What Is Bikram Yoga? Meaning, 26 Poses, Benefits & Safety

About one in six American adults practiced yoga in 2022, according to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey. Plenty of them have walked into a heated studio, felt the air hit like an open oven door, and wondered what they had signed up for. Ten minutes in, the sweat is in your eyes and the floor series hasn’t even started.

So, what is Bikram / Hot Yoga, and why do people keep coming back to a room this hot? This guide gives you a straight answer. We explain the meaning, the rules that define a Bikram class, all 26 postures, what the research actually shows, and who should stay out of the hot room. We also compare Bikram with the modern hot yoga classes you’ll find in studios across the US and the UK, so you can pick the right class before you book.

Key takeaways

• Bikram is one fixed style of hot yoga; “hot yoga” covers many styles and temperatures.
• Studies in healthy adults show better flexibility, balance and leg strength, and early trials on mood are promising.
• Research has not shown that the heat makes yoga more beneficial than the same practice at room temperature.
• A 90-minute class near 105°F (40.6°C) can push core temperature close to levels linked with heat illness.
• Pregnant people and anyone with heart, blood pressure or other heat-sensitive conditions should get medical advice first.

New to yoga and want a steadier, non-heated foundation? You can join the waitlist for our planned 200-hour program in Goa, expected around mid-2027.

Bikram Yoga At A Glance

Feature	Bikram Yoga
Founder	Bikram Choudhury
Started	Early 1970s, California
Roots	Hatha Yoga; Choudhury credited his teacher, Bishnu Charan Ghosh
Postures	26 (24 asanas and 2 breathing exercises)
Room temperature	About 105°F (40.6°C)
Humidity	About 40%
Class length	90 minutes
Other names today	26 & 2, Original Hot Yoga, hot yoga
Best suited to	Healthy adults who tolerate heat well
Not suited to	Pregnancy, heart or blood pressure problems, and other conditions listed below

How We Researched This Guide

Inteyoga is a residential yoga school in South Goa, India, registered with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga School (RYS 200, RYS 300, RYS 500). Our founder-director, Dr. Ashutosh, is a physician, and our training brings classical yoga together with modern health knowledge. This article was prepared by the Inteyoga Editorial Team.

To write this guide, our team read the main peer-reviewed research on hot yoga, including a 2015 review of Bikram Yoga trials, a 2023 clinical trial from Massachusetts General Hospital, two University of Wisconsin-La Crosse studies on body temperature, and a 2025 systematic review covering 43 studies. We also studied the guides that currently rank for this topic.

We don’t teach Bikram or hot yoga classes, and we have no tie to any hot yoga brand. That lets us describe the benefits and the risks plainly. Every study we mention is listed in the Sources section at the end.

What Is Bikram / Hot Yoga? (Meaning)

Bikram Yoga is one specific style of hot yoga, and hot yoga is the umbrella term. Bikram uses one sequence, one temperature and one class length. Hot yoga is any yoga class held in a heated room, at any temperature, in any style.

An easy way to remember it: Bikram is a script, and hot yoga is a setting. In a Bikram class you get the same poses in the same order every time. In a hot yoga class the room is warm, but the class itself could be Vinyasa flow, Hatha, Yin or power yoga.

The range is wide. A 2025 systematic review in Sports Medicine Open defined hot yoga as any yoga done at 25°C (77°F) or warmer. A 77°F flow class and a 105°F Bikram class both count as hot yoga, yet they feel completely different in the body.

If a studio lists a class as “Bikram,” “26 & 2” or “Original Hot Yoga,” expect the fixed sequence. If it just says “hot yoga,” read the description, because the style, heat and length vary from studio to studio.

What Does The Name “Bikram” Mean?

“Bikram” is the first name of the style’s founder, Bikram Choudhury. The word doesn’t describe a technique or a Sanskrit yoga term. It is a brand name taken from a person, which is one reason many studios now prefer neutral names for the same sequence.

Where Did Bikram Yoga Come From?

Bikram Choudhury, an Indian-born yoga teacher, began teaching in heated rooms in California in the early 1970s. He said he based his sequence on the teachings of his own teacher, Bishnu Charan Ghosh of Kolkata (Calcutta). As with many modern yoga styles, accounts of exactly how the sequence was put together vary.

