Bikram yoga poses refers to the fixed sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises that make up every Original Hot 26&2 Yoga class, practiced in a room heated to roughly 40 degrees Celsius. If you are new to the practice and searching for what these poses actually are before your first class, this overview covers what to expect, why the sequence is built the way it is, and where to find the complete pose-by-pose breakdown once you are ready to go deeper.
Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500 and founder of YogaFX, has taught this exact sequence for more than 12,000 hours across studios worldwide. For a full technical reference with Sanskrit names, hold times, and the dialogue cues Mr. Ian uses in class, see our complete Bikram yoga asana reference. This page is the shorter, beginner-facing overview.
What the Poses Actually Are
The 26 postures are fixed, meaning the order never changes from class to class or studio to studio, provided the studio teaches the authentic sequence. Twelve poses make up the standing series, and the remaining postures make up the floor series, separated by a short Savasana rest. Each class runs 90 minutes and is led entirely through scripted verbal dialogue, with no music and no physical demonstration from the teacher. For the full definition of the format, heat, and history behind the practice, see what Bikram yoga is.
Why the Sequence Is Ordered This Way
Nothing in the sequence is arbitrary. Standing poses like Eagle Pose exist to lubricate the major joints before the cardiovascular demand of Standing Bow and Balancing Stick. The floor series follows a similar logic, alternating backbends like Camel Pose with their direct counterpose, Rabbit Pose, so the spine extends and then releases in a controlled cycle. Understanding this placement logic is one of the things that separates a practice session from a physiological system, and it is covered pose by pose, with the reasoning behind each placement, in the full asana reference.
What to Expect as a Beginner
Most first-time students underestimate the heat and overestimate how much flexibility they need on day one. The postures are the same for a first-timer and a thousand-class veteran. What changes is depth, not the pose itself. Practitioners who arrive skeptical of the heat commonly describe the shift happening between the second and fourth class, once heat adaptation sets in and the practice stops feeling like survival and starts feeling like training. Expect to modify almost every posture in your first few sessions, and expect that to be completely normal.
Sweating heavily during class does not detoxify the body. That job belongs to the liver and kidneys, which work continuously regardless of how much you sweat. What the heat does add, according to research, is a measurably higher cardiovascular training effect than the same postures performed at room temperature, since the heart works harder to cool the body while also holding the poses.
Benefits Backed by Research
A single 90-minute class burns approximately 333 kcal for women and 460 kcal for men at around 80 percent of maximum heart rate, according to a University of Wisconsin study on Bikram yoga’s cardiovascular demand. Separate research found a 20 percent increase in posterior chain strength alongside measurable flexibility gains over a consistent practice period. These are general findings from published research, not a guarantee for every individual, and anyone with a cardiovascular condition or who is pregnant should consult a healthcare professional before starting a heated yoga practice.
How to Start
Arrive early to your first class, bring more water than you think you need, and check our complete checklist of what to bring before you go. If you are drawn to the practice enough to want to teach it rather than just take classes, YogaFX‘s dual-certified programme with Mr. Ian Terry in Seminyak and Canggu, Bali covers the full sequence, the dialogue, and the reasoning behind every posture in depth.
FAQ
How many Bikram yoga poses are there?
26 postures plus 2 breathing exercises, always practiced in the same fixed order. See the complete asana reference for the full list with Sanskrit names and hold times.
Do I need to be flexible to start?
No. Every posture has a beginner-depth version, and the scripted dialogue gives the same cues to first-timers and advanced students alike. Flexibility is a result of consistent practice, not a prerequisite for starting.
Is a Bikram yoga class the same everywhere?
The 26-posture sequence itself is fixed, but studios vary in heat accuracy, instructor training, and whether they teach the authentic dialogue. YogaFX teaches the Original Hot 26&2 Yoga sequence with natural tropical heat rather than electric heaters.