Stronger Through the Heat: How Hot Yoga and Hot Pilates Support Bone Density in Your 40’s, 50’s, and Beyond
They told me I had to lift heavy weights to keep my bones strong in peri-menopause or for anyone in their 40’s, 50’s, and beyond.
Okay, these bones are mine.
At 51 years old, after years of teaching and practicing Original Hot Yoga and Inferno Hot Pilates, I decided to check in on my bone health with a DEXA scan — a test that measures bone density. I wanted to know how my body — and especially my bones — had responded to years of heat, breath, and movement.
To my surprise and delight, my DEXA scan showed me I have stronger bones than most 20-30 year olds — what? And I almost exclusively do OG Hot Yoga and Inferno Hot Pilates, sprinkled with outdoor activity.
Here’s my results:
📊 Bone Mineral Density (BMD): 1.216 g/cm²
📈 T-score: +1.5
📈 Z-score: +1.4
For context, a T-score above −1.0 is considered normal.
A positive score means my bones are actually denser and stronger than average — even compared to younger women.
So, if you’re in your 40s or 50s and worried about bone loss, this one’s for you. Your body is not fragile — it’s adaptable.
Here’s how hot yoga and hot pilates changed my bones — literally, and can build yours.
How Bikram Yoga Builds Bone Density
Bikram Yoga isn’t just stretching — it’s structured, weight-bearing strength work disguised as meditation in motion. Each posture uses your own body as resistance, building muscle, stability, and bone strength simultaneously.
Inside the 105°F heated room, your muscles become more pliable, allowing deeper, safer engagement. That engagement translates into mechanical loading, the precise stimulus bones need to remodel and strengthen — a principle known as Wolff’s Law.
Here’s what’s happening inside your body:
🦴 Weight-bearing load: Standing poses and balances apply gravitational stress to bones, triggering osteogenesis (new bone tissue formation).
💪 Muscle tension: As you contract and hold, muscles pull on bones, increasing their density over time. Think of all the times you “lock the knee.”
🌡️ Heat advantage: The heat enhances flexibility, reduces risk of injury, and increases circulation — delivering oxygen and minerals directly to active tissues.
And it’s not just my story — it’s backed by science.
Studies show that yoga can improve bone density in the spine and hips, especially in women over 50 (Lu et al., 2015) and (Fishman et al., 2015).
Why Inferno Hot Pilates Complements Bikram Yoga
If Original Hot Yoga is about alignment and endurance, Inferno Hot Pilates is about activation and power. It’s low-impact but high-intensity, combining core stabilization, muscle tone, and cardiovascular conditioning — all in the heat.
Here’s how Hot Pilates strengthens your bones:
🌟 Core & spine support: Deep abdominal work strengthens the muscles that protect the lumbar spine and pelvis.
🔥 Low-impact resistance: You challenge muscles through tension and repetition without stressing joints.
🦵 Muscle-bone synergy: As muscles strengthen, they stimulate bone remodeling — the natural rebuilding process that keeps bones dense and resilient.
Research supports it: Pilates-style resistance training has been shown to improve muscle tone, posture, balance, and bone density in adults over 40 (de Oliveira et al., 2019).
When performed in a heated environment, the benefits compound — improved circulation, faster muscle activation, and enhanced hormonal balance.
Bone Density and Overall Health in Peri-Menopause and Menopause
For women, during peri-menopause and menopause, estrogen naturally declines, which can really accelerate bone loss, hence why so many people recite how important it is to “lift weights.” The body is beautifully adaptive — and movement is medicine.
Here’s what makes Bikram Yoga and Hot Pilates especially powerful during this transition:
They increase bone mass and muscular strength without the strain of heavy weights, especially on your joints.
They improve balance and coordination, reducing fall risk.
They support hormonal regulation, circulation, and mental clarity.
They create community and consistency, two of the strongest predictors of long-term health.
And when you add smart nutrition — like getting protein with every meal and maintaining vitamin D levels (40–60 ng/mL) — you create the perfect environment for your bones to thrive.
From My Heart to Yours
Of course, lifting weights is powerful and effective for bone health — there’s no denying that. Resistance training increases muscle mass and bone strength, and that’s a good thing.
What I’ve discovered through my own practice is that it’s not the only way. The same principles that make lifting effective — mechanical loading, muscle engagement, and consistent resistance — are built into every Hot Yoga and Hot Pilates class.
Every time you hold a balancing pose, lock your knee, or engage your core through a Pilates sequence, you’re applying force to your bones. That’s what keeps them strong and stimulated. The difference? You’re doing it in a way that’s low-impact, joint-friendly, and deeply mindful. So whether you lift weights, practice in the heat, or do both — the goal is the same: to keep your bones strong, your muscles active, and your body resilient through every stage of life.
Ready to strengthen from the inside out?
Come take a class with us at West Coast Sweat.
Your first class could be the start of stronger bones, a clearer mind, and a more vibrant you.