Bikram yoga classes run 90 minutes and follow one fixed sequence: 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, in a room heated to about 40°C. The teacher guides you by voice and doesn't demonstrate. To spot a genuine class, check the sequence, the heat, the length and the teacher's training.
Here's how to use that answer. This guide shows you how to read a timetable, which seven checks separate genuine Bikram yoga classes from a heated flow, and how to plan your first week. It also covers what the research shows and where to find our city guides.
What Counts as a Real Bikram Yoga Class
Studios label the same practice in different ways, so begin with the features that never change. Real Bikram yoga classes share all five, whatever the sign says.
- The sequence. 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, in one fixed order.
- The length. 90 minutes for the full class.
- The room. About 40°C (105°F) with roughly 40% humidity.
- The teaching. A scripted spoken dialogue. The teacher stands at the front and watches you instead of practising beside you.
- The feel. No music, no flowing links between poses, and no surprise postures.
Because the order never changes, you can walk into a studio in New York, Melbourne or Bali and know what comes next. That makes progress easy to see: you compare this week's class with last week's. For many long-term students, that steady yardstick is the whole appeal of Bikram yoga classes.
Same Class, Different Names
In 2015, a US appeals court ruled in Bikram's Yoga College of India v. Evolation Yoga that a sequence of postures can't be copyrighted. As a result, any trained teacher can offer the sequence, and many studios dropped the Bikram name.
So you'll now see Hot 26&2, 26 and 2 and Original Hot Yoga on timetables. Search under all of them. A studio called "Hot 26" may teach exactly what you want, while one with "hot" in its name may teach a flow class. The class description tells you more than the brand does.
7 Checks Before You Book Bikram Yoga Classes
Plenty of studios warm up a room and call the result hot yoga. That's a fair product, but it isn't the same practice. Run these seven checks before you pay for any pass of Bikram yoga classes. The studio website answers most of them, and a single message settles the rest.
- 1. The description names the 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. Words like "26&2", "Hot 26" or "Original Hot Yoga" are good signs. "Heated flow" on its own is not.
- 2. A 90-minute class is on the timetable. Short slots work as extras. The full class should still be listed.
- 3. The sequence is fixed. When every teacher "builds their own class", you're looking at another style.
- 4. The studio quotes its temperature and humidity. Look for both numbers, near 40°C and 40%.
- 5. Teachers use the dialogue. They guide by voice from the front, which lets them watch the whole room.
- 6. Teachers can name their training. Ask who trained them and where.
- 7. Beginners get a clear welcome. Staff should show you where to set up and say out loud that resting is allowed.
Read the Timetable Like a Buyer
Labels can mislead. Use this table to decode a timetable and to know what to ask before you pay.
| The timetable says | It usually means | Ask the studio |
|---|---|---|
| Bikram or Original Hot Yoga | The fixed 26&2 class | Is it the full 90 minutes? |
| Hot 26 or 26&2 | The same sequence under a newer name | Do teachers follow the dialogue? |
| Hot yoga or heated flow | A heated class where the order often changes | Is the sequence the same every time? |
| Express 60 or 30 | A shortened version of the class | Which postures or sets are cut? |
| Hot sculpt or hot pilates | Weights or pilates moves in a warm room | Not a Bikram class |
Red Flags That Point to a Different Style
Loud music, a teacher who demonstrates every pose, or postures that change each week point to another style. None of that makes a class bad. It only means these Bikram yoga classes aren't the fixed 26&2 practice you searched for.
Two Questions to Ask Before Joining Bikram Yoga Classes
A teacher shapes your experience more than the building does. So ask: "Where did you train?" and "How long have you taught this sequence?" Specific answers are a good sign. To go deeper on lineage and credentials, read how to find and verify an authentic Bikram yoga instructor.
How Long Are Bikram Yoga Classes? 90, 60 and 30 Minutes
The full class lasts 90 minutes. Most research studied that version, so it works as the benchmark for every other format. Here's how the options compare.
| Format | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 90-minute class | All 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, with the rests built in | Anyone who wants the full practice |
| 60-minute express | A trimmed version, usually with shorter holds or fewer sets | Busy weekdays, as an extra |
| 30-minute express | A very short version, so ask which postures it keeps | Quick top-ups once you know the full class |
| Online class | The dialogue at home, usually without the heated room | Travel weeks, or learning the order |
| Bali with YogaFX | Full 90-minute classes in natural tropical heat | Holidays, longer stays, or a path to teacher training |
Treat express Bikram yoga classes as top-ups, not replacements. Something has to give, so ask which postures a shorter class keeps.
