Many people wonder how many calories you burn in hot yoga. There is no single number, but research gives us a good idea. The average calorie burn in hot yoga can range greatly. It often falls between 300 and 500 calories per hour for many people. But this number changes a lot based on who you are and how hard you work.
Hot yoga is a kind of yoga done in a very warm, sometimes humid, room. The heat can make the practice feel much harder than yoga in a regular room. This extra challenge makes your body work more. This can lead to burning more calories.
Let’s look closer at what calorie burning means in hot yoga.
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Why Heat Makes You Burn More Calories
Doing yoga in a hot room makes your body work harder in several ways.
- Keeping Cool: Your body uses energy just to keep its normal temperature in the heat. It sweats a lot to cool down. Making sweat and cooling the body uses calories.
- Faster Heart Rate: Heat often makes your heart beat faster. A faster heart rate means your body is working harder. This burns more calories.
- More Effort: Poses might feel harder in the heat. You might put more effort into holding poses or moving between them. More effort equals more calories burned.
- Muscle Work: You are still doing yoga poses. This means you are using your muscles. Stronger poses and longer holds use more muscle energy.
So, the heat adds an extra layer to the normal work of yoga. This layer boosts the calorie burn.
Average Calorie Burn in Hot Yoga
As said before, there is no one number for everyone. The average calorie burn in hot yoga depends on many things.
Studies have looked at this. One study often mentioned looked at Bikram yoga. This study found that women burned about 330 calories in a 90-minute class. Men burned about 460 calories in the same class.
If you break that down, for a 60-minute class, this might be around 220 calories for women and 300 calories for men.
However, these are just averages from one study and one type of hot yoga. Your own burn can be higher or lower. Think of these numbers as a starting point.
Here is a very general look at calories burned per hour in hot yoga:
- Lower end: 200-300 calories per hour. This might be for someone lighter, new to hot yoga, or taking a less intense class.
- Middle range: 300-400 calories per hour. This is a common average calorie burn hot yoga.
- Higher end: 400-600+ calories per hour. This could be for someone heavier, very fit, doing a very hard class, or using a lot of effort.
Remember, these are just estimates. What you burn might be different.
Different Types of Hot Yoga and Calorie Burn
Not all hot yoga is the same. Different styles have different flows and poses. This changes how many calories you might burn.
Bikram Yoga Calorie Burn
Bikram yoga is a specific type. It has 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises. The room is heated to 105°F (40.5°C) with 40% humidity. The class is always 90 minutes long.
The study mentioned earlier focused on Bikram. It found the Bikram yoga calorie burn to be around 330 calories for women and 460 for men in 90 minutes.
Bikram is known for holding poses for some time. It is also done in a very hot and humid room. This high heat and fixed sequence contribute to the calorie burn.
Hot Vinyasa Yoga Calories
Hot Vinyasa is another popular hot yoga style. Vinyasa means linking breath to movement. Hot Vinyasa classes flow more than Bikram. You move from one pose to the next more quickly.
This constant movement can make your heart rate stay high. It feels more like a cardio workout at times. Because of the flowing nature, the Hot vinyasa yoga calories burned might be higher per hour for some people compared to the pose-holding of Bikram.
Think about it like this:
- Bikram: Holds poses, works deep into stretches, steady heat challenge.
- Hot Vinyasa: Flows quickly, builds heat from movement, constant activity.
A fast-paced Hot Vinyasa class could burn 400-600 calories or more in an hour. But a slower, gentle Hot Vinyasa class in a slightly less hot room might burn closer to 300-400. The style and speed of the class matter a lot.
Other hot yoga styles exist too. Hot Power Yoga, Hot Flow, etc. Generally, classes with more movement and faster pacing in high heat will likely burn more calories.
Grasping Factors Affecting Calories Burned in Hot Yoga
Many things change how many calories you burn during a hot yoga class. It is not just about the heat or the style. These are the main factors affecting calories burned hot yoga:
- Your Body Weight: This is a big one. A heavier person uses more energy to move their body. So, someone who weighs more will generally burn more calories than someone who weighs less doing the exact same class. We will look more at weight and calories burned hot yoga later.
- How Hard You Work: This is about your effort. Are you pushing yourself in poses? Are you resting a lot? Are you holding poses strongly? The more effort you put in, the more calories you burn. This is often called intensity.
- Your Fitness Level: Someone very fit might find the class easier. Their body is more efficient. They might burn fewer calories than someone less fit who is working just as hard relative to their ability. However, a very fit person might also be able to work harder overall, leading to a higher burn. It is a bit tricky.
