The Hot Yoga lineage comes from Calcutta, India, which is a very hot and humid environment.  The controlled environment of the yoga room creates a balance of heat and humidity that is therapeutic to the body.

Benefits include:

-protects muscles as they move through their full range of motion
-softens collagen around the joints, allowing more freedom of movement
-releases endorphins to reverse negative effects of stress
-increases the heart rate, strengthening the heart
-improves the function of the nervous system so that messages move rapidly to and from the brain and spinal cord
-speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids
-enhances vasodilatation so that more blood and oxygen is delivered to muscles, helping in the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid
-burns fat more easily
-allows the body to release toxins through heavy sweating
-exfoliates and rejuvenates the skin