Online Bikram yoga classes teach the order and the cues well. However, most homes can't reach 40°C, so the experience is milder. Our guide to Bikram yoga online compares free classes, livestreams and paid options.
What to Expect From Your First Week of Bikram Yoga Classes
No checklist beats a real visit. So treat your first week at any studio as a trial run. Book three Bikram yoga classes, ideally with two different teachers. Afterwards, ask yourself these three questions:
- Did the teacher see you? Good teachers learn names and check in on newcomers.
- Was the room steady? The heat should feel much the same each time.
- Did you want to return? That pull is the best sign you'll stay.
Three yeses mean you can commit to a longer pass. Otherwise, test the next studio on your list.
What Beginners Notice First in Bikram Yoga Classes
Expect the standing series to feel hardest, because it comes first and the room is at its hottest. It opens with Pranayama, a standing breathing exercise, then moves through balance and strength postures. After a short Savasana (a rest lying on your back), the floor series works the spine, with pauses between postures. A final breathing exercise closes the class.
For the minute-by-minute walk-through, read what happens in a Bikram yoga class. It also explains why the heat and the order matter.
Students often tell a similar story. One could not touch his toes on day one and left doing every posture fully. Another dreaded his first class, felt sure he wouldn't survive it, and then felt better than he had in years. Reviews like these are why we suggest judging a studio over several classes, not one.
What to Bring
- A large towel to cover your mat. You'll sweat more than you expect.
- A water bottle, and steady drinking through the day beforehand.
- Light, fitted clothes that let heat escape. Heavy cotton is a poor choice.
- A light meal two to three hours before, never a heavy one.
- Ten to fifteen minutes to check in and tell the teacher it's your first time.
How to Buy Bikram Yoga Classes Without Overpaying
Prices vary a lot by city, so we won't quote a figure here. The structure of the offer matters more than the number. Most studios sell Bikram yoga classes in the same four ways:
- Drop-in. Usually the highest cost per class, but there is no commitment.
- Intro offer. A free or discounted first class, or a short intro week. It's the best way to test a studio.
- Class pack. A set number of classes, often with an expiry date.
- Membership. Often the lowest cost per class if you attend weekly, but read the cancellation and pause terms.
So start with an intro offer, then buy a small pack once your three-class trial goes well. Commit to a membership only after you've seen the room in different weather and met at least two teachers. Also ask what is included, because mat and towel hire can add up over a month.
What the Research Says About Regular Bikram Yoga Classes
Students join Bikram yoga classes for fitness, flexibility, or 90 minutes away from their phone. Research gives an honest picture, but with limits. Most studies are small, and several ran for just eight weeks.
- Flexibility and strength. In a Colorado State University trial, ten adults did 24 Bikram classes in eight weeks. Their lower back and hamstring flexibility rose compared with an inactive control group (Tracy and Hart, PubMed).
- Energy use. Colorado State researchers measured about 460 kcal for men and 330 kcal for women in a 90-minute class, roughly a long brisk walk (university research summary, 2014).
- Mood. In a 2023 Massachusetts General Hospital trial, 59% of adults with depression in a heated yoga group halved their symptoms or better, against 6% on the waitlist (Nyer et al., PubMed).
- Anxiety. A 2022 trial found that hot yoga lowered state anxiety, meaning how anxious you feel right now (Hui et al., PMC).
- The wider picture. A 2025 systematic review of 43 studies and 942 participants reported gains in flexibility, bone density and general well-being (Willmott et al., PMC).
The Heat Is a Real Load
An ACE-sponsored study at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse tracked 20 regular practitioners through a full class. Heart rate averaged about 80% of predicted maximum for men and 72% for women.
Peak core temperature averaged 39.6°C for men and 38.9°C for women, and 7 of the 20 went above 39.4°C (ACE ProSource, 2015).