The style spread quickly through a nine-week teacher training. Every new instructor learned the same posture order and the same spoken class script, which made the method easy to copy. A 2015 research review noted more than 600 Bikram Yoga studios worldwide.

So Bikram Yoga is a modern, branded sequence from the 1970s. Its postures draw on older practice, but the system itself is not an ancient tradition.

Are Hatha And Bikram The Same?

No. Bikram Yoga comes from Hatha Yoga, but the two are not the same. Hatha Yoga is a broad branch of yoga, described in texts that are several centuries old, that works with the body, breath and energy.

Bikram is one modern sequence built from Hatha postures and performed in heat.

Think of Hatha as a whole language and Bikram as one fixed paragraph written in it. A Hatha class can draw on hundreds of postures, change its sequence, run at room temperature, and include breath work, relaxation and meditation.

A Bikram class uses 26 set postures in a hot room, always in the same order.

Feature	Hatha Yoga	Bikram Yoga
Age	Classical texts date back several centuries	Created in the 1970s
Sequence	Varies by teacher and tradition	Fixed 26 postures
Room	Usually normal room temperature	About 105°F (40.6°C)
Scope	Postures, breath, cleansing, relaxation, meditation	Mainly postures plus two breathing exercises

Also read: Hatha vs Yin Yoga: 9 Powerful Differences, Benefits & Poses

What Are The Core Characteristics Of Bikram Yoga?

Bikram Yoga is defined by strict rules about the sequence, the room, the time and the teaching. These 13 core characteristics are what make a class “Bikram” rather than general hot yoga.

1. The Sequence: the same 26 postures, always in the same order. Nothing is added, removed or swapped.
2. The Environment: the room is heated to about 105°F (40.6°C).
3. Humidity: humidity stays near 40%. Some studios lower the heat slightly on very humid days to balance the two.
4. Duration: a traditional class lasts 90 minutes.
5. Setup: studios traditionally use carpeted floors, a mirrored front wall and bright overhead lighting.
6. Rules: traditional classes have no music and no chatting between students, and students are asked to stay in the room for the whole class.
7. Two sets: most poses are done twice, so you get a second chance to go a little deeper.
8. Breathing bookends: every class opens with Standing Deep Breathing and closes with Blowing in Firm (Kapalbhati).
9. Standing, then floor: the class always moves from a standing series to a floor series.
10. Built-in rest: short rests in Savasana come between floor postures.
11. The dialogue: teachers deliver a set, memorized script of cues instead of improvising.
12. Certified teachers: traditional Bikram teachers completed the official nine-week teacher training.
13. One level for all: there are no “beginner” or “advanced” Bikram classes. Everyone does the same class at their own depth.

These rules are why a Bikram class in Los Angeles and one in London used to feel almost identical.

What Is Special About Bikram Yoga? (Key Characteristics)

Bikram’s appeal comes from the way its fixed format shapes the experience, more than from any single pose. These eight key characteristics explain why many people love it, and why others find it too rigid.

1. Progress is easy to measure. Because the poses never change, you can watch your Standing Head to Knee improve from one month to the next.
2. You don’t have to go upside down. The classic sequence has no headstands or handstands, which lowers the barrier for new students.
3. It is a whole-body routine. The series works the legs, hips, shoulders and spine through forward bends, backbends, side bends and a twist.
4. The mirror becomes your teacher. Watching your own alignment trains focus and self-correction.
5. It builds mental endurance. Staying calm in heat and discomfort is part of the practice.
6. It feels like cardio. The heat raises your heart rate, so many people describe Bikram as part yoga, part endurance session.
7. You can take it anywhere. Once you know the sequence, you can practice it at home or while traveling.
8. It turns into a ritual. The same script at the same time each week can feel steady and grounding, a bit like a moving meditation.

How Many Positions Are In Bikram Yoga?

There are 26 positions in Bikram Yoga: 24 asanas (postures) and 2 pranayama (breathing exercises). Most postures are done twice. Studios also use the name “26 & 2,” and counting styles differ, but the order below is the one most studios follow.

