110 Hot Yoga — Local services in Durham

At 110 Hot Yoga Durham, the dress code is decidedly different. Forget flowing yoga pants and inspirational tank tops—students arrive in technical sports bras, moisture-wicking leggings, and performance fabrics that wouldn't look out of place at CrossFit. It's athletic minimalism at its finest: Lululemon Align leggings, Alo Yoga sports bras, Athleta tops chosen for function over Instagram aesthetics.

The wardrobe reflects the philosophy. Founded in 2015 by Cristina Max—a former PMA Certified Pilates instructor, licensed massage therapist, and E-RYT 500 who pivoted after hip surgery—110 Hot Yoga challenges every assumption about heated practice. "Passive stretching is outdated," Max declares, treating yoga more like physical therapy than spiritual journey.

The Renaissance Parkway location reinforces this clinical precision. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light, polished concrete floors gleam beneath exposed ceiling elements, and the front desk doubles as curated retail emphasizing performance over pretty. Students practice on purple mats against the industrial-chic backdrop, moving through sequences designed for "intelligent movement" rather than Instagram poses.

Classes run 95-105°F with extended warm-ups and deliberate cool-downs, concluding with Max's signature cool towelette ritual during savasana—a therapeutic touch signaling commitment to recovery as much as challenge. The family-friendly atmosphere welcomes all ages, though the approach skews toward practitioners seeking functional improvement over spiritual awakening.

The teaching philosophy centers on "The 110 Method"—sequences built around stability, alignment, and correcting muscular imbalances. Instructors provide exceptional clear cuing and remarkable asana variety, emphasizing proper positioning over extreme flexibility. Co-owner Summer Leverette's mantra: "A stable body is built through stable breath, creating a stable mind."

This isn't your typical hot yoga mill. Where competitors crank up space heaters, 110 Yoga invested in sophisticated heating systems maintaining consistent temperatures without stuffiness. The result feels more like working with a movement specialist than attending yoga class—exactly the point.

The retail component reflects this performance-first mentality. Rather than typical yoga boutique offerings, the shop emphasizes technical athletic wear suited to therapeutic practice: high-performance fabrics that move with the body, colors that hide sweat, cuts that stay put during inversions.

At $25 per class, pricing aligns with premium studios while the comprehensive approach—including amazing bathrooms with showers—justifies investment. The 4.9-star rating suggests students appreciate the no-nonsense approach.

Not everyone connects with clinical precision. Traditional practitioners seeking spiritual elements may find the therapeutic focus too methodical. The emphasis on functional movement over flexibility can feel limiting for deep-stretching devotees.

But for practitioners finding traditional hot yoga either insufficiently challenging or potentially harmful, 110 Hot Yoga offers compelling middle ground. The evidence-based approach attracts athletes, physical therapy patients, and anyone seeking yoga that translates to improved daily movement rather than just studio flexibility.

The aesthetic extends beyond fashion to philosophy: clean lines, purposeful movement, results-oriented practice. In a wellness landscape clouded by mystical language and questionable claims, Max's commitment to movement intelligence feels refreshingly grounded. Whether the deliberate approach appeals depends on what you're seeking—but for those prioritizing long-term physical health over short-term spiritual highs, this might...

1. A fervent commitment to student bodily autonomy and to disability inclusiveness. Cristina is passionate about it. It's a "your body your choice" atmosphere, and therefore a safe space for all people of all physical histories to build strength and flexibility. Instructors and managmenet all honour that you are the captain of your yoga-ship, and when they say "focus on your body, you don't have to be doing what I'm calling or what your neighbour is doing" they truly mean it.

2. This is not typical vinyasa flow yoga. This is strengthening, physiotherapy-informed, postural rehab yoga. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to build strength, reduce hyperflexibility, or explore a new movement modality that may or may not help with whatever pathologies you have going on. Give it a shot for a month and see what it does to your body, and know that if you're taking the classes and don't like something, you can totally modify or skip or do something totally different. I teach anatomy and physiology and am a yoga teacher with 10 years of experience, and still learned many new cool things from Cristina, Summer, Marie, Grace and the other excellent instructors.

3. Everyone is very kind and genuine, due I think in large part to the community values of decency, honesty, and respect for autonomy that Cristina embodies and spreads. Excellent management over a good-hearted and highly skilled set of teachers.

4. Sometimes there are...

I have taken a few classes at 110 Hot Yoga and each experience has been phenomenal. The studio is welcoming, clean and spacious.

Before visiting 110 Yoga I had never taken a Vinyasa Hot Flow class. I initially was apprehensive as I was not sure what to expect. However, my instructor, Summer, was amazing. She led the class in such a masterful way. She set an excellent pace for the class. It was challenging but approachable. Summer offered alternatives to poses for attendees at different levels. After my first class, I was hooked! I have attended more classes led by Summer and I highly recommend her as an instructor.

Overall, 110 Yoga is an amazing studio. I recommend taking a class no matter your skill level. The environment is inclusive of all levels and bodies. Also, the classes are extremely affordable and they even off free community classes from time to time. However, if the amazing environment, great instructors and affordable pricing isn't enough, the cool lavender infused towel you get at the end of each session (which after an hour of hot yoga is pretty euphoric) should make you want to experience all 110 Yoga...