To the uninitiated, hot yoga sounds like a form of torture. Incredible heat, tough poses, and a whole lot of sweat. However, for those that have tried it, hot yoga is an incredible workout for both the body and the mind. Stretching, cardio, resistance, and strength training are all components of yoga, and the heat adds another layer of intensity to your work out.
The heat warms your muscles, allowing them to stretch further with a lower risk of injury. It increases your pulse and expands your capillaries, promoting stronger blood flow through your entire body. You also burn more calories, since your body has to go to extra effort to keep cool by sweating. The sweat also stimulates your metabolism and removes toxins from your body. And those are just the physical benefits!
As many know, yoga also has a distinct mental and spiritual aspect to it. Challenging poses and deep breathing require concentration, allowing the stresses of daily life to fall away, even if just for the hour that you’re in the class.
These are the best places in London to practice hot yoga.
EVOLATION YOGA LONDON
Evolation Yoga London is a fantastic yoga studio in the south end of London, offering a wide variety of styles and classes for everyone from beginners to seasoned yoga veterans, in both heated and non-heated rooms. The passionate and knowledgeable team guides you through stretches and exercises that will benefit you in many ways, from stronger muscles to a peaceful mind.
Evolation offers a few different styles of yoga in a heated room with humidity set to 40 degrees, each focusing on training a different aspect of your body. All levels are welcome to join in.
Their class called Hot Twenty-Six & Two is inspired by Bikram Yoga, the original hot yoga style which gained popularity in the 1970’s. This class incorporates exercises for the whole body, building strength and flexibility, and promoting the flow of fresh, oxygenated blood to every extremity. They offer a 60-minute session of this class at 104 degrees, so do as much as you can handle. After a Hot Twenty-Six & Two class, you’ll be sweating, limber, and feeling great!
Also unique to Evolation is Inferno Hot Pilates. Using Pilates principles, this is a challenging, full-body, low impact, high intensity workout. It is performed on a yoga mat in a room heated to 95 degrees and 40% humidity. Hot Pilates strengthens muscles and burns fat — all without the pounding of a high impact workout. It is designed for all fitness levels.
Finally, the Warm Vinyasa Flow class provides constant movement between poses, stringing them together seamlessly in time with your breathing. Offered in various difficulty levels, a Warm Vinyasa Flow class is perfect for those of you that want to improve balance, strength, and flexibility, while maintaining strong fundamentals of yoga.
A single class is $20 which you can book ahead on their site, unlimited yoga for just $99 a month or take advantage of one of their 10 or 20 “shareable” class passes!
MODO YOGA LONDON
Modo Yoga was London’s first hot yoga studio! Way back in 2003, they opened their doors and they’ve been offering classes to Londoners ever since. In fact, they’re even the official yoga studio of the London Knights! With two locations in the city, one downtown and one in the south, Modo Yoga is the destination for so many Londoners to get their sweat on!
At Modo Yoga, there are a bunch of different classes and styles that you can attend, each with their own emphasis and specialty. Depending on what you’re looking to get out of the class, any of these could be the right one for you!
Their Modo class is the classic hot yoga you know and love. Poses held in sequence, timed to your breath. Accessible for beginners, but still challenging for people of any experience level. You do as much as you can and push yourself to your limits!
For those looking to delve deep into the mental and spiritual aspects of yoga, they also offer a version of the Modo class that is completely silent. Students follow the teacher’s wordless poses. While it may be harder for some to follow along, for others it is a serene, peaceful moment to look inwards and really tune their mind to their body.
Also offered at Modo Yoga are classes that emphasize balance, flow, and restoration.
When you first sign up, Modo Yoga offers an introductory package – a full month of unlimited yoga for only $40! After that month is done and you’ve decided you want to stick around, a basic membership is $102.65 per month. Alternatively, you can buy class cards in either 10 or 20. When you buy a 10-class card, you can attend any 10 regular classes whenever you have the time!
Modo Yoga London has been the spot for hot yoga in the Forest City for over a decade and a half. Their incredible teachers and awesome space make for a top notch experience, whether this is your first yoga class or your millionth.
YOGA SHACK
The Yoga Shack is “committed to creating a warm and welcoming environment.” Whether that’s a pun about their hot yoga classes, or a mere coincidence we’ll never know, but their dedication to education, empowerment, health, and community is what puts them on this list.
Yoga Shack has five heated classes, and another six non-heated classes. If you’re just getting into yoga, they have a beginner’s class that focuses on education, demonstration, and correction. The room is a little less hot than their other heated classes, to get you accustomed to the feeling of stretching and exercising in a warm space.
For those with more experience, the Hot Hatha classes are perfect. It is a more improvisational class, as opposed to a set series of poses. Follow the instructor through postures, sequences, and static holds, that will keep you on your toes and be a different experience every time you attend.
Yoga Shack proudly states that they make yoga accessible to anyone. They welcome anyone and everyone to join in on a class. With two locations, a variety of classes, and multiple scheduling and membership options, the Yoga Shack makes it easy for anyone to get into yoga, regardless of their busy schedule.
Your journey through yoga may just be starting, or you may have been on this path for a while. Regardless, you’re welcome at the Yoga Shack. Their tremendous classes will have you coming back time and time again!
MOVATI ATHLETIC LONDON
Movati Athletic is a chain of gyms that believe in the power of teamwork. While yoga is not a team sport, having a group of likeminded, supportive individuals surrounding you changes the energy of the room, and motivates you to push yourself to your limit.
The hot yoga at Movati follows the hatha style. Generally speaking, there are two parts two each class: standing poses and floor work. The standing static postures develop balance and strength, while the floor work stretches the muscles.
A person of any level can participate in this class. The postures are held long enough for beginners to find the pose and their balance, while giving more experienced students the opportunity to build strength by holding the pose for longer periods.
Movati is not a dedicated yoga studio, but a full-service gym with a bevy of equipment for all of your exercising needs – weights, a pool, cycling, squash courts, and plenty more. A membership grants you access to all of this! If you’re looking for an all-around gym experience with hot yoga at the core of it all, Movati is a great place for you.
GOODLIFE FITNESS
GoodLife Fitness may be a large corporation, but its roots are firmly planted in the Forest City. The gym began in London in 1979 and its headquarters is still here today. While not every one of its over 300 locations offer hot yoga, two of its London locations do!
Despite the studio existing in a full gym, you won’t be disturbed by any of the other goings on in the GoodLife. The yoga studio is fully insulated for both temperature and sound, making your experience as serene and peaceful as you need it to be.
If you’re not a GoodLife member, you can get unlimited classes for just $65 per month! If you are, then you can add $10 biweekly to your existing membership bill and get unlimited classes! If you’re just interested in picking up a class every once in a while, a single class is $15, or you can buy a 10 pack for $60.