Tips on Hot Yoga

I often get asked how I stay in shape, which I take as a compliment, because I don’t feel fit and lean always. Quite the contrary. So thanks for asking :-)!

However, my answer is Hot Yoga, Hot Yoga and more Hot Yoga. And recently I discovered the wonders of ‘The Power Reformer’, which I’ve added to my workout routine if I want to get extra fit or add more muscle tone for a role for instance and I will talk more about this amazing phenomenon at a later date. Today I want to focus on the yoga bit and where I like to practice it. Because to me, the atmosphere, space and teacher who guides my practice is 95% of the experience.

First of all; Why practice Hot Yoga at all? Tbt I’ve always had a love hate relationship to yoga. I began practicing in LA back in 2000, when I went to school here and later in India, Denmark, NYC and wherever I stumbled across what seemed like a good class. But I was never really consistent with my practice because with yoga, came a whole new set of rules and I felt forced to change my lifestyle too much. I would get bored, itchy, annoyed and my mind would take off into craziness a lot during yoga class. And who wants to deal with that BS in her free time.  So picturing the whole idea of sweating your brains out while doing yoga seemed absolutely nuts to me. This was at first. Now, years later I’m addicted to the heat and absolutely love it.

Here in LA I practice at Modo Yoga (previously known as Moksha Yoga), which is a physical and mental stabilizer to me like nobody¨s business. A true lifesaver. LA lifestyle as an actress can be tough and this practice is king to me. So what do I do when I’m in Copenhagen filming or seeing my family, which I have been quite a lot lately? Well, I’ve tested a few studios in Copenhagen and I always return to one. It’s called ‘Senses Hot Yoga’ and is located very close to the center of the city, which makes it easy to access for me. (It’s important. Or I’d never get my lazy butt down there). I’ve tested different teachers and classes at Senses, since this studio offers a whole portfolio of workout methods. Everything from dance inspired classes to bootcamp military classes to plenty of yoga variations and I always return to my favorite: ‘The Hot Yoga Vinyasa Flow’. Which translates into: the very powerful and cardio oriented yoga where you get a workout like never before.

I like to visit Senses in Copenhagen because I connect with the mindset of the teachers I’ve been guided by so far and I like the cleaness and serenity of the space. It’s very beautiful, safe and you can come and go as you like. A lot of times I’m beat, frustrated, tired or in a bad mood when I arrive at yoga and I don’t like to talk or have eye contact with anyone. Perhaps you know the feeling when you just want to be by your self…. I regard Hot Yoga as my ‘space out time’ and I like to just be in it with no judgment nor an agenda. Modo in LA and Senses in CPH give me that ‘free space’. An hour of ‘me time’ in a busy schedule. And who wouldn’t like that ? 😉