Bikram yoga in New York is still easy to find, mostly in Manhattan, with a few options in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. Many studios now call it original hot yoga or 26&2. To certify as a teacher, you can train locally over several months or join a 6-day YogaFX intensive in Bali.
If you searched for Bikram yoga in New York, you probably want one of two things. Either you want a hot class this week, or you've practised for a while and teaching has started to cross your mind. This guide covers both. It shows how to find a real 26&2 class in the city, then compares local training with a six-day intensive led by Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500.
Where to Find Bikram Yoga in New York Today
Since 2019, very few New York studios still put the word "Bikram" on their door. The sequence didn't disappear, though. It moved under new names, so your search works better with the right terms. Try "26&2", "original hot yoga", "traditional hot yoga" or "hot 26" in Google Maps or a class booking app.
Manhattan
Most rooms for Bikram yoga in New York sit in Manhattan. You'll find long-running studios around Flatiron and Chelsea, on the Lower East Side, and on the Upper East Side.
Midtown has fewer dedicated rooms, so many Midtown workers commute a few subway stops to Chelsea or Flatiron before work. The oldest studios have kept the format through every name change, which tells you a lot about their commitment to the original sequence. Upper West Side and Harlem practitioners usually head across the park or downtown.
Brooklyn and Queens
Brooklyn has a smaller but loyal 26&2 scene, mainly around Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Park Slope. Queens options come and go, so check recent reviews before you travel. Bikram yoga in New York outside Manhattan looks a little different. More studios mix 26&2 with hot flow or hot Pilates on the same timetable. That's fine, but read the class description before you book.
Long Island and the Suburbs
Nassau County and parts of Westchester have studios that kept the full 90-minute class. Suburban rooms are often larger and quieter than Manhattan studios, which some practitioners prefer for a weekend class. Because these studios run fewer sessions each day, check the schedule for the times that suit you.
How to Tell an Original 26&2 Class From Generic Hot Yoga
"Hot yoga" in New York covers almost anything done in a warm room, and that's the main trap when you look for Bikram yoga in New York. So the name alone won't tell you what you're getting. Before you buy an intro pass, these four checks separate the original format from a modified one:
- Length. The original class is 90 minutes. Many New York studios also run 60 or 75-minute versions, which condense the sequence.
- Sequence. Look for 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in a fixed order. If the listing mentions flow, weights or music, it's a different class.
- Heat and humidity. The specification is about 40°C, or 105°F, at around 40 percent humidity. Ask the front desk for both numbers.
- Teacher training. Ask where the teacher certified, and look them up in the Yoga Alliance directory.
Our guide to finding an authentic Bikram yoga class expands each check into a full studio checklist. It works in any city, so keep it handy if you travel.
What Bikram Yoga in New York Costs and How Studios Price It
Bikram yoga in New York sits at the top end of US hot yoga pricing. Prices change often, so check each studio's website before you sign up. Most studios use the same three-part structure, though:
- Intro offers. Nearly every studio sells a discounted first week, first month or class pack. It's usually available once per person, so use it to test the room.
- Drop-in classes. The most expensive way to practise. It makes sense only if you take one class every week or two.
- Unlimited memberships. At three or more classes a week, a monthly membership almost always costs less per class than drop-ins.
Class booking apps can lower the cost for occasional practice. However, the original 90-minute class isn't always listed on them, even at studios known for Bikram yoga in New York. That's because some studios keep their 26&2 sessions for members only.
Why the 90-Minute Format Is Worth the Commute
The 26&2 sequence is demanding, and the research reflects it. A 2025 systematic review of 43 studies and 942 participants found consistent gains in flexibility, strength and well-being from hot yoga (Willmott et al., 2025). In short, the benefits show up across many different study groups, not just one.
A study at the University of Wisconsin measured about 333 calories for women and 460 calories for men per 90-minute class, at around 80 percent of maximum heart rate (Porcari et al., 2014). That's real cardiovascular work. So most teachers ask newcomers to build up slowly, and many New York practitioners settle at three or four classes a week.
Hot yoga involves sustained heat exposure and physical effort. Consult a healthcare professional before you start, especially if you are pregnant, have a heart condition or are new to exercise in heat.
Electric Heat in Manhattan vs Natural Heat in Bali
Every studio offering Bikram yoga in New York relies on mechanical heating, and that's simply the reality of a Manhattan building. Studios add humidity with systems of their own. As a result, the feel of the room varies a lot from one studio to the next, even at the same thermostat setting.
