Walking right into a hot yoga studio can feel like an August day in downtown Dallas. The warmth and humidity hit you within the face as you watch yogis prepare for 60 to 90 minutes of flowing and posing in a studio that is been heated to anywhere from 95 to 115 degrees.

Your first thought may not be, Sounds great, sign me right up, but keep an open mind. The advantages of taking to the mat in a heated studio far outweigh the discomfort you may feel. Need more proof or reason to try? We have written concerning the advantages of hot yoga before—some include more flexibility, glowing skin, and cleansing.

For those who’re latest to yoga or simply unsure you’ll be able to stand the warmth or if the considered doing hot yoga intimidates you, don’t overthink it; just give it a try. In fact, when you aren’t used to physical activity, check together with your doctor before you start any fitness routine.

In accordance with Heather Peterson, Chief Yoga Officer of CorePower Yoga, hot yoga is for everybody. “You do not need to be an expert to take a hot yoga class. Many individuals imagine that they should be athletic or super flexible as a way to practice, when in point of fact, neither one is vital. I all the time tell people to work hard at school, but to also rejoice!”

Here’s what beginners should take into account when starting hot yoga.

Plan to have a lightweight meal or snack that comprises protein and healthy carbs at the least two to a few hours before taking to the mat in a heated room. Try an apple with peanut butter, yogurt and fruit, or a healthy smoothie.

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Hot yoga makes you sweat A LOT, and it’s worthwhile to replenish those fluids. “It is necessary that students drink their healthy body weight in ounces throughout the day, and add 20 ounces to that number per hour of exercise,” Peterson advises.

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These are words to live by, especially in relation to yoga. There isn’t any crying in baseball and no judgment in yoga. Take heed to your body and take breaks once you need them. Ever wonder why many yoga studios do not have mirrors? Because yoga is non-competitive and the purpose is to show your focus inward. For those who get too hot, don’t hesitate to take a break, take a sip of water, and go into child’s pose. Stepping out of the heated room right into a cooler space when you need a break is perfectly nice, too.

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Peterson says, “Heat can aid in some flexibility in all poses, so we see students feel more capable of achieve their full flexibility sooner with heat added, whereas in a non-heated room it could take you longer to accumulate internal-only heat.”

Even an easy child’s pose feels different in a heated studio. You may feel a deeper stretch through your back and legs, and you might give you the chance to stretch your arms out more in a heated room.

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“I personally see students profit in forward folds and backbends with the added heat and muscle activation,” Peterson adds. For those who normally do a forward fold with bent knees, or with hands in your shins, in a hot yoga class, the warmth will allow you to get further into the stretch. You may find that straightening your legs and putting your fingertips on the ground are close by in hot yoga.

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Poses to approach with caution include inversions and any where your head is below your heart. Again, hearken to your body, and back off poses that make you light-headed. Peterson explains, “Whenever you’re latest to practicing in the warmth, any pose together with your head below your heart is likely to be intensified. So even a downward-facing dog could possibly be more difficult. Drop all the way down to all fours when you feel light-headed. This is a straightforward and powerful strategy to customize your yoga once you start practicing in the warmth!”

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The ultimate pose of virtually every yoga class, regardless of what the temperature, is “shavasana” or corpse pose. This pose closes practice with a dose of leisure and meditation. In a heated class, shavasana is the proper time to let the warmth wash over you and luxuriate in the heat for just a few minutes of calm.

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Next up: 5 Starting Yoga Sequences You Can Actually Do

This text originally appeared on The Thirty

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