Sweat it out with clarity

In Mysore Ashtanga yoga it’s common respect to shower each morning before practice. This is for spiritual reasons, and is the first niyama of the Ashtanga Eight Limbs of Yoga, Saucha, standing for inner and outer cleanliness. Some yoga lineages force heat in the room and require lots of water drinking beforehand and during to induce sweat during class which clears out toxins through the skin. Mysore Ashtanga yoga is performed in a warmed room, but drinking water beforehand or during is frowned upon.

Your body's natural temperature control

The idea is that your own body heat should be an internal self-gauge of your physical asana and vinyasa intensity. Drinking water is meant for the evening before and following practice, to keep the body flushed, and aids in Saucha.

A healthy Ashtangi will sweat during his/her yoga practice, mainly activating the eccrine sweat glands for temperature control.