#	English name	Sanskrit name	Series
1	Standing Deep Breathing	Pranayama	Breathing
2	Half Moon	Ardha Chandrasana	Standing
3	Hands to Feet	Pada Hastasana	Standing
4	Awkward Pose	Utkatasana	Standing
5	Eagle Pose	Garurasana	Standing
6	Standing Head to Knee	Dandayamana Janushirasana	Standing
7	Standing Bow Pulling	Dandayamana Dhanurasana	Standing
8	Balancing Stick	Tuladandasana	Standing
9	Standing Separate Leg Stretching	Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana	Standing
10	Triangle	Trikanasana	Standing
11	Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee	Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana	Standing
12	Tree Pose	Tadasana (as named in this sequence)	Standing
13	Toe Stand	Padangustasana	Standing
14	Dead Body Pose	Savasana	Floor
15	Wind-Removing Pose	Pavanamuktasana	Floor
16	Cobra	Bhujangasana	Floor
17	Locust	Salabhasana	Floor
18	Full Locust	Poorna Salabhasana	Floor
19	Bow Pose	Dhanurasana	Floor
20	Fixed Firm	Supta Vajrasana	Floor
21	Half Tortoise	Ardha Kurmasana	Floor
22	Camel	Ustrasana	Floor
23	Rabbit	Sasangasana	Floor
24	Head to Knee with Stretching	Janushirasana with Paschimottanasana	Floor
25	Spine Twisting	Ardha Matsyendrasana	Floor
26	Blowing in Firm	Kapalbhati in Vajrasana	Breathing

A note on names: in many other styles, “Tadasana” means Mountain Pose and Tree Pose is called Vrikshasana. The Bikram sequence uses its own naming, so don’t be thrown if another teacher uses different words.

How Does Bikram / Hot Yoga Work?

Bikram / Hot Yoga combines held postures with outside heat. The heat raises your body temperature, speeds up your heart and makes your muscles feel looser. That extra physical stress is what makes the class feel so intense.

Here is what the research shows happening in the body:

• Body temperature rises. The 2025 systematic review found that a single hot yoga session raises body temperature.
• The heart works harder. In a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse study of a Bikram class, heart rates averaged 75% of predicted maximum.
• The class feels harder than it is. In a 2013 study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), people rated a hot class as tougher, yet their heart rate and core temperature were close to a regular class. That room was about 92°F (33°C), not 105°F.
• Muscles feel looser. Warm tissue tends to stretch more easily. That feels good, but it can also tempt you past a safe range.
• You sweat heavily. Sweat cools the skin. It doesn’t “flush out toxins.” Your liver and kidneys do the main work of clearing waste.

Why Is The Room Heated?

The heat was meant to recreate the warm climate of India and help the body move more freely. Supporters say warm muscles prepare you for deeper postures. So far, research hasn’t shown that the heat makes yoga more beneficial than the same practice at room temperature.

How Long Is A Bikram Yoga Session?

A traditional Bikram Yoga session lasts 90 minutes. Roughly 50 to 60 minutes go to the standing series, and about 30 minutes to the floor series, including short rests.

Some independent studios also offer 60-minute or 75-minute express versions of the same sequence. These usually do each posture once instead of twice. If you’re short on time or new to the heat, a shorter class is an easier start.

Plan for about two hours in total. That leaves time to arrive, set up, cool down and rehydrate afterward.

How Do You Practice Bikram Yoga?

You practice Bikram Yoga by following the teacher’s spoken cues through the full sequence, in order, without skipping ahead. The teacher usually speaks from a raised platform, and you follow along while checking your form in the mirror.

A traditional class runs like this:

1. Set up your mat and towel facing the mirror.
2. Standing Deep Breathing opens the class and steadies the breath.
3. The standing series covers balance, strength and stretching postures, most done twice.
4. A short Savasana lets you rest flat on your back.
5. The floor series covers backbends, forward bends and a twist, with rests in between.
6. Blowing in Firm (Kapalbhati) finishes the sequence with a forceful exhaling breath while kneeling.
7. A final Savasana lets your heart rate settle before you leave.

Tips for your first class:

• Arrive about 15 minutes early and tell the teacher you’re new.
• Set up near the door if you can. It’s often a little cooler there.
• Breathe through your nose when possible. It helps keep you calm.
• If you need a break, kneel or lie down on your mat rather than rushing out of the room.