- The Room Temperature and Humidity: A hotter, more humid room makes your body work harder to cool down. This boosts calorie burn. A slightly cooler “hot” yoga room will lead to a bit lower burn.
- The Length of the Class: A longer class means more time working. A 90 minute hot yoga calorie burn will almost always be higher than a 60-minute class, assuming the same effort.
- The Specific Poses and Flow: Some poses use more muscles or are harder to hold. A class with more challenging poses or a faster flow burns more calories than a slow, gentle class.
- Your Own Body (Metabolism): Everyone’s body works a little differently. Your metabolism is how fast your body turns food into energy (and burns it). Some people naturally burn calories faster than others, even at rest.
Because of all these factors affecting calories burned hot yoga, the range of calorie burn can be quite wide.
Weight and Calories Burned in Hot Yoga
Let’s look closer at weight and calories burned hot yoga. As a rule, the more you weigh, the more calories you burn doing any activity, including hot yoga.
Why? Because moving and holding a heavier body requires more energy. It is like carrying a heavier backpack while walking – it takes more work than carrying a light one.
Here is a simple way to think about it:
- Imagine two people doing the same hot yoga class.
- Person A weighs 120 pounds.
- Person B weighs 180 pounds.
Person B will likely burn more calories than Person A during that class, assuming they put in the same level of effort.
Here is a rough idea of how weight and calories burned hot yoga might look for a 60-minute class at a moderate effort level:
| Your Weight (Approx. lbs) | Estimated Calories Burned (60 min Hot Yoga) |
|---|---|
| 120 | 250 – 350 |
| 150 | 300 – 420 |
| 180 | 350 – 500 |
| 200 | 400 – 550 |
| 220 | 440 – 600+ |
Note: These are just estimates. Your actual burn will vary.
This table shows how weight and calories burned hot yoga are linked. It highlights why different people get different calorie burn numbers.
Calories Burned Per Hour vs. 90 Minute Classes
Most hot yoga classes are either 60 or 90 minutes long.
The calories burned per hour hot yoga number gives you a rate. If you burn 300 calories per hour, you burn about 5 calories per minute.
For a 60-minute class, your total burn is roughly the hourly rate.
For a 90-minute class, you are exercising for 1.5 hours. So, you would multiply your hourly rate by 1.5.
Example:
* If you burn 300 calories per hour in hot yoga…
* A 60-minute class burns about 300 calories.
* A 90 minute hot yoga calorie burn would be about 300 * 1.5 = 450 calories.
This shows why longer classes often lead to a higher total calorie burn, even if the intensity per minute stays the same. The 90 minute hot yoga calorie burn gives you more time in the heat and doing poses.
Hot Yoga Weight Loss Calories
Can hot yoga help with weight loss? Yes, it can.
Weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you eat. Hot yoga burns calories. So, adding hot yoga to your routine can help create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.
The hot yoga weight loss calories burned in a class add up. If you go to hot yoga a few times a week, the total weekly calorie burn can be significant.
- Going to three 60-minute classes burning 400 calories each: 3 * 400 = 1200 extra calories burned a week.
- Going to three 90-minute classes burning 450 calories each (based on 300/hr rate): 3 * 450 = 1350 extra calories burned a week.
Over time, this extra calorie burn contributes to weight loss.
However, remember these points about hot yoga weight loss calories:
- Diet Matters More: You cannot out-exercise a bad diet. Eating healthy food and controlling how much you eat is the most important part of weight loss. Hot yoga helps, but your food choices are key.
- Calorie Burn Varies: The number of hot yoga weight loss calories you burn is not fixed. It changes based on the factors discussed earlier (your weight, effort, etc.).
- Muscle Building: Yoga, including hot yoga, can help build muscle. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. So, building muscle can boost your metabolism over time.
- Beyond Calories: Hot yoga also helps with stress reduction, better sleep, and feeling good. These things can indirectly support weight loss goals. Stress can lead to unhealthy eating, and poor sleep can affect hormones related to hunger.
So, hot yoga can definitely be a good part of a weight loss plan. But it works best when combined with healthy eating. The hot yoga weight loss calories are a bonus on top of the other health benefits.
Comparing Hot Yoga vs. Regular Yoga Calories
Is there a big difference in hot yoga vs regular yoga calories burned? Yes, generally there is.
Doing the same style of yoga (like Vinyasa) in a hot room compared to a regular room usually burns more calories.
Why? As we talked about, the heat makes your body work harder. It takes energy to manage your temperature and sweat. This extra work adds to the calories burned from the yoga poses themselves.
Let’s think about a 60-minute Vinyasa class:
- Regular Vinyasa: Might burn 250-400 calories, depending on intensity.
- Hot Vinyasa: Might burn 350-550+ calories, depending on intensity and heat level.
