What to Wear to Hot Yoga Class

Hot yoga is exactly as it sounds—yoga performed in a very hot room. If you have never tried this kind of class before but to attend one soon, you may be wondering what you should wear. We’ve got you covered. Here are some helpful tips on what to wear to hot yoga class!

The Basics

As yoga is an activity that is supposed to help you relax and de-stress—in addition to its physical conditioning benefits—it only makes sense that you should strive to keep things simple in terms of your wardrobe. After all, if you have to spend half an hour trying to decide what to wear to class, you may wind up being too stressed to actually get anything out of the experience! Let’s take a quick look at some things to keep in mind when considering what to wear to hot yoga:

• Sweat, sweat, sweat. This isn’t breaking news, most likely, but you are going to sweat a lot during your hot yoga class. As in, a whole lot. You will likely be completely drenched by the end of your session. That is the most important to keep that in mind when dressing. Basically, the idea here is to wear as little as possible while still covering up appropriately and feeling comfortable with your attire. Commonly, women will wear just a sports bra and shorts or leggings to hot yoga, while men may wear just shorts or leggings.
• Synthetic fibers. You don’t want to skip over this point. Again, the key here comes back to sweat. If you are going to be doing yoga in a hot room, and sweating virtually the whole time, cotton clothing is going to get quite uncomfortable. It is going to soak up your sweat, getting heavier as time goes by. With synthetic fibers, your clothing can help to wick away moisture, staying lighter and help to keep you cooler and more comfortable.
• Other accessories. Getting slightly off-topic just for a moment, don’t forget to bring the accessories to class that you will need to enjoy the experience. Those may include a sweat-proof yoga mat, at least one towel, and some water. Some classes may also call for a block and strap, but studios tend to have extras available. Don’t forget to hydrate!

Comfort Is Essential

We’ve already mentioned that you don’t want to wear too much clothing in a hot yoga class, given the temperature of the studio and the difficulty of the various poses. With that in mind, you do need to make sure you are comfortable with what you are wearing.

It will be hard to fully immerse yourself in the class if you are having self-conscious thoughts about your clothing and how much of your body is exposed. Try on various yoga pieces so you can settle on something that will give you confidence and without holding in too much heat. But remember that what feels good in an air-conditioned store may not be comfortable in a hot yoga studio. 

Invest In Quality

It’s true that yoga apparel can get expensive. No, you don’t have to buy the highest priced sports bra on the market to enjoy your class or purchase a $100 pair of shorts, but it is a good idea to invest in quality gear—as long as that gear fits reasonably in your budget.

Fortunately, there are quality options available at a variety of price points. By buying good clothing, you will be more comfortable during class. Your clothing will be more likely to last longer as well—meaning you might wind up spending less on clothing in the long run.

Keep Up With The Laundry

You may find that you feel great after a hot yoga class, and even better after you’ve had a chance to shower. While you’ll smell good after your shower is wrapped up, your clothes will be another story. Don’t let them sit in a sweaty, soaked state for very long, or they will become more difficult to get clean. Handle your laundry as soon as possible after class to keep things smelling fresh.

Use WIN Detergent To Keep Your Gear Fresh

Given how much you are likely to sweat during a hot yoga class, you won’t be able to count on any old detergent to get the stink out of your apparel. Most regular detergents are designed to clean cotton, which is why your activewear pieces made with synthetic materials likely still stink even after washing!

The good news is that there are many dedicated sports detergents available that are designed specifically to remove oils, sweat, and odor from synthetic sports apparel. Try a bottle of WIN Sports Detergent today to keep your yoga gear clean and odor-free!