Examples Of Bikram / Hot Yoga: Styles And Signature Poses

Common examples of hot yoga include 26 & 2, hot Vinyasa, hot Hatha, Moksha (Modo) Yoga, hot Yin and hot sculpt. Each one uses heat in a different way.

Hot yoga styles you’re likely to see on a studio timetable:

• 26 & 2 or Original Hot Yoga is the Bikram sequence taught under another name.
• Hot Vinyasa and hot power yoga are faster, flowing classes with sequences that change. Many general hot yoga rooms sit around 90 to 95°F (32 to 35°C).
• Hot Hatha uses slower, held postures in a warm room.
• Moksha Yoga, also known as Modo Yoga, grew out of Bikram and has its own set series.
• Hot Yin uses long, passive floor holds in mild heat.
• Hot sculpt and hot barre are fitness-style classes with light weights or barre moves.

Four signature Bikram postures give you a feel for the class:

• Awkward Pose (Utkatasana) is a squat-like hold done in three parts. It builds strong thighs and tests your stamina early on.
• Standing Bow Pulling (Dandayamana Dhanurasana) is a one-legged balance that combines a backbend with a forward reach. It takes balance and focus.
• Camel (Ustrasana) is a deep kneeling backbend. Many students find it the most intense pose in the class.
• Rabbit (Sasangasana) is a rounded forward fold with the crown of the head on the mat. It stretches the back of the spine after Camel.

Bikram Yoga Vs Modern Hot Yoga: What’s The Difference?

Bikram Yoga is a fixed system, while modern hot yoga is a flexible category. Bikram keeps one sequence, one temperature and one length. Modern hot yoga changes all three depending on the studio and the teacher.

Feature	Bikram Yoga	Modern hot yoga
Sequence	Fixed 26 postures, same order every time	Varies by teacher and studio
Room temperature	About 105°F (40.6°C)	Varies widely; many classes run around 90 to 95°F (32 to 35°C)
Humidity	About 40%	Varies, sometimes not controlled
Class length	90 minutes	Often 60 to 75 minutes
Movement	Held postures	Often flowing (Vinyasa), but can be held or passive
Teaching	Scripted “dialogue”	Teacher’s own cues and hands-on help
Music and lighting	Traditionally none, bright lights	Often music and dimmed lights
Flooring	Traditionally carpet	Often wood, rubber or vinyl
Best for	People who like routine and clear progress	People who like variety
Heat risk	Higher, due to heat and length	Lower to moderate, depending on temperature

If you’re trying heat for the first time, a shorter, cooler modern hot yoga class is a gentler start than a full 90-minute Bikram class.

Hot Yoga Vs Regular Yoga: Which Should You Choose?

Neither is better across the board. The right choice depends on your health, your goals and how well you handle heat. Current research doesn’t show that hot yoga gives greater health benefits than non-heated yoga.

Here are three practical examples:

• A healthy runner who wants to loosen tight hamstrings and enjoys a hard workout may like a hot class once or twice a week.
• Someone who sits at a desk all day and is new to exercise will usually learn the poses more safely in a non-heated beginner class first.
• Someone with high blood pressure or a heart condition should choose non-heated yoga and check with their doctor or GP before starting.

Classical yoga is much wider than postures. It includes breath work (pranayama), relaxation, meditation, ethical conduct and the study of the mind.

At Inteyoga, we approach yoga as an integrated discipline that includes the body, breath, mind and daily conduct. We don’t run Bikram or hot yoga classes. Our residential training in South Goa brings together Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Karma and Bhakti Yoga.

If you already hold a 200-hour qualification and want to go deeper into restorative practice, explore our Advanced TTC 300-Hour Integrated Restorative Yoga (Including Yoga Nidra, Chakra Sadhana, and Prana Vidya Intensive). It is a 43+2 day residential program taught in English, and the next batch runs from 13 December 2026 to 26 January 2027.

What Is Harder, Bikram Or Vinyasa?

It depends on what “hard” means to you. Bikram is usually harder on heat tolerance and endurance. Vinyasa is usually harder on upper-body strength and coordination.