The difference in hot yoga vs regular yoga calories can be 100-150 calories or more per hour. This is not a small amount, especially if you practice often.
However, regular yoga still burns calories and offers great health benefits. The choice between hot and regular yoga depends on your goals and what you enjoy. If burning maximum calories is a main goal, hot yoga usually has the edge due to the added heat challenge. But if you dislike the heat, regular yoga is still a fantastic way to stay active and healthy.
How to Estimate Calories Burned in Hot Yoga
Since there is no perfect number, how can you estimate calories burned hot yoga for yourself?
- Use Online Calculators: Many websites and fitness apps have calorie burn calculators. You can often find entries for different types of yoga, sometimes including hot yoga. You usually input your weight and the duration of the activity. Find one that seems to list a number that fits the general range for hot yoga (300-500 per hour usually). Remember these are just estimates.
- Use Fitness Trackers/Smartwatches: Devices like Fitbits, Apple Watches, Garmin watches, etc., can estimate calorie burn. Some have specific settings for “yoga” or might track your heart rate. A higher heart rate generally means higher calorie burn. If your watch tracks heart rate, it can give you a more personalized estimate. However, even these are estimates and might not perfectly account for the unique challenge of the heat.
- Compare to Other Activities: You can compare hot yoga to other activities with known calorie burns. Hot yoga often feels like a mix of moderate cardio and strength work. Look up calorie burn estimates for activities like power walking, light jogging, or circuit training. Hot yoga might fall into a similar range depending on the class style and your effort.
- Listen to Your Body: While not a number, how hard you feel you are working is a clue. If you are sweating a lot, breathing hard, and feel challenged, you are likely burning a good amount of calories. A very easy class where you feel you did not do much will burn fewer calories.
Be careful not to rely too much on any single number when you estimate calories burned hot yoga. Treat it as a guide. The most accurate way would involve special lab equipment, which is not practical for everyday practice!
Remember the factors affecting calories burned hot yoga (weight, effort, class type, heat) and consider how they apply to you and the class you take. This helps you make a better estimate calories burned hot yoga.
Table: Estimated Calories Burned in Hot Yoga by Weight and Duration
This table provides a broad estimate calories burned hot yoga based on weight and class length. These numbers assume a moderate to vigorous effort in a typical hot room. Your actual burn could be higher or lower.
| Your Weight (Approx. lbs) | 60 Minute Class (Estimate) | 90 Minute Class (Estimate – 90 min hot yoga calorie burn) |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | 250 – 350 calories | 375 – 525 calories |
| 150 | 300 – 420 calories | 450 – 630 calories |
| 180 | 350 – 500 calories | 525 – 750 calories |
| 200 | 400 – 550 calories | 600 – 825 calories |
| 220+ | 440 – 600+ calories | 660 – 900+ calories |
This table helps visualize how weight and calories burned hot yoga are linked and how class length affects the total burn. The 90 minute hot yoga calorie burn is clearly higher than the 60-minute burn for the same person.
Hot Yoga vs Regular Yoga Calories: A Closer Look
Let’s dig a bit deeper into the difference in hot yoga vs regular yoga calories.
Imagine two identical Vinyasa classes. The only difference is the room temperature.
- Class A (Regular Room, ~70-75°F): Your body works primarily on doing the poses, building strength, finding balance, and linking breath. Calorie burn comes from muscle work, movement, and keeping your organs running.
- Class B (Hot Room, ~95-105°F): Your body does all the same work as Class A (poses, strength, balance, breath). BUT, it also has to work very hard to cool itself down. This involves:
- Making sweat (uses energy).
- Moving blood to the skin surface to release heat (heart works harder).
- Dealing with the stress the heat puts on the system (burns calories).
This extra work in the hot room is where the added calorie burn comes from. This makes the hot yoga vs regular yoga calories burned notably different for most people.
It is important to note that intensity still matters a lot. A very high-intensity regular Vinyasa class could potentially burn more calories than a very low-intensity hot yoga class. But comparing similar intensity levels, the heat usually gives hot yoga a calorie-burning advantage.
Many people are drawn to hot yoga specifically for this reason – the feeling of working harder and burning more, often aiming for hot yoga weight loss calories. However, the benefits of yoga go far beyond calorie counting.
Beyond the Burn: Other Benefits of Hot Yoga
Focusing only on the calorie count misses many great things about hot yoga. Even if you burn 300 calories or 500 calories, you get much more.
- Flexibility: The heat warms your muscles. This can make you feel more flexible and allow you to move deeper into stretches safely.
- Strength: Holding yoga poses builds muscle strength over time.
- Balance: Many poses challenge your balance, which can improve with practice.
