The Hottest Workout in Town
Yep, it is the hottest new workout in town. I mean that both literally and figuratively. HOTWORX in Wayne is not your average sweat. And here is why— at HOTWORX you exercise in a sauna. Yes, you read that right. You exercise in a sauna. At first that might sound somewhat shocking and unsafe, but I’ve been testing it out all summer long. And I am here to tell you just how great a sauna workout at HOTWORX is!
How HOTWORX Worx.
There is so much about this place that is different than the other studios you are used to. Yes, the obvious one is that you are exercising inside of a sauna. But get this, HOTWORX is open 24 hours. Again, you read that correctly. Every member is given access to the studio via a secure app that unlocks the door when you approach it. Convenience is key here. You don’t need to workout when it works for others. You can workout at HOTWORX when it works for you.
There are eight saunas in the Wayne studio. Inside each sauna is a screen that delivers the scheduled virtual workout. The saunas are larger (7ft x 9ft; 63 square feet) than the ones in the spa so there is plenty of room to move about. And these saunas have room for up to three people to exercise at the same time. The temperature can get up to 132°F. It is recommended to set the temperature around 120°-125°F to attain the maximum benefits of a sauna workout. You can adjust the temperature both inside and outside of the sauna.
The first four saunas are used for the longer (about 40 minutes) isometric workouts, which I’ll tell you all about below. The next four saunas hold the shorter (about 15 minutes) HIIT workouts and have all sorts of equipment in them. The two saunas on the left have three spin bikes each inside. The first sauna on the right is filled with three unique rowing machines, and the last sauna has three elliptical-like machines.
There is also a whole weight lifting area in the back of the studio. This is not inside of a sauna (although I do think it would be fun to lift in 130°F heat. That’s just me). With the addition of this weight area, HOTWORX can truly be your one stop shop for all things fitness. You could join HOTWORX and not need to go anywhere else. And for the price of the membership (which is going up but is still shockingly cheap), this would be a total win. But I like to use the sauna workouts at HOTWORX as an addition to my regular fitness routine. I find myself going there right after a Pilates class or a weight training session at my gym. This sweaty workout is the cherry on top for me. And with all of the benefits of being inside an infrared sauna, I feel like I am accomplishing self care while I burn calories and get stronger.
Here is how I plan my HOTWORX sauna workouts. Usually about a day before, I’ll go onto the HOTWORX app and sign up for a class or two. Using the app, you can search by class or time. The ISO classes are offered every 45 minutes. And the HIIT classes are offered every 15 minutes. I’ll do a HIIT workout first. These classes are shorter and your body warms up real quick! Then I’ll pick an ISO class as the real meat of my sauna workout. During these classes, the sweat just pours off your body. I like to sync my Apple Watch using the HOTWORX app so that I can see my calorie burn during class. I also do this so that I can calculate my “after burn” for the hour after I leave the sauna. To me, that is the coolest part, and also what sets the sauna workout apart from the others. You burn double or triple the calories in the hour following your workout, while you do things like run errands, shower or even eat breakfast!
Why Exercising Inside a Sauna is So Cool.
The HOTWORX saunas are infrared saunas. This type of sauna uses dry heat to warm the body with infrared waves. The infrared sauna will get you warmer faster and will penetrate into your body for added health benefits, of which there are many. The biggest health benefits of infrared heat include glowing skin; increased blood circulation, which results in cellular repair and regeneration; faster muscle recovery and healing time; detoxification; improved sleep; decreased stress; and ultimately, a boost in performance. The heat inside of the sauna speeds up your metabolism and increases caloric burn, causing more weight loss in less time and with less work. Cue the heavenly light from above with angelic voices singing “more weight loss in less time with less work”.
The overall goal of exercising inside a sauna is to burn more calories in less time. For the numbers people out there, looking at my caloric burn for all eleven types of workouts at HOTWORX, I burned about 100 calories in 13 minutes of work for the HIIT workouts and about 150-200 calories in 35 minutes of work for the ISO workouts.
The other goal of a sauna workout is to burn more calories with less work. Comparing 30 minutes of a regular Pilates class to 30 minutes of a Pilates workout inside the sauna, I saw how this goal is accomplished. I burned nearly the same amount of calories during a Pilates class inside the sauna as outside. But, I did a lot less work inside the sauna. The reformer (in normal temps) Pilates class, was a more intense, cardiovascular “jump board” Pilates class. The mat Pilates class inside the sauna consisted of isometric Pilates holds, with only one or two pulsing exercises, which would not feel like much outside of the sauna.