Bikram holds postures in about 105°F (40.6°C) heat for 90 minutes, so the main challenge is staying steady, hydrated and calm. Vinyasa links poses together with the breath in a continuous flow. It often repeats Chaturanga, a low push-up, and adds arm balances and inversions, which demand more arm and core strength.

Many people who find Vinyasa easy struggle in their first Bikram class because of the heat. Others who are comfortable in Bikram find the arm work in Vinyasa tiring. A heated Vinyasa class combines both challenges.

What Is The Hardest Type Of Yoga?

No single style is the hardest for everyone. Ashtanga, Bikram, power yoga, Iyengar and Kundalini are the styles people most often call demanding, each for a different reason.

Style	Why people find it hard
Ashtanga (advanced series)	Fast, strict sequences with deep binds, arm balances and inversions
Bikram	Extreme heat and humidity for 90 minutes
Power yoga / hot power	High-intensity, fitness-style flows, often heated
Iyengar	Long holds with very precise alignment
Kundalini	Long, repeated movements and breath work that test mental stamina

The hardest style for you is usually the one that targets your weak spot, whether that’s heat, strength, flexibility, precision or patience.

Also read: Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series: Poses, Benefits & How to Start

Which Is The Gentlest Form Of Yoga?

Restorative yoga, Yin yoga, Yoga Nidra and chair yoga are among the gentlest forms of yoga. They sit at the opposite end of the scale from Bikram.

• Restorative yoga uses bolsters, blankets and blocks to support you in restful positions for several minutes each.
• Yin yoga uses long, quiet floor holds with little muscular effort.
• Yoga Nidra is a guided practice done lying down, often called “yogic sleep.”
• Chair yoga adapts postures so you can do them seated or with a chair for support.

These styles suit people who are recovering from illness or injury, managing stress, or simply want a calm practice without heat or strain.

Also read: What Is a Yoga Nidra? Meaning, Benefits, How It Works & 8 Easy Stages

What Are The Potential Benefits Of Bikram / Hot Yoga?

The most consistent benefits found in studies are better flexibility, balance and leg strength in healthy adults. Early research also suggests possible effects on mood, stress, heart health and bones, but those findings come from small or non-randomized studies. Each benefit below comes with an honest note on how strong the evidence is.

1. Greater Flexibility And Range Of Motion

A 2015 review by Hewett and colleagues, published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, reported improved lower and upper body range of motion in healthy adults who practiced Bikram Yoga.

Regular forward bends, backbends and side bends move the joints through a wide range, and warm muscles may stretch more comfortably. Evidence level: moderate, in healthy adults.

2. Better Balance

The same review found improved balance. That fits the class format, since much of the standing series is spent on one leg, in poses such as Standing Head to Knee, Standing Bow Pulling, Balancing Stick and Toe Stand. Better balance becomes more useful with age. Evidence level: moderate.

3. Stronger Legs

Holding Awkward Pose, Eagle and the one-legged balances asks your thighs, hips and calves to work for long stretches. The Hewett review listed better lower-body strength among its findings. Evidence level: moderate.

4. Lower Symptoms Of Depression

A 2023 randomized controlled trial led by Massachusetts General Hospital, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, tested 90-minute Bikram-style classes in a 105°F (40.6°C) room for adults with moderate-to-severe depression.

Among the 65 people analyzed, 59.3% of the yoga group saw their symptoms drop by at least half, compared with 6.3% of the waitlist group.

The authors called for more research comparing heated and non-heated yoga. Evidence level: promising but early. Hot yoga is not a substitute for medical care.

Clinical guidelines, such as the UK’s NICE guideline on depression in adults (NG222), recommend evidence-based treatments such as psychological therapies and, for some people, antidepressant medication. If you’re living with depression, talk to your doctor or GP before relying on any exercise program.

5. Less Perceived Stress And More Mindfulness

Non-randomized studies in the Hewett review suggested improvements in perceived stress and mindfulness. Holding still in the heat, with your attention on your breath and the mirror, may train the mind to stay calm under pressure. Evidence level: preliminary.

6. Possible Heart And Blood Vessel Benefits

Some small studies reported changes in blood lipids and arterial stiffness. The 2025 systematic review found that regular hot yoga appeared to produce cardiometabolic benefits, but noted that many studies lacked strong designs. Evidence level: preliminary.