In Bali, the climate does that work instead. At YogaFX, classes run at around 40°C and 40 percent humidity from natural tropical heat, never electric heaters. Practitioners used to heated city studios often notice the difference in the air straight away. Because the conditions stay the same every day, the body also adapts faster during a week of daily classes.
This isn't a knock on New York studios. They deliver the same sequence and real physical benefits. The difference matters mostly to people planning to teach, because training in steady natural heat changes how quickly the sequence settles into your body.
Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in New York: The Local Route
New York has local routes into teaching, and they deserve a fair description. Most hot yoga trainings in the city are run by studios. They are usually 200-hour programmes spread over weekends across several months, with a weekly practice requirement.
Before you enrol in any of them, check one detail carefully. Several New York hot yoga trainings teach hot flow or a studio's own sequence, not the 26&2 dialogue. If you want to teach the original class, confirm that the course teaches the scripted dialogue word for word.
Training for Bikram yoga in New York locally has clear strengths. You keep your job and your apartment, you train with people from your own studio, and you finish with a local network. If you plan to teach in New York, that network can matter a lot.
The trade-offs are time and total cost. Months of weekends, on top of several weekly classes, take a serious bite out of a New York schedule.
The YogaFX Route: Program, Location, Schedule and Investment
Here's the same breakdown for YogaFX, so you can compare like with like. Mr. Ian Terry leads every training, and the format is hybrid. You study theory, anatomy and the dialogue online at home, then complete the in-person intensive in Bali.
| Detail | YogaFX teacher training |
|---|---|
| Program | Dual certification: Yoga Alliance RYT 200 plus a Bikram Hot 26&2 200-hour International Yoga Certification. Original 26&2 method, taught as scripted dialogue with no music and no demonstration. |
| Format | Hybrid. Online pre-course for theory, anatomy and dialogue study, then a 6-day in-person intensive. |
| Location | Soham Wellness Center, Seminyak, Bali. YogaFX studios in Seminyak and Canggu use natural tropical heat. |
| Next intake | Check-in Sunday 24 January, check-out Friday 29 January 2027. |
| Led by | Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, with 12,000+ teaching hours. |
Investment
| Package | Price (USD) | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Course Only | 1,999 | Online pre-course and the 6-day intensive. You arrange your own accommodation. |
| Twin Share | 1,999 | Course plus shared twin accommodation, Sunday 24 to Friday 29 January 2027. |
| Single Room Premium | 2,199 | Course plus a private room, same dates. |
A limited number of Early Bird places at US$1,899 are open, which is US$100 below the standard rate. A very low deposit holds your place, and the balance can be spread over interest-free monthly instalments from US$250. Meals and flights aren't included. For the full intake calendar, read our guide to Bikram yoga teacher training dates, cost and formats.
Side by Side: New York Weekends vs a 6-Day Intensive
The two routes solve different problems. Seeing them next to each other makes the choice clearer, whether you practise Bikram yoga in New York every day or only on weekends. Local details vary by studio, so check current figures with the school.
| Factor | Typical New York studio training | YogaFX 6-day intensive |
|---|---|---|
| Credential | Usually 200 hours; style varies by studio | Yoga Alliance RYT 200 plus Bikram Hot 26&2 200-hour certificate |
| Format | In person, mostly weekends | Online pre-course, then 6 days in Bali |
| Time to finish | Several months | Six days in person after online study |
| Time off work | Weekends plus weekday classes | About ten days including travel |
| Heat | Electric, varies by studio | Natural tropical heat, around 40°C and 40% humidity |
| Tuition | Ask the studio for current pricing | US$1,899 Early Bird, US$1,999 standard, US$2,199 single room |
Neither route is better for everyone. If you want months of local mentoring, the weekend route earns its length. If you want to certify inside one block of leave, a six-day intensive is built for that. A Yoga Alliance RYT 200 is also recognised by studios across many styles, so you aren't limited to heated rooms.
New York to Bali: The Practical Part
There's no direct flight from New York to Bali. Most itineraries connect once or twice through hubs in the Gulf, Europe or East Asia. Total travel time usually runs between 22 and 30 hours each way. Bali is 12 or 13 hours ahead of New York, depending on daylight saving time.
- Arrive early. Most New Yorkers land a day or two before the intensive to sleep off the jet lag. Extra nights can be added at the booking rate.
- Check entry rules. Most US passport holders use a visa on arrival or an e-visa for a short stay. Confirm the current rules for your passport before you book.
