The question "Is Bikram yoga still popular?" has two different answers depending on which part of it you are asking about: the brand name or the practice. The short version: the name has declined. The practice has not.
The 26-posture sequence itself is still widely taught — just without the Bikram name attached. In March 2026, alivestudios.fit published this as the most accurate one-sentence summary of the current state. This article provides the data, the context, and the evidence behind it. To understand the modern, community-led revival of the 26-and-2 method, one must analyze the Bikram yoga documentary and its impact on shifting student demographics.
Yes, Bikram yoga is still popular in 2026. Newsweek reported in March 2025 that approximately 36 percent of American yoga practitioners engage in hot yoga. The 2025 Willmott systematic review (PMC12488547) analysed 43 studies covering 942 participants — the most comprehensive hot yoga research review ever published. The Harvard MGH 2023 depression RCT produced the strongest mental health evidence for any yoga format.
The 26-posture sequence is practiced in hundreds of studios globally under names including 26 and 2 yoga, original hot yoga, and hot 26 and 2. bikramyoga.com — the original domain — is now active under new ownership (KPC Group, acquired March 2023) as an Original Hot Yoga programme. The name "Bikram yoga" has declined; the practice has not.
Why Is It No Longer Called Bikram Yoga?
Stage 1: Post-2019 Community Rebranding
The 2017 Netflix documentary about Bikram Choudhury's conduct accelerated a rebranding wave across the studio network. Most studios that had operated under the Bikram Yoga franchise or brand name dropped it and adopted alternatives — primarily 26 and 2 yoga, original hot yoga, and hot 26 and 2. This was a community-driven decision by individual studio owners, not a centralised institutional change.
The community's motivation is well-documented in the Reddit r/yoga thread (160 or more comments): "The practice and community are much greater than the man himself." Practitioners and studio owners chose to separate the practice from its founder's name while retaining the practice itself. With independent studios thriving through a decentralized network, analyzing the current state of Bikram yoga in 2026 reveals a highly resilient global community.
Stage 2: KPC Group Acquisition (March 2023)
In March 2023, the Bikram Yoga brand name was acquired by KPC Group, a US healthcare company expanding its KPC Lyfe holistic health initiative. The bikramyoga.com domain — the original institutional home of Bikram yoga — now operates as an Original Hot Yoga programme under this new ownership. The "Bikram Yoga" trademark is now owned by a corporate entity, not by Choudhury or his former organisation.
Most established studios had already rebranded to 26 and 2 or original hot yoga terminology before this acquisition, making it largely irrelevant to the teaching community — but significant for the institutional history of the name. The practice is unaffected. The 2015 US Ninth Circuit ruling established that yoga sequences cannot be copyrighted. Any certified instructor can teach the 26-posture sequence under any descriptive name without licensing obligations.
Does Anyone Still Do Bikram Yoga?
Yes. Tens of thousands of practitioners globally practice the 26-posture sequence daily. The r/bikramyoga subreddit has 25,000 or more members with active daily discussion. The Medium article by Pamela Hilliard Owens reflects the practitioner perspective: "Why (Bikram) Original Hot Yoga is Still My Favorite Practice — still very popular and has tens of thousands of faithful practitioners worldwide." This is a practitioner account, not a marketing claim.
The global competitive landscape continues to thrive under unified standards, a trend clearly reflected in the growth data of the World Yogasana Sport Championship 2026.
evolationyoga.com (February 2023) states correctly that the practice "is becoming increasingly popular due to its health benefits, wide range of poses, and accessibility." The Quora question "Why do so many people do Bikram Hot Yoga?" reflects the fact that large numbers of people continue seeking it out.
The Popularity Data in 2026
Practitioner Numbers
Newsweek reported in March 2025 that approximately 36 percent of American yoga practitioners engage in hot yoga. With approximately 36 million yoga practitioners in the United States, this represents roughly 13 million Americans who practice some form of hot yoga regularly.
Studio Count
yogaismedicine.com (December 2021) reported that well over 50 percent of Bikram yoga studios in the United States had closed since spring 2020. This closure rate reflects three compounding factors: the post-2019 controversy reducing demand for explicitly Bikram-branded studios, COVID-19 lockdowns disproportionately affecting heated studios, and rebranding — many studios that appear to have "closed" actually continued under new names. By 2026, the landscape has stabilised. Most studios that survived the 2020 to 2022 period have established identities under 26 and 2 or original hot yoga branding.
The Research Indicator
| Year | Research Development |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Tracy and Hart, Colorado State University (PubMed: 23438366): 20 percent strength increase, flexibility and body composition at 8 weeks |
| 2014 | Porcari et al., University of Wisconsin (PubMed: 24700459): 333 to 460 kcal per session, 80 percent max HR — direct measurement |
| 2015 | Hewett et al. systematic review (PMC4609431): "Bikram yoga is a popular, standardized system of hatha yoga" — cited 52 or more times |
| 2019 | Netflix documentary released — predicted by some to end the practice |
| 2023 | Harvard MGH randomised controlled trial (PubMed: 37883245): 60 percent of participants reduced depression by 50 percent or more — strongest mental health evidence for any yoga format |
| 2025 | Willmott et al. systematic review (PMC12488547): 43 studies, 942 participants — the most comprehensive hot yoga research review ever published |
What Is Bikram Yoga Called Now?