7. Possible Effects On Blood Sugar

Some non-randomized Bikram studies listed better glucose tolerance as a possible benefit. If you have diabetes, don’t use hot yoga to manage blood sugar without medical advice, since heat and sweating can also affect glucose and hydration. Evidence level: preliminary.

8. Possible Support For Bone Density

Bone mineral density appeared among the possible benefits in early studies, likely linked to regular weight-bearing standing postures. Evidence level: preliminary.

9. Focus, Discipline And Routine

This one comes from student experience rather than lab data, but it matters. A fixed, demanding routine can build self-discipline and the habit of showing up. Many students say the rest of their day feels easier after 90 minutes in a hot room. Evidence level: based on student reports, not trials.

Overall, hot yoga may help with flexibility, balance, strength and mood. There isn’t yet good evidence that the heat makes these benefits bigger than the same yoga in a normal room.

Is Bikram Yoga Actually Good For Your Spine?

Bikram Yoga may improve spinal flexibility in healthy people. However, there is little direct research on spine health, and some postures can strain an injured back or neck.

The sequence moves the spine in several directions. Cobra, Locust, Bow and Camel bend it backward. Hands to Feet and Rabbit fold it forward. Half Moon bends it sideways, and Spine Twisting rotates it.

Supporters often say this “works the whole spine.” Studies show better range of motion overall, but they haven’t measured long-term spine health directly.

Take extra care if you have:

• a disc problem, because deep forward folds can increase pressure on a bulging or herniated disc
• spondylolisthesis or facet joint pain, because deep backbends like Camel and Full Locust may aggravate it
• neck problems, because Rabbit puts weight near the top of the head and Camel can strain the neck if the head drops back hard

Heat can make you feel more flexible than your spine can safely handle. If you have back pain, see a doctor or a physiotherapist (physical therapist in the US) first, and ask the teacher for gentler options.

Do You Lose Weight Doing Bikram Yoga?

You may lose some weight over time, but most of the weight you lose in a single class is water from sweating, and it comes back once you drink. The heat doesn’t melt fat.

A San Diego State University study of 26 adults classified a 90-minute Bikram class as light-to-moderate exercise, with most postures in the light range. Over weeks and months, that can support weight loss alongside balanced eating, good sleep and other activity. If weight loss is your main goal, choose the exercise you’ll actually keep doing week after week.

What Are The Long-Term Effects Of Bikram Yoga?

Nobody knows the long-term effects well yet, because most studies follow people for weeks or a few months, not years.

Programs lasting several weeks to a few months suggest better flexibility, balance and leg strength in healthy adults. They also hint at improvements in mood, stress and some heart and metabolic markers.

Several questions are still open. Researchers don’t yet know whether these gains last over many years, whether years of practice in high heat carry hidden risks, or whether repeating the same deep stretches for years leads to joint overuse or loose ligaments in some people.

The 2025 systematic review called for better-designed, longer studies. Until then, treat long-term practice like any demanding exercise. Listen to your body, mix in other activity, and talk to your doctor about any pain that doesn’t go away.

What Do Doctors And Research Say About Hot Yoga?

Doctors and researchers generally see hot yoga as a reasonable option for healthy adults who hydrate well. They don’t see it as a proven treatment, and they don’t consider it suitable for everyone.

Experts quoted by Live Science, for example, advise people with high blood pressure, diabetes or heart conditions to avoid it, and note that heat can worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) lists hot yoga and hot Pilates among activities to avoid during pregnancy.

Here is what the main studies found:

Study	Year	What it looked at	Main finding
Hewett et al., Evid Based Complement Alternat Med	2015	Review of Bikram Yoga trials	Better strength, range of motion and balance in healthy adults; other benefits possible but unproven; lack of large randomized trials
Nereng, Porcari et al., ACE ProSource	2013	20 healthy adults, 60-min class at about 92°F (33°C)	Core temperature and heart rate similar to a regular yoga class; the hot class felt harder
Quandt, Porcari et al., UW-La Crosse / ACE	Published 2015	Bikram class at about 105°F (40.6°C), 90 min	Average core temperature rose to 103.2°F (39.6°C); one participant reached 104.1°F (40.1°C)
Nyer et al., J Clin Psychiatry (MGH)	2023	80 adults with moderate-to-severe depression, 8 weeks	Greater drop in depression symptoms than the waitlist group
Willmott et al., Sports Medicine Open	2025	Systematic review of 43 studies, 942 participants	Promising benefits; claims that hot yoga beats other yoga or exercise are unsubstantiated; case reports of ill health

The 2025 review is the most complete look so far. Bikram was the most common form of hot yoga studied, and about three in four participants were women. The authors said hot yoga deserves more research, but the idea that it beats other yoga or regular exercise isn’t supported at present.