That's why resting is part of Bikram yoga classes and not a failure. A good teacher says so before you start. These results are encouraging, but they aren't a promise. If you're pregnant, or have a heart, blood pressure or other health condition, consult a healthcare professional before your first hot class. Two to three classes a week is a common starting point, and the studies above used a similar rhythm.
Bikram Yoga Classes Near You: City Guides
Searching for Bikram yoga classes near you usually gives a map of pins and not much else. Our city guides add what the map leaves out: the local scene, and how to vet a studio there.
| City | What the guide covers |
|---|---|
| New York | Bikram yoga in New York: where to practise and what to expect |
| Melbourne | Bikram yoga in Melbourne: studios by suburb and teacher training |
| Sydney | Hot yoga in Sydney: studios, training and the Bali alternative |
| London | Bikram yoga in London: how to choose a studio and what to check |
Your city isn't listed? Run the seven checks above on any studio you find. They work anywhere.
Bikram Yoga Classes in Bali With YogaFX
Our studios in Seminyak and Canggu run Bikram yoga classes in the full 90-minute format between 06:00 and 22:00 every day. Bali's tropical climate supplies the heat, near 40°C and 40% humidity, so there are no electric heaters. Teachers use the dialogue, and there's no demonstrating or music.
Classes are led by the team around Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, who has taught 12,000+ hours. He trained for five years, from 2014 to 2019, directly with Bikram Choudhury, the founder of the Bikram Hot 26&2 method. Since founding YogaFX in 2017, he has trained 1,500+ graduates from 80+ countries.
Students of our Bikram yoga classes speak for us: there are 150 Google reviews, 50 Yoga Alliance reviews and 357 video testimonials on YouTube. Want to try a class first? Ask for a Free Guest Pass on the YogaFX Bali studio website.
From Student to Teacher: The Soft Next Step
For some students, two Bikram yoga classes a week become five, and then a question: could I teach this? Our Bikram Hot 26&2 Yoga Teacher Training MasterClass answers it. The course is a hybrid, with online study first and then 6 days in Bali. Graduates earn Yoga Alliance RYT 200 plus a Bikram Hot 26&2 certificate.
- Next batch: 24 to 29 January 2027, at Soham Wellness Center in Seminyak.
- Price: US$1,899 Early Bird, against the standard US$1,999.
- Payment: instalments from US$250 a month, interest free, with a very low deposit.
Nothing here needs a quick decision. If you're curious, start with the 6-day Bikram yoga teacher training guide for dates, formats and costs, or try the readiness quiz to see where you stand.
FAQ
How long are Bikram yoga classes?
A full class lasts 90 minutes and includes all 26 postures, 2 breathing exercises and the built-in rests. Some studios also offer 60-minute or 30-minute express slots, which cut holds or sets. Pick the 90-minute class whenever your schedule allows, because that's the version researchers studied.
What is Bikram yoga called now?
Many studios now call it Hot 26&2, 26 and 2 or Original Hot Yoga. The shift followed a 2015 US court ruling that a sequence of postures can't be copyrighted. The class itself is the same: 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, 90 minutes, about 40°C, taught with a spoken dialogue.
What is the difference between hot yoga and Bikram yoga?
Hot yoga means any style practised in a heated room, and its sequence often varies. Bikram yoga is one fixed practice: 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, 90 minutes, about 40°C, taught by spoken dialogue. So every Bikram class is hot yoga, but most hot yoga isn't Bikram.
How much do Bikram yoga classes cost?
Prices vary by city and studio, so no single figure is reliable. Compare the drop-in rate with packs and memberships, and look for an intro offer. Many studios discount the first class or run an intro week. At YogaFX in Bali, new visitors can ask for a Free Guest Pass.
Are online Bikram yoga classes worth it?
Yes, as a supplement. Online sessions teach you the posture order and the dialogue cues, and they keep you practising while you travel. Few homes reach 40°C, so the experience is milder. Pair them with studio visits instead of dropping the heated room altogether.
Is Bikram yoga good for you?
Research suggests regular Bikram yoga classes may improve flexibility, mood and anxiety, though most studies are small. The heat is a real load on your body, so it isn't right for everyone. If you're pregnant or have a heart, blood pressure or other health condition, consult a healthcare professional first.
Still have questions? Message Mr. Ian on WhatsApp and the YogaFX team will answer you personally, or take the readiness quiz if teaching is on your mind.