| Name | Who Uses It | Geography |
|---|---|---|
| 26 and 2 yoga | Most widely adopted alternative globally | North America, Australia, UK — highest adoption rate |
| Original hot yoga | OHYA-affiliated studios and now bikramyoga.com (KPC Group) | US, Canada, UK, Australia |
| Hot 26 and 2 | Hybrid naming — some studios | Mixed, particularly US and Europe |
| Bikram yoga | Studios outside North America; historically-oriented practitioners | Asia, parts of Europe — lower rebranding pressure |
| Original 26 and 2 Hot Yoga | YogaFX and similar direct-lineage programmes | International — emphasises both lineage and heat environment |
The 2026 State of the Practice
| Indicator | Direction in 2026 | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Name recognition | Declining for "Bikram," growing for alternatives | "26 and 2" and "original hot yoga" are now primary descriptors in AI Overviews and studio marketing |
| Practitioner numbers | Stable to growing as hot yoga category | 36 percent of American yoga practitioners do hot yoga (Newsweek 2025) |
| Studio count | Stabilised post-2022 under new names | 50 percent+ US closures by 2021, then rebranding and stabilisation. New studios opening. |
| Research output | Growing — most comprehensive review published 2025 | Willmott 2025 (43 studies, PMC12488547), Harvard 2023 RCT — both post-controversy |
| Institutional status | Changed — KPC Group ownership of bikramyoga.com | KPC Group acquired brand March 2023. bikramyoga.com now operates as Original Hot Yoga programme. |
| Teacher training demand | Active globally | Multiple approved programmes; YogaFX graduates from 80 or more countries annually |
The Honest Assessment
Is the Bikram Yoga brand still popular? Less so than in 2015. The name carries associations that many practitioners, studios, and corporate wellness buyers prefer to avoid. The brand name is now owned by a healthcare company rather than a yoga community.
Is the practice — the 26-posture fixed sequence in heat — still popular? Yes, clearly. The practitioner base, the research investment, the studio activity, and continued community engagement all indicate a practice that survived a severe institutional challenge and continues because it delivers the outcomes it has always delivered. alivestudios.fit (March 2026) states it correctly: "The 26-pose sequence itself is still widely taught — just without the Bikram name attached."
FAQ
Is Bikram yoga still practiced in 2026?
Yes. The 26-posture sequence is practiced daily in hundreds of studios globally, most operating under names like 26 and 2 yoga, original hot yoga, and hot 26 and 2. The bikramyoga.com domain now operates as an Original Hot Yoga programme under KPC Group ownership (acquired March 2023). Hot yoga is practiced by approximately 36 percent of American yoga practitioners (Newsweek, March 2025). The 2025 Willmott systematic review of 43 studies is the strongest research endorsement the practice has ever received.
Why is it no longer called Bikram yoga?
Two reasons. First, following the 2017 Netflix documentary about Bikram Choudhury's conduct, most studios voluntarily rebranded to separate the practice from its founder. Second, the Bikram Yoga trademark was acquired by KPC Group in March 2023. The practice itself is unchanged — the 2015 US Ninth Circuit ruling established that yoga sequences cannot be copyrighted, so any certified instructor can teach the 26-posture sequence freely. The name has changed; the practice has not.
What do they call Bikram yoga now?
The most common current names: 26 and 2 yoga (most widely adopted in North America, Australia, and UK), original hot yoga (OHYA-affiliated studios and the KPC-operated bikramyoga.com), hot 26 and 2, and in some markets outside North America, Bikram yoga is still used. YogaFX uses "Original 26 and 2 Hot Yoga" to reflect both direct lineage and natural heat environment. The practice — 26 postures in a fixed sequence at 40 degrees Celsius — is identical regardless of the name used.
Why do people still practice Bikram yoga despite the controversy?
Because the practice produces documented health outcomes that are independent of the founder's conduct. The Tracy and Hart (2013) study documented 20 percent strength increase. The University of Wisconsin 2014 study measured 333 to 460 kcal per session at 80 percent of maximum heart rate. The Harvard MGH 2023 RCT documented 60 percent of participants with moderate to severe depression reducing symptoms by 50 percent or more. The Willmott 2025 systematic review confirmed these outcomes across 43 studies and 942 participants. The Reddit community summary: "The practice and community are much greater than the man himself."
Which celebrities practice Bikram or hot yoga?
Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, and Lady Gaga have all been publicly associated with the practice. The Rockettes have used it as part of their training programme. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar credited the practice with extending his NBA career. Andy Murray incorporated hot yoga into his Wimbledon preparation. These endorsements reflect the practice's documented benefits for both general wellness and elite athletic performance, and they predate and survive the post-2019 rebranding.
Is Bikram yoga coming back?
It never went away. The name changed; the practice did not. bikramyoga.com is now active again under KPC Group as an Original Hot Yoga programme. The 2025 Willmott systematic review represents the most comprehensive research endorsement the practice has ever received. The teacher training community continues to certify new instructors globally. The accurate framing: Bikram yoga evolved institutionally and is now more research-supported than at any previous point in its history.