In short, treat hot yoga as a demanding form of exercise that some people enjoy, not as a medical treatment.

Is Bikram / Hot Yoga Safe?

For healthy adults who drink enough water and listen to their bodies, moderate hot yoga is generally well tolerated. Very hot classes like Bikram carry a real risk of overheating, so the room temperature matters a great deal.

Two University of Wisconsin-La Crosse studies, funded by ACE, show the difference:

• In a 60-minute hot yoga class at about 92°F (33°C), healthy, fit adults stayed within safe limits. The highest core temperature recorded was 102.4°F (39.1°C).
• In a 90-minute Bikram class at about 105°F (40.6°C) and 40% humidity, the average core temperature reached 103.2°F (39.6°C). Seven people went above 103°F (39.4°C), and one reached 104.1°F (40.1°C). The researchers noted that heat-related illness can occur at around 104°F (40°C).

The researchers advised teachers and students to learn the signs of heat illness and to drink water before, during and after class.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Hot Yoga?

The main disadvantages of hot yoga are the risk of overheating, dehydration and overstretching, and the fact that it doesn’t suit many people. Here are nine drawbacks to weigh up:

1. Very hot classes can push your core temperature close to unsafe levels.
2. Heavy sweating can leave you dehydrated, light-headed or crampy.
3. Warm muscles can hide the limits of your joints and ligaments, which raises the risk of overstretching.
4. Pregnancy and many heart, blood pressure and nerve conditions make heat risky.
5. Research hasn’t shown that the heat makes yoga more effective.
6. A 90-minute class plus travel and recovery can take up most of an evening.
7. The same sequence every class can feel repetitive if you like variety.
8. Most classes focus on postures, with little time for meditation, philosophy or deep relaxation.
9. Carpeted, heated rooms can hold odors and moisture if the studio isn’t cleaned well.

What Precautions Should You Take In Hot Yoga?

The most important precautions are to hydrate well, build up slowly, respect your limits and stop at the first sign of overheating. These nine steps help keep hot yoga safe:

1. Drink water steadily through the day, sip during class, and replace both water and salts afterward.
2. Eat a small snack 2 to 3 hours before class. A full stomach and heat don’t mix well.
3. Start with shorter or cooler classes before attempting a full 90 minutes at 105°F (40.6°C).
4. Rest in Child’s Pose or Savasana whenever you need to, even if the room is quiet and strict.
5. Work at about 70 to 80% of your maximum stretch. Sharp, pinching or joint pain means back off.
6. Keep a slight softness in your knees rather than forcing them locked, and take backbends and Rabbit gently if you have any spine or neck issues.
7. Tell the teacher about any medical condition, injury, pregnancy or regular medication before class starts.
8. Stop, sit down, sip water and tell the teacher if you feel dizzy, sick, confused or unusually tired, get a worsening headache or cramps, or stop sweating.
9. Skip alcohol and saunas on the same day. Both add to dehydration and heat stress.

Who Should Not Do Bikram Yoga?

People who are pregnant, have heart or blood pressure problems, diabetes or multiple sclerosis, have a history of heat illness, or take medicines that affect sweating or heart rate should not do Bikram Yoga without medical advice. The same groups are generally not suited to any hot yoga.

Group	Why caution is needed
Pregnant people	ACOG advises avoiding hot yoga in pregnancy; speak to your doctor or midwife
Heart conditions	Heat places extra strain on the heart and blood vessels
High or low blood pressure	Heat and quick position changes can cause dizziness or fainting
Diabetes	Heat and sweating can affect blood sugar and hydration
Multiple sclerosis	Heat can temporarily worsen symptoms
History of heat illness or fainting	Higher risk of it happening again
Certain medications	Some drugs affect sweating, heart rate or fluid balance
Recent injury or surgery	Heat can encourage overstretching tissue that is still healing
Eye conditions such as glaucoma	Head-down postures may raise eye pressure

If you’re unsure, start with a non-heated beginner class. You can always add heat later, once you know the poses and how your body responds.

