Hot Tub Yoga: The Ultimate Way to Relax in Your Spa

When you've had a stressful day or just need to unwind, you may think about taking a dip in your relaxing hot tub or doing a few yoga poses to relax. If you want to take your relaxation one step further, consider combining these two things. You heard that right, hot tub yoga is truly the ultimate way to relax your mind and body.

Keep reading to learn all about what hot tub yoga is—and why you should probably be doing it.

What is hot tub yoga?

Hot tub yoga is simply the practice of doing yoga poses while in a hot tub. Both hot tubs and yoga are known to relax your mind, stretch your body, and improve your overall health, so combining the two is a match made in heaven.

If you decide to give hot tub yoga a try, you can choose to keep it simple or get as fancy as you would like. Simply turn on the hot tub jets, take your position in the spa, and start doing some of your favorite yoga stretches and positions.

Not sure where to start? This next section is for you!

What are the best yoga poses to do in a hot tub?

Cal Spas put together a really great series of videos on their YouTube channel, hosted by yoga instructor Kelly Deva. They demonstrate some of (in my opinion) the best poses you can do in a spa and are a great place to start.

Each video shows you how to do a different pose, slowly and safely:

Pigeon Pose

Cat Cow Pose

Staff Pose

Anjaneyasana

Horse Pose

What are the benefits of hot tub yoga?

There are many benefits to adding hot tub yoga into your routine. It is a great choice for anyone looking to add more relaxation and healthy movement to their life.

Here are some of the top benefits of doing hot tub yoga regularly:

1. Improve flexibility

Doing yoga in a hot tub is great for working on your flexibility because the heat of the water will help warm up your muscles.

You might find that some poses or movements are easier in the warm water because your body is warmed up and ready to move freely. This is a similar concept to doing yoga in a hot room as well. Warmth is always your muscle's best friend when you are trying to work on stretching and releasing.

2. Reduce anxiety

Many people turn to a yoga class or a hot tub session when they're feeling anxious or stressed, so it only makes sense that combining the two is a great way to double up and do both at the same time.

When you are focused on your yoga poses and feel the warmth of the water melt the tension away from your muscles, you will notice that you start to breathe more deeply and feel less anxious.

Consider adding hot tub yoga to your bedtime routine or to bounce back after a tough day at work. There are so many mental-health benefits to taking this time out for yourself to regroup and focus on your body.

3. Tone muscles

Yoga is a great workout because it tones and tightens muscles all over your body as you mold and stretch your body into each pose. Hot tub yoga might help you go deeper into poses or hold them for longer than you could normally on your yoga mat.

This happens because you are buoyant and weightless in the water, and the heat makes your muscles more pliable. You might surprise yourself and end up getting a great workout in even if it doesn't feel like work.

4. Joint-friendly

If you have joint issues or just wake up feeling stiff one day, hot tub yoga is a great way to work on your joint mobility. Because there is no pressure on your joints while you are submerged in water, you can move much more freely and stretch areas that may be difficult to stretch.

5. Increase mindfulness

Many people combine hot tub yoga with a meditation practice to create a relaxing and rejuvenating ritual for the mind and body.

Carve out just a few minutes each day (or even just a few times a week) to do a few yoga poses in the hot tub and follow it up with meditation. You can choose to sit quietly and meditate or do a guided meditation from an app or YouTube. This is a great way to focus on being more mindful every day.

6. Injury recovery

Yoga is a great way to improve flexibility and strength, but it can be hard on the body, especially if you're recovering from an injury. That's where hot tub yoga comes in.

The warm water helps to relax muscles and joints, making it easier to stretch and move. The buoyancy of the water also takes some of the stress off of your body, reducing the risk of further injury. In addition, the heat helps to increase blood flow, which can aid in the healing process.

So if you're looking for a gentle way to help your body recover from injury, hot tub yoga may be just what you need.

Can beginners do hot tub yoga?

Hot tub yoga is very beginner-friendly. Because there are limitations to what you can do in a hot tub due to the water and the size of the tub, you don't have to do fancy poses to get a great yoga session in.

If the poses in the video series above seem like too much for you, start with simpler moves like seated twists, or even just simply breathing.

Are there hot tub yoga classes?

It would be difficult for a yoga studio to offer this type of class because of the size and space limits of hot tubs, and also the safety factor as well. Most people do hot tub yoga as a solo practice either on top of a regular in-class yoga practice or as a standalone practice.

You can choose your favorite yoga poses from the ones I linked in the videos above, or research new ones to try in the hot tub and make your own class right at home. If you like video tuition, why not take a phone or iPad out to the spa with you so you can watch a guided practice and follow along?

Final thoughts

Hot tub yoga is a fun, relaxing activity that anyone could benefit from. The heat of the water makes it easier to stretch out sore muscles or go deeper into poses, which can help you work on your flexibility and relax you as well.