They are usually okay for activities like running or cycling. In hot, humid conditions, they might be less accurate. The heat changes your heart rate response. Use tracker numbers as an estimate, not exact science.
In Summary
Hot yoga is a challenging and rewarding practice. It combines the benefits of yoga with the added element of heat.
How many calories do you burn during hot yoga? An average calories burned hot yoga class (60 minutes) might be around 350-450 calories. For Bikram yoga calorie burn (90 minutes), studies suggest about 330-460 calories. This is a solid amount of calorie burning.
Is hot yoga effective for burning calories? Yes, it is. It burns more calories than regular yoga due to the heat.
Does hot yoga burn more calories than other exercises? Not usually. High-intensity activities like running often burn more calories per hour. But hot yoga offers a unique blend of cardio, strength, flexibility, and mental benefits.
Factors affecting hot yoga calorie expenditure include your weight, how hard you work, class length, and the exact heat level. A hot yoga calorie burn calculator can give you an estimate, but your personal burn will vary.
Hot yoga weight loss results are possible. They come from consistent practice and pairing it with healthy eating. Don’t rely on the calorie burn number alone for weight loss success.
Hot yoga is more than just burning calories. It builds strength, flexibility, and mental focus. Practice safely, stay hydrated, and enjoy the many benefits it offers.