Also read: What Is Therapy Yoga? Meaning, 8 Uses, Benefits & How It Works

Is Bikram Yoga OK For Beginners?

Yes, Bikram Yoga can be OK for healthy beginners. The poses are simple and there are no inversions, but the heat makes it harder than a normal beginner class. Most teachers suggest one of two paths.

If you’re healthy and used to exercise, you can go straight into a full class. Rest often and make staying in the room your only goal.

If you’re new to exercise or unsure about heat, build up instead. Learn basic postures in a non-heated class first, then try a shorter or cooler hot class.

The fixed sequence helps beginners. You hear the same cues every class, so you learn the poses quickly and can see your own progress.

How Many Times A Week Should You Do Bikram?

Two or three Bikram classes a week, with a rest day in between, is a good target for most people. That gives your body time to adapt to the heat and recover.

In the 2023 Massachusetts General Hospital depression study, participants were asked to attend at least twice a week, and even those who went less often still improved.

Experienced, healthy practitioners sometimes go four or more times a week, but more isn’t always better. Watch for signs of overtraining, such as constant tiredness, poor sleep or joint pain that lingers.

What Should You Wear In Bikram Yoga?

Wear light, fitted, moisture-wicking clothes, such as shorts or close-fitting leggings with a sports top or sports bra. Loose cotton soaks up sweat, gets heavy and slides around in balancing poses.

Bring a large towel to cover your mat for grip, a small towel for your face and hands, a water bottle (an insulated one keeps water cool), and a change of clothes for afterward.

Most people practice barefoot. Skip lotions and oils before class, since they make your hands and feet slippery.

Do I Need To Wear A Bra During Yoga?

No, a bra isn’t required, but most women find a supportive sports bra more comfortable, especially in hot yoga.

Choose a sweat-wicking, low-to-medium support bra without underwire or thick padding, which can trap heat and dig in during floor postures. Wear whatever lets you move and breathe without thinking about your clothes.

Why Is It No Longer Called Bikram Yoga, And What Is It Called Now?

Many studios dropped the Bikram name after serious allegations against its founder and a 2015 US court ruling that the sequence couldn’t be copyrighted. Today, the same sequence is usually called “26 & 2,” “Original Hot Yoga,” or simply “hot yoga.”

Two events drove the change. First, Choudhury tried to claim copyright over his sequence. In 2015, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in Bikram’s Yoga College of India v. Evolation Yoga that a sequence of yoga postures is a system or process, not a protected creative work. That means any teacher may legally teach it.

Second, Choudhury faced several civil lawsuits from former students and staff alleging sexual harassment and assault. He denied the claims. In 2017, a Los Angeles judge issued a warrant for his arrest over an unpaid $6.8 million judgment won by his former legal adviser, and by then he had left the United States. A 2019 Netflix documentary, Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator, brought wider attention to the case. Many studios removed his name afterward.

Some studios still use the Bikram name. Either way, you can practice the 26-posture sequence at many independent studios that have no link to Choudhury.

Conclusion: Is Bikram / Hot Yoga Right For You?

So, what is Bikram / Hot Yoga? Bikram is a strict, 90-minute sequence of 26 postures in a room near 105°F (40.6°C). Hot yoga is the wider family of heated classes, from gentle Yin to fast power flows. Both can build flexibility, balance and strength, and early research on mood is encouraging. The heat adds real physical stress, though, and science hasn’t shown that it makes yoga more beneficial.

If you’re healthy and enjoy intensity, a well-run hot class can be a rewarding challenge. Start slowly, drink enough water and respect your limits. If you want to understand yoga beyond the postures, including breath, relaxation and the mind, a non-heated, integrated practice may give you more.

Have questions about how our training works? Read our Inteyoga FAQ or apply for the 300-hour program. The 300-hour program follows our Gift-it-Forward model: no payment is required to apply or to participate. After completing the program, participants may voluntarily support the initiative to help future aspirants, with no obligation to contribute.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)