The coolest fact of all is that I burned the most calories during the “after burn”, which I was able to track using the HOTWORX app and my Apple watch. In the 60 minutes following my HOTWORX workout, I burned two to three times the amount of calories that I did exercising. The more intense the workout is, the higher the “after burn” is.
The Classes.
This studio isn’t just hot yoga or one single type of exercise. The HOTWORX workout is made up of a variety of exercises. And the company stands behind this method of cross training to work different muscles for better results and to keep you engaged and motivated. So what are the workouts? What are my thoughts after trying out each one? Keep on reading… I know this is a long post, but I have a lot to share!
There are 8 isometric workouts. Remember, these are the longer classes. There is the “Launch” phase (a warmup), the “Flight” phase (the workout), and the “Landing” phase (the cool down and the foam rolling portion of the class) for each isometric workout. An isometric workout moves you through poses that contract various muscles during a hold period. In the heat, this type of exercise is really challenging! Isometric postures accelerate detoxification by removing toxins through muscle contractions. These classes are to be done barefoot or wearing grip socks, which can be purchased if you don’t have or forgot yours. You will need a HOTWORX yoga mat, a yoga towel with grips to lay over your mat, as well as a sweat towel to wipe yourself down. And don’t forget your water for all of your HOTWORX classes!
ISO is the original HOTWORX workout and incorporates yoga, Pilates, resistance training and strength training. No additional equipment is needed for this class. I think ISO is a great starter class as it incorporates various modalities and gives you a good sense of what a workout inside a sauna feels like.
HOT WARRIOR is my favorite ISO class and is said to be the hardest ISO workout. I’d recommend doing this one alone (and not in conjunction with another workout if you are just starting out). Hot Warrior uses more challenging poses with a focus on core strength and balance. I did this one as my first class, which I wouldn’t necessarily recommend, but I didn't have an article like this to guide me! No additional equipment is needed for this class.
HOT BANDS is another super challenging ISO class that is a great upper body workout. You need the long, handle-bands for this class. I recommend bringing a few levels of bands into the sauna with you. I mistakenly brought the wrong band (the heaviest) into the sauna, which made this class nearly impossible for me. I also recommend wearing grip socks for this class because standing on the band in bare feet really hurts. I need a do-over for Hot Bands with the correct band and the proper footgear. You can borrow these bands from the front desk.
HOT BUNS also uses bands but the loop band type. There are long loop bands and short loop bands needed for this class. Lunges, squats and bridges are the types of holds here but there is more movement in this class than some of the others. Obviously, the focus is on the booty. You can rent the bands for the day for $5 or purchase them at the front (the bands range from $14-$30).
HOT CORE focuses on the core and includes planks, as well as standing and seated core twists and other core-focused holds. No additional equipment is needed for this class.
HOT YOGA, HOT PILATES and HOT BARRE are the workouts that you are familiar with, but I assure you they’re different at HOTWORX. Poses that would not be nearly as brutal in normal temperatures are way more challenging when done under 130°F heat. No additional equipment is needed for these classes.
There are 3 HIIT workouts at HOTWORX. Thankfully, these are much shorter in duration because the intensity is way more than with the ISO workouts. I like to stack a HIIT class or two onto another workout as a quick, little calorie burner that gets my body warmed up fast! The HIIT workouts are “choreographed” on the various machines so it keeps things interesting. For these workouts, wear sneakers. I’d recommend cross trainers.
For lower body, there is HOT CYCLE, which is the most popular since it’s already a well known type of cardio workout. Because of this, it’s probably a good one to start with. There are three bright yellow Schwinn bikes in each of the two designated cycling saunas. Nothing too unique with Hot Cycle except for the fact that you are spinning in a room that is already hot, rather than a room that gradually heats up from the rising body temperatures of those in the class with you.
