Some gusmesters will say something about your breath along the way. Slow it down. Let the air out gently. In a room where nobody talks, that can be the only instruction you get.
It is not a technique you have to learn, and it is not a test. The heat, the scent, the music and the towel work are the gusmester's job. How you meet all of it is the part that stays yours, and the breath is the handle on it.
What the cue actually sounds like
Our gusmesters facilitate differently. Some hold quiet space and say almost nothing for a whole round. Others guide conscious breathing, a little meditation, a few words between the waves, because that is what they work with outside the sauna too. You will meet both kinds, and neither one is doing it more correctly.
When the cue comes, it is small. In through the nose. Out slowly. Stop chasing the heat.
Why it changes a hot round
The heat does not arrive evenly. The gusmester pours water on the stones, swings the towel, and it reaches you in waves. The first one can land on your ears and shoulders feeling especially sharp.
If you notice yourself taking short, fast breaths, your shoulders or jaw may tighten too. An unforced, slower out-breath can be one way to meet the wave, if it feels comfortable. The room is still hot and you never have to stay in it.
You may notice that you stop counting. The round can feel less like a countdown when you are not trying to force anything.
The practical version
If a cue suggests breathing in through the nose, try it if it is comfortable. Let the air out slowly, through your nose or mouth. A mouth exhale is fine if that is easier. Do not force it.
Let your shoulders drop and your hands open, if that feels good. You may find it gives you a little more room to sit with the heat, but there is nothing to achieve.
Sit lower if you want to. Heat gathers at the top of the room. The bottom bench is a real choice rather than a retreat, if it feels more comfortable.
You can always step out. If the heat becomes too much, leave the room. If you feel dizzy or unwell while you are inside, leave immediately and tell a member of staff.
There is nothing to do right
You can leave the room at any point in any round. You do not have to finish a round because it was scheduled. The room is dark, it is quiet, and nobody is sitting there watching you.
Do not go in if you feel unwell or dizzy, and tell staff if you or someone else needs help. That rule sits in our behaviour policy along with the showering and keeping the room calm. If you feel dizzy or unwell inside, leave immediately and tell staff. The rest of the practical detail is in our FAQ.
If you use the cold plunge after a round, rinse the sweat off in the shower first. Saunagus and the cold plunge: the right order explains the rest of the sequence.
Questions we get
Do I have to follow the breathing cues?
No. Some people follow every word, some sit with their own rhythm and let the music carry them. Both are fine, and the gusmester is not checking.
Nose or mouth?
If a cue suggests breathing in through the nose, try it if it is comfortable. On the way out, use whichever is easier. Breathing out through the mouth is fine if that feels better.
How long do I have to keep it up?
A round runs about 10 to 12 minutes, with roughly 10 minutes between rounds, three rounds in all. You do not need to hold a technique for the whole session. Between rounds, rinse the sweat off in the shower, cool down and start the next one fresh.
Is this breathwork?
Not in the sense of a dedicated breathwork class. Some of our gusmesters come from that world and bring a little of it with them, but a gus is a heat ritual with a soundtrack, not a breathing workshop. What is saunagus? covers the whole shape of a session.
Which session is easiest to breathe through?
Relaxed Gus moves slowest and is the one we point beginners at. Signature Gus builds through the middle round and lands soft again. If you are still choosing, Which gus suits you? walks through the differences.
Ready to book
Find a time in the schedule and let the first round do the explaining. Tickets and current prices sit on the pricing page, and if this would be your first time, Saunagus for beginners covers what to bring.