Six months ago, the only way you could find hot yoga in Billings was if youd taken an outdoor class over the summer.

Fast forward to today and organized classes in a room where the heats cranked up to 105 degrees and the humidity sits at around 40 percent at two studios in town are a hot topic in fitness circles.

I think Billings was just ready for it, said Lea Jacobson, the owner of Bikram Yoga Billings and one of four instructors there. This is a workout that just surprises everybody. Its a tough class and youre leaving knowing youve worked hard.

The idea behind hot yoga is to go through a routine based on traditional yoga poses in a room with what at first seems to be near-unbearable heat.

Instructors and practitioners tout it as a total workout with great benefits for the mind and body. They say it helps with focus, concentration, stress, flexibility, strength, balance, circulation and release of stored toxins.

Everything thats in here, its very healing, said Melissa Vuletich, owner and instructor at Sumits Hot Yoga Montana.

The two studios are relatively new. Bikram was the first, opening in October.

Popularized and pioneered in America in the 1970s by Bikram Choudhury, each class at the Billings studio, at 2049 Broadwater Ave., is 90 minutes and goes through 26 set postures and a pair of breathing exercises.

Each of the four instructors has at least 500 hours of training for certification before leading classes, which see a regular attendance of as many as 60 people, said Jacobson.

Eighteen years ago, Jacobson had surgery for thyroid cancer and for a lot of years, I didnt feel good. Shed done traditional yoga before and in early 2009, shortly after her son persuaded her to switch to a vegan diet, tried out Bikram.

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Hot yoga gaining steam in Billings