HOT THUNDER is (in my opinion) the hardest of the HIIT workouts. This class is on the rower. It’s a rower that has been smushed to fit inside the sauna and thus, eliminating most of the leg work. For the more technical folks, this machine is the “first water rower to have a 360 handle swivel, double pulley system, and dual water tank.” In my own words, it’s hard as sh*t. These machines are all upper body push and pull. That’s ok because it’s only 13 minutes of work! But, I will say that I couldn’t do this one without taking many breaks.
HOT BLAST is on a machine that looks like an Assault Bike, which almost sent me running for the door. There is no way a normal person should be on an Assault Bike in a sauna! But, I promise this machine isn’t nearly as hard as the Assault Bike. I actually love the full body workout on the Keiser Total Body Trainer, which incorporates both legs and arms, unlike the other two. This one could be my favorite HIIT workout.
Helpful Tips.
Turn on the sauna as soon as you arrive. Since this is a 24 hour gym, the saunas cannot just be left on unless someone is using them. No worries- they take about ten minutes to warm up. As soon as I arrive, I’ll check the schedule for my designated sauna and go right there to turn it on before I do anything else. And don’t forget to set the timer when you set the temperature heat. I made the mistake of neglecting to set the timer once and the sauna wouldn’t get past 100°.
You must use a HOTWORX yoga mat inside the sauna because the one you already own will melt in there! This is really important. The HotWorx mats are made of natural hemp materials that can withstand temperatures of up to 175° F. Same with the yoga towel. You can purchase the mat and towel set for $99, or rent them for $5.
When you are waiting for your sauna class to begin or for your sauna to heat up, using the weight room is a nice option. No time is wasted at HOTWORX!
Bring a sweat towel (or two) other than just your yoga towel. Trust me, you will need it. Also don’t forget your water and electrolytes. There is a vending machine in the back that will provide you with anything you may need for the workout including water, coconut water, protein bars and even fitness equipment. A new, fun addition to my favorite vending machine in the world is the drink “Happy Being Peach” by Solutions 4 Health located in Wayne, which has 50 servings of blueberries in it!
Safety First.
What can I say, I’m a mom. To workout safely at HotWorx inside of a sauna, there are a few factors that come into play. One, the sauna cannot be set higher than 130°F (I’ve seen it climb to 133° tops, but you cannot set it beyond 130°). Two, the movements in the ISO sauna are limited. These are the longer workouts. All of the classes involve isometric holds and some limited movement. The yoga isn’t fast flow. The Pilates isn’t intense in the same way as my typical reformer class. Even the bands classes in the sauna involve time over tension holds. These workouts wouldn’t get your heart rate going nearly as fast without the heat of the sauna. And three, the workouts that are more cardiovascular are limited to 13 minutes. And believe me that is more than enough time to go hard in 130° heat.
What about going into a gym in the very early morning hours or even the middle of the night? Sure, there are always risks entering any business when there are less eyes around. But how about if there were no eyes around? To some people, that may sound like a dream come true— having the gym all to yourself. To me, because I am a woman who watches too much Dateline, I don’t love the idea. That’s why I choose to go to HotWorx during normal business hours. There isn’t always someone at the desk, but I feel more secure in daylight when the shopping center is populated. Even during normal business hours, I am sometimes the only one in the place. But I expect that to change after the summer.
What about an injury inside the sauna when no one is around to help? Another legitimate concern. There are a few necklaces you can wear when you are working out that will immediately call the fire department if you push the emergency button and are in need of assistance. If I am the only person in the place, I’ll always bring a necklace into the sauna with me for added comfort.
Obviously, if you have any health concerns at all, you should absolutely consult your doctor before you step foot inside the sauna.
Intrigued about the idea of exercising inside a sauna? Wanna give it a whirl? I thought you would! That is why I asked the owner, Joey Orr, if I could host an open house to show you guys this place! Come out on Thursday, August 24 from 5-8 pm. You’ll be able to get a tour, learn about the membership options (I promise, no hard sells because no one likes that!) and try a class or two! And if you decide to become a member that night (current membership is $54 a month) you can enroll for just $1. (and Joey will let you enroll for $1 in August and September if you mention me or this article). We will be raffling off some fun items that night, including a free yoga mat and towel out of the people that join that night. I hope this article cooled any concerns and answered your questions about this hot new studio in town. And, I hope to see you inside the sauna soon!
*This post is sponsored by HOTWORX but as always, this blog contains my honest views and opinions and that will never change!