- Mindfulness and Stress Relief: Yoga helps you focus on your breath and the present moment. This can calm your mind and lower stress. The physical challenge can also release tension.
- Detoxification (via Sweat): While the idea of “detoxing” is debated, sweating profusely can make you feel cleansed and refreshed.
- Improved Circulation: The heat and movement can improve blood flow.
- Mental Toughness: Practicing in a challenging hot environment can build mental strength and focus.
So, while the average calorie burn hot yoga is a nice benefit, remember all the other positive effects you get from this practice. It is a full-body and mind workout.
Interpreting Calorie Burn Estimates
It is important to have a clear head when looking at calorie numbers.
- Estimates, Not Exact: Any calorie burn number you see online, on a tracker, or in a table is an estimate calories burned hot yoga. It is not a precise measurement.
- Use as a Guide: Use the estimate as a guide for how much energy you used. Do not stress over the exact number. Focus more on consistency in your practice and how you feel.
- Compare Your Own Progress: Instead of comparing your burn to someone else’s, compare your burn over time if you use a tracker. Are you consistently burning around the same amount in similar classes?
Getting too caught up in the exact number can take away from the other benefits of yoga. Use the information about average calorie burn hot yoga, Bikram yoga calorie burn, Hot vinyasa yoga calories, and how factors affecting calories burned hot yoga work to understand the energy your body is using. This knowledge can support goals like hot yoga weight loss calories while keeping a healthy view of your practice.
Remember that the 90 minute hot yoga calorie burn will naturally be higher than a shorter class. And your weight and calories burned hot yoga are closely linked. Use these ideas to make a reasonable estimate calories burned hot yoga for your own practice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some common questions about hot yoga and calorie burning.
Q: Is the high calorie burn from hot yoga just from sweating?
A: No, sweating itself uses some calories, but the main calorie burn comes from your body working harder to do the poses in the heat, keeping your heart rate up, and maintaining your body temperature. Sweat is a sign your body is working to cool down, which is part of the overall energy expense, but it is not the only or main source of the burn.
Q: Will I lose a lot of weight just by doing hot yoga?
A: Hot yoga burns calories and can help build muscle, which supports weight loss. However, true weight loss requires burning more calories than you eat consistently. Hot yoga is a great tool for weight loss when combined with a healthy diet, but it is unlikely to cause major weight loss on its own if your eating habits do not change. The hot yoga weight loss calories contribute, but food intake is key.
Q: Does Bikram yoga burn more calories than Hot Vinyasa?
A: It depends on the specific class and your effort. The Bikram yoga calorie burn is around 330-460 for 90 minutes based on one study. A fast-paced Hot vinyasa yoga calories burn could be similar or even higher per hour because of the constant movement, but a slower Vinyasa might be less. The intensity and flow style of the class matter more than just the name of the style.
Q: How accurate are fitness trackers for hot yoga calorie burn?
A: Fitness trackers can give you a decent estimate calories burned hot yoga, especially if they use heart rate data. However, they might not perfectly account for the unique stress and energy used specifically due to the high heat and humidity. Use them as a guide and compare your results over time rather than seeing the number as perfectly exact.
Q: How can I maximize my calorie burn in hot yoga?
A: To maximize your calorie burn, focus on increasing your effort. Engage your muscles fully in poses, move with intention, and challenge yourself while still listening to your body and practicing safely. Your weight and calories burned hot yoga are also linked, so heavier individuals will naturally burn more at the same effort level. Consistency (attending regularly) and longer classes (90 minute hot yoga calorie burn) also increase total calories burned over time.
Q: Does being more hydrated affect calorie burn?
A: Staying well-hydrated is crucial for hot yoga safety and performance. Being dehydrated can stress your body and might affect metabolism slightly, but focusing on hydration is about health and being able to complete the class effectively. It is not typically listed as a major factor changing the core average calorie burn hot yoga.
Q: If I sweat more, does that mean I burned more calories?
A: Sweating means your body is working hard to cool down in the heat, which uses energy. So, yes, sweating a lot often comes with a higher calorie burn in a hot environment. However, sweating also depends on how used you are to the heat, how hydrated you are, and your individual body. Some people sweat more than others doing the same amount of work. Focus on your effort level and heart rate more than just sweat amount as a sign of calorie burn.
Q: Is the calorie burn from hot yoga enough for significant fitness results?
A: Hot yoga provides a solid calorie burn (calories burned per hour hot yoga are often in the 300-500 range) and offers many other fitness benefits like strength and flexibility. It is a great part of a fitness plan. Combining it with other activities (like cardio or more strength training) and healthy eating leads to the best results for overall fitness and health.