What is Riverflow hot yoga?

26+ Poses, 90 Minutes, 105 Degrees.

That's hot. 

"Is Riverflow a Vinyasa flow?"

Warm Vinyasa is yoga performed in a room heated to 95 degrees. The yoga poses flow one into another, without stopping. It's lovely to watch....and it's not Riverflow.

The sweat flows in Riverflow hot yoga classes, rather than the yoga poses. We pause between poses to bask in the benefits. Not so fast, not at all slow, Riverflow hot yoga is perfect for beginners and advanced hot yogis alike.

We like it hotter.

We crank the heat up to make-no-mistake-it's-hot-in-here: 105 degrees/F and 40% humidity. The benefits to heating up beyond "clammy;" you get to sweat it all out.

High heat + Hot yoga = sweat equity. 

There's some controversy as to whether or not you are actually detoxing when you sweat - but since the skin is your largest organ of elimination and sweating is the way out, I say yes, you are purging gallons of unwanted toxins when you sweat in hot yoga. You'll also breathe more deeply (we'll remind you) creating conditions for greater oxygenation of the blood.

Our high heat will "melt" tight muscles, stressed minds, and allow you to relax and stretch more easily. Can you "overstretch" in hot yoga. I don't know; can you over-enjoy?

Moksha hot yoga from the cold north

Is Riverflow hot yoga anything like Moksha Yoga? No, but you're getting warmer...

Moksha Yoga from Canada is a series of 40 yoga poses done in a hot room (just not as hot as we like it) beginning with Savasana, into standing pose stretches and onto a floor sequence of hip openers and spinal/upper body poses, and finally, a blissful Savasana.

Riverflow Yoga also has a standing balancing series of poses followed by back-strengthening floor series,  with relaxation poses like Corpse and Child's Pose between each pose and at the end.

In Moksha Yoga, you're invited to set an intention for your practice, engaging the mind before moving your body.

At Riverflow Yoga, we combine body stretch with mind expansion, by asking you to put your usual thoughts on PAUSE for 90 minutes and focus only on the teacher's instructions and allow bask in simply feeling good.

Not emptying your mind; focusing it.

We think that's hotter. Good feeling thoughts lead to good feeling bodies lead to a good-feeling life.

Is it Bikram Yoga?

Riverflow Yoga is not affiliated with Bikram Yoga yet we have similarities; but its the differences of Riverflow hot yoga make all the difference.

High heat/Low impact

Bikram Choudury is responsible for adding heat to yoga. Along with his guru Bishnu Ghosh, he combined heat with the 26 pose sequence: heat plus asansas plus Savasana.

That's what you'll find at Riverflow Yoga. And we like to mix it up a bit.

Like our Music Hot Yoga without verbal instructions just cool musical accompaniment, from Springsteen to Soul Train. You'll find additional poses: Child's Pose relaxation, Cat-Cow Stretch/Bridge Pose for lower back relief. Leg lifts for core strength. Cow Face for unkinking the spine.

After 40 years practicing and teaching yoga, I know a few more than the standard 26 poses. And I love surprising you.

Sweat, yes. Strain, no.

Riverflow Yoga is challenging hot yoga. It it Badass hot yoga that will transform you into someone who won't take "I can't" for an answer.  But we believe in easy does it: determination, yes; struggle, no.

We guide you carefully so you can do the poses correctly, getting maximum benefit from each. You take the poses deliberately, and perhaps, learn to take yourself bit more lightly.

Our Instructors walk around, crouch beside you, offer a hands-on nudge, a whisper of encouragement...and some stress-busting laughter.

We make a hot yoga warrior out you.

We don't believe in pushing you into pain, but we will push you into your potential. Stay focused; eyes open,  explore each pose to the best of your ability and give us 100% today.

What happens in Riverflow hot yoga class?

• We set you up properly before the pose begins. The nuanced instructions help ease your body into the poses, without struggle.
• We time the yoga poses from 30 seconds to one minute. Once you're properly aligned, holding the pose is a pleasure - and we expand on the pleasurable
• We encourage AHA moments. Aha, I CAN hold that pose! AHA, I can bend that way! AHA, it was my mind holding me back, not my body. We are all over the AHA.
• We take the guesswork out of hot yoga. Follow our instructions to the best of your abiilty. No modifications, no excuses.
• We welcome beginners. We encourage everyone to feel "new" to each class no matter how expert you are, and experience who you are, right now. That beautiful Gumby - she's a beginner, too.
• We love Savasana (eyes open) and we do it between each asana, standing up or lying down. Freeze like a statue. No fidgeting.
• We encourage you to take a pose off/sit a pose out and choose Savasana anytime you feel it. No judgements. You'll be surprised how quickly you're ready to rejoin us in the poses again.
• We appreciate you: expect us to compliment you on your poses, your willingness to work at 100%, your showing up in hot yoga today.

Riverflow Yoga is the heat of the moment.

Yes, Riverflow is outside your comfort zone. How far will you go today? That's your choice.

At Riverflow, we're offering you more than hot yoga; we're offering you a warm community to expand and open up to. Laugh, cry, get pissed, develop patience, come out whole.

Come to Riverflow to let go your limitations and all the good arguments you have for them. We're keeping a spot warm for you.

And when you can't make it to a Riverflow hot yoga class?

You can still enjoy yoga and feel the energy of the yoga community by joining our Riverflow Online Yoga Community. Learn more about yoga, the hot yoga poses, tips and secrets you can use in your next hot yoga class. Learn about yoga lifestyle - a diet to support you; how yoga can enhance your relationships; how to use the Law of Attraction. If you enjoy games and want a challenge, our Games and Challenges will give you action guides to transform yourself in many ways: self esteem, relationships, money and abundance, just about everything in your life.  FORUM discussions are the best - here, you can ask about anything and have the community answer and engage in lively discussions with you. So you never have to be without the heat of yoga and the warmth of a yoga community; it's in our hot yoga classes at Riverflow Yoga morning, noon and night; and in our online yoga community, 24/7.

Join our ONLINE COMMUNITY and turn on the heat in your life anytime. See you there!