- Price flights first. Airfare often moves your total budget more than any tuition difference, so book early.
- Budget for food. Plan roughly ten days away, including travel, and allow for meals during the week.
What the Six Days in Bali Focus On
A six-day intensive sounds short, so it helps to know where the time goes. Because you've already studied theory, anatomy and the dialogue online, the in-person days go to practice and teaching. That's how a hybrid course fits 200 hours of material into one trip.
- Daily practice in natural heat. You take the full 90-minute 26&2 class in Bali's tropical climate, so the sequence settles into your body.
- Posture clinics. Mr. Ian breaks down alignment and the most common errors, posture by posture.
- Dialogue delivery. You practise teaching the scripted dialogue out loud and get direct feedback until it sounds like your own voice.
Graduates often describe the shift arriving between day two and day four, once heat adaptation completes and the class stops feeling like survival. It's also why the pre-course matters so much for anyone coming from Bikram yoga in New York with a full-time job.
Which Route Fits You
Train locally in New York if
- You plan to teach in the city and want a local network.
- You can commit several months of weekends and weekday classes.
- You can't take a week away from work or fly long-haul.
Choose the YogaFX six-day intensive if
- You have one block of leave, not months of free weekends.
- You want the original 90-minute 26&2 format, taught in natural tropical heat.
- You want two certificates from one trip, with tuition from US$1,899 to US$2,199 plus flights.
Whichever way you lean, run every option through our checklist for evaluating a Bikram yoga teacher training program. Comparing other cities too? See how Bikram yoga in Philadelphia and Bikram yoga in London compare with the same six days in Bali.
Training at YogaFX With Mr. Ian Terry
YogaFX is a Hot 26&2 yoga teacher training academy based in Bali, with studios in Seminyak and Canggu. Mr. Ian Terry founded it in 2017. He trained for five years, from 2014 to 2019, with Bikram Choudhury, the founder of the method. Since then he has taught more than 12,000 hours and certified over 1,500 graduates from more than 80 countries.
Mr. Ian is also a Master Trainer for the Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation, confirmed in June 2026. YogaFX graduates have won 12 medals in yogasana sport competition, which shows how far precise 26&2 training can go.
You don't have to take our word for it. YogaFX has 150 Google reviews, 50 Yoga Alliance reviews and 357 student video testimonials on the YogaFX YouTube channel. One graduate said the hybrid course worked around her full-time job. Another arrived nervous and left certified and confident. The video below shows a week of training in Bali.
Students who first practised Bikram yoga in New York often say the biggest surprise is the dialogue coaching. Mr. Ian works through delivery with trainees line by line, until the words feel like their own. That's also why graduates repeat the same advice: start learning the dialogue before you fly.
FAQ
Is there Bikram yoga teacher training in NYC?
Yes, several New York studios run hot yoga teacher trainings, usually over weekends across several months. Some teach hot flow rather than the 26&2 dialogue, so check the syllabus. To certify in one block, YogaFX offers a 6-day hybrid intensive in Bali with Yoga Alliance RYT 200 and Bikram Hot 26&2 certificates.
What is Bikram yoga called now?
Most studios now call it 26&2, original hot yoga, traditional hot yoga or Hot 26. The practice is the same: 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in a fixed order, for 90 minutes, in a room around 40°C. In New York, search those names to find the original class format.
Is Bikram yoga the same as hot yoga?
No. Bikram yoga is one specific style of hot yoga, with a fixed 26-posture sequence, a scripted dialogue and a 90-minute class. Hot yoga is a broad label for any yoga done in a heated room, including flow, sculpt and Pilates classes. Always check the class description before booking a session.
Is Bikram yoga still around in New York?
Yes. Bikram yoga in New York still runs daily, mostly in Manhattan, with smaller scenes in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. The name has changed at most studios, but the sequence hasn't. Look for 90-minute classes labelled 26&2 or original hot yoga, and ask about heat and humidity.
Who owns Bikram yoga now?
No single company owns the practice, and the sequence is not protected by copyright. YogaFX is independent training, not official Bikram Choudhury Teacher Training. It is a Hot 26&2 academy in Bali, led by Mr. Ian Terry, and graduates receive Yoga Alliance RYT 200 and Bikram Hot 26&2 certificates.
Still have questions? Message Mr. Ian and the YogaFX team on WhatsApp and we'll answer them personally, including whether the January 2027 Early Bird rate is still open.
