Answers

There are a lot of reasons why we choose to practice yoga in a heated room. The heat helps our bodies warm up (sort of like stretching before running) and makes it easier to get deeper into postures more safely. In our experience, the many benefits of practicing yoga asana are amplified by doing so in the heat. Sweating helps us clean out our systems, because toxins are carried to the surface of the skin in sweat, where they float magically away during the process of evaporation.

The heat also:
• Helps us burn fat more effectively by boosting metabolism and melting away water weight in sweat
• Dilates our capillaries to boost the “oxygenation” of all our cells — tissues, muscles, organs, etc.
• Boosts circulation and gets the heart rate up, at times rendering yoga an aerobic activity
• Enhances our immune system by slightly elevating the temperature of the body, which increases T-cell functioning
• Elevates the functioning of the nervous system and decreases anxiety by relaxing the body

Another subtle effect of the heat that you don’t always hear about is that it actually helps us concentrate and stay in the moment. The intensity of practicing in a warm room is hard to ignore, and (at least in our experience) this helps our minds wander less. Since yoga is about staying present in the moment, the heat can function as our ally in this way.

The Heated Classes hover around 90 to 95 degrees. However, because we are all working and sweating together, it can get pretty humid in there, which can make it feel hotter. The good news? A moisture-filled room actually encourages us to sweat more which — you guessed it — means more cleansing and detoxifying.

No sweat! You can try the non heated classes…just as effective, challenging and you can leave the studio and go to lunch without getting a chill from the sweat!

Please bring a yoga mat if you have one. We rent mats for $2 and sell a variety of mats as well. Bring a towel, water and wear loose clothing that you can stretch in. You do not need any special equipment or name brand clothing for yoga. It’s not a fad or a trend. We just ask that you come as you are. Oh, and make sure you are well hydrated. This will enhance your yoga experience and keep you from feeling dizzy or depleted.

YEEESSSSS! We love beginners and non flexible people. You already have the tools for success. A beginner’s mind and something to work with – like tight hamstrings! This will make the experience that much more intriguing. Yoga isn’t about being flexible. That is one of the tiny “by-products” of a regular yoga practice. We know coming into a new space can be intimidating or cause anxiousness. It’s probably very similar to being the “new kid” at school. Not to worry, we remember what our first classes were like and we are here to help. It is important to approach your yoga with the idea that it is, and always will be, a “practice” and is never meant to be perfect. Having said that, there are many styles for you to choose from. No two teachers are alike and some of us just gravitate towards a certain style of yoga more than another. We advise you to try out many different styles and teachers to find the right fit for you, for now. Explore, invite, excite or calm down…just ask yourself, why do I want to practice yoga and what do I need? Then feel free to share with us your answer and we can point you in a direction to start your journey.

Human beings are just that. “Beings”. Which means there is a portion of our soul – our essence – that requires time together with other beings to bring us to our highest and best potential. What Jen and her team at Bainbridge Yoga House have created is just that: a physical location that is also the source of a strong and vibrant community of beings.

I am significantly more productive when I fit BYH classes into my work week schedule. The “flow” state of mind that Jen’s teachers elicit in their classes fits in line with the rest of the productivity hacks I learned from Csikszentmihalyi’s book “Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience”. While that tome is a fairly dense read, the BYH classes are the opposite: easily approachable for beginners while remaining challenging for more advanced practitioners.

The vibe you sense at the BYH studio is a friendly invitation to drop in to a deeper, more expansive place inside ourselves, where we create connections with our more peaceful, easeful, and calm selves. I often find myself taking lessons learned at BYH off the yoga mat, into the rest of my life. For example, once when I find a sense of ease while maintaining a difficult yoga pose, I immediately see the ramifications of staying calm during a difficult situation in life, whether it is parenting, work, or relationships.

I enter Jen’s studio with the weight of the world on my shoulders, but leave with a smile on my face, a lightening bolt of energy through my core, and a laser-focus on bringing positive change to our world. Oh, and drenched in sweat (they’re not kidding about the “hot” part of hot yoga!).
Scott James
CEO, Blacklight Films

I practice yoga at Bainbridge Yoga House several times a week, and I’m able to get whatever I might need on a particular day —whether it be a challenge, a respite, inspiration, or just to connect with a community of supportive, compassionate people. Bainbridge Yoga House keeps me grounded and whole.
Nancy Plant