Sumits Hot Yoga St. Louis – Fitness Center Review

Read FitnessFoodieSTL’s fitness center review for Sumits Hot Yoga, whose classes blend many yoga styles, including Bikram & Vinyasa, in a heated environment.

Overview of Sumits Hot Yoga in St. Louis

Sumits takes yoga to the next level!  Their heated studio in Chesterfield, MO offers 60- & 80-min hot yoga classes that will leave you feeling stronger, more limber, and in desperate need of a shower!  Their heated studios crank-up the temperature & the humidity creating a unique experience that will strengthen your body & mind.  Sumits Hot Yoga classes are for all levels – from beginner to experienced Yogi. They pride themselves on explaining their yoga poses in common language, so even a novice can follow along with their flows. Expect a great workout, full of deep stretching and intentional breathing.

What Are The Benefits of Hot Yoga? 

Yoga has long been known to help tone the body, improving strength & flexibility.  It can also help you relax and feel less anxious, while sharpening the mind & body connection.   Adding heat to your yoga session intensifies your workout, further boosting your metabolism (aka caloric burn), improving blood circulation & increasing the bodies ability to remove toxins via sweat.   

What Makes Sumits Hot Yoga Unique?

If you have ever taken hot yoga before you may notice that Sumits Hot Yoga feels a bit different.  They keep their studios a bit hotter than most (~105 degrees).  Most hot yoga studios use a dry heat, but at Sumits Hot Yoga they pump in extra humidity (50-60%) so expect to be drenched in sweat.  The added heat & humidity helps warm up your muscles faster, allowing for safer stretching. And have no fear of germs – Sumits Hot Yoga thoroughly cleans & sanitizes after each class. 

Who Would Like Sumits Hot Yoga?

• Anyone with tight muscles, inflammation or achy joints – the heated stretching can do wonders for aches & pains!
• Individuals looking for low-impact exercise that still improves cardiac health.
• Men & Women of All Ages (16+) – Anyone can reap the physical & mental benefits of these classes. Expect class to be filled with all ages, all genders and all body types. 

Sumits Hot Yoga Location, Amenities & Membership

Location:

Sumits Hot Yoga is located at 17668 Chesterfield Airport Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63005.

Amenities:

• Showers (BYO Towel)
• Bathrooms
• Cold cloths are provided at the end of class to aid in cooldown. 
• For rent: towels, mats and yogi toes. 
• They sell Lululemon clothing in their lobby among other yogi essentials.

Membership

Specials:

• New Member Special – 2 weeks of Unlimited Yoga for $25
• Every Wednesday at 7pm join their open “Community Class”.  It’s only $10 – cash only (50% off typical drop in rate)!

Class Cards (1 year to use them):

• Drop-In Class = $20
• 5 Class Card = $85
• 10 Class Card = $165
• 20 Class Card = $265
• 30 Class Card = $375

Unlimited Membership – New Member Special – $199 for 3 months! Ideal for those wanting to practice 3+ times per week. 

What is A Class Like at Sumits Hot Yoga in St. Louis? 

Sumits Hot Yoga classes will activate your muscles, provide deep stretching & will put your mind & body to the test.  There are more than 35 classes each week, 7 days a week.   Class times range from 5:45am to 7pm, allowing convenience for your schedule.  During the week, classes are generally 60 min Sumits Express & on Saturdays and Sundays you will see a mix of Sumits Express and Sumits Signature Hot Yoga Classes, which are 80 mins. 

The classes all follow the same structured pattern, alternating between cardio flows & restful mat work.  During the cardio flows expect energizing lights, music & movements.  And during the more restful savasana mat work expect lower lighting, relaxing music and breathwork.  You will repeat their yoga flow, (aka chaturanga flow) many times during class, which is a plank followed by a yogi push up, upward dog and downward dog.  Their skilled yoga instructors will explain the poses in easy-to-follow language – examples include tree pose, chair pose, warrior 1, warrior 2, etc.  At the end of class, you will do some core exercises before your final savasana.   

Pro Tips for Taking a Class at Sumits Hot Yoga

• Make sure to hydrate before, during and after class.  You will sweat a lot!
• BYO yoga mat, small hand towel as well as a large, full-size towel to place over your yoga mat.  You will need the large towel because mat will get slick. 
• I took a few classes with a large beach towel, but it often bunched up more than a traditional yogi towel (thinner towel that prevents slipping), so eventually I purchased a yogi towel and love it.   
• If you feel a little lightheaded or dizzy, relax in child’s pose or savasana (lie on your back) until you feel better.  Make sure to drink more water!
• Remember, this class is all about YOU – let it all out! 

The Story Behind Sumits Yoga

Sumits Hot Yoga in St. Louis was opened in 2013 by Melissa Zeugin and Emily Montgomery and is part of a small franchise of Sumit’s Yoga studios around the country.  Sumit’s Yoga was created by Sumit Banerjee whose signature sequence incorporates both balancing and energizing asanas (poses) in a heated environment.  He believed that the greatest benefits of his yoga classes come not from the healing of the body, but from the healing of the mind.   Co-owner, Emily discovered Sumits Hot Yoga while on a road trip in Alabama and fell in love.  She met Melissa in the locker room and both went on to teach at the Sumits Hot Yoga in Columbia. Several years later, they opened the Chesterfield location together.

Natalie’s Personal Experience

I was introduced to Sumits Hot Yoga after winning an auction item at my son’s school fundraiser.  While I am far from being a yogi, I like to try new things and Sumits Hot Yoga sounded intriguing.  I wasn’t expecting to like it…all that sweat, sounded a bit uncomfortable.  But I was really surprised how much I enjoyed that first class, it was more intense than I was expecting, especially compared to a non-heated yoga class. At moments, I felt like I was playing a giant game of Twister (left foot here, right hand there), but the instructor and the other attendees never made me feel out of place.  They explain the poses in easy-to-understand language, and I left class feeling so energized & renewed.    

The other thing I found intriguing about Sumits was the culture, which you quickly catch on to.  Everyone wears slides or flip flops & leaves them outside the front door.  They bring in their yoga mats & special yoga towels and just let it all hang out.  It’s acceptable to wear very little clothing at Sumits (think short bike shorts & a sports bra for women & shirtless men).  As someone who never bears the midriff, Sumits got me out of my shell a bit – on my most recent class, I went to class in only a sports bra and I didn’t feel ashamed or focused on my less-than-toned abs.  I love looking around at all the sweaty, glistening bodies in Sumits where everyone’s accepted and feels comfortable in their own skin. 

Now after taking many classes at Sumits Hot Yoga, I’ve grown to really love it, it’s the perfect cure if you wake up feeling stiff or achy.

Final Thoughts

The older I get the more I’m growing to appreciate yoga.  Yoga is so much more than stretching. It’s balance, it’s strength, it’s focus, it’s mental agility, it’s introspection. The addition of heat and humidity at Sumits Hot Yoga make the practice even more interesting and challenging.  Everyone should experience a class at Sumits Hot Yoga and when you do, let it be a moment all about you – a moment to focus on your breathing, let go of your stress, and let it all hang out. 

Visit the Sumits Hot Yoga website to learn More

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