Bikram vs hot yoga: clearing up the confusion

People use "Bikram" and "hot yoga" as if they mean the same thing, and studios do not always help by using them loosely. The distinction is actually simple, and knowing it makes choosing a class much easier.

The short answer

Bikram is one specific style of hot yoga. "Hot yoga" is the umbrella term for any yoga done in a heated room. All Bikram is hot yoga, but most hot yoga is not Bikram. Put simply: Bikram is one named, standardized member of a much larger family of heated classes.

What Bikram actually is

Bikram yoga is a highly specific format created in the 1970s. Its defining features never change:

• A fixed sequence, always. The same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises — the "26 and 2" — in the same order, every class, everywhere.
• A set temperature. Around 105°F with 40% humidity. This is the hot end of the hot-yoga spectrum.
• A set length. Traditionally 90 minutes.
• A set script. Classically teachers used a memorized dialogue, so the class ran nearly identically from studio to studio.

The appeal is consistency: you can practice the identical sequence in any city and track your progress in the exact same poses over months and years. Explore Bikram studios if that structure appeals to you.

What "hot yoga" means

"Hot yoga" is not a single class — it is a category. It covers any yoga taught in a heated room, and the room can be anywhere from about 85°F to 105°F depending on the style. Under that umbrella you will find:

• Hot vinyasa — flowing, ever-changing sequences to music, usually 85–95°F.
• Hot power yoga — a stronger, more athletic flow.
• Yoga sculpt — heated flow with hand weights and cardio.
• Hot pilates — core-focused, low-impact work in the heat.
• Infrared hot yoga — heated by radiant panels rather than warm air.

So when a studio's schedule simply says "Hot Yoga," it is worth checking which of these they actually mean. Our types of hot yoga guide breaks all of them down, and you can compare every style near you.

Why the names get blurred

Two reasons the labels drift. First, plenty of studios teach the classic 26-and-2 style of postural yoga but call it "hot yoga," "26 and 2," or a house name instead of "Bikram" — partly to distance the class from the practice's founder, and partly because they tweak the sequence or temperature slightly. The class can feel nearly identical even when the sign on the door is different. Second, casual conversation just uses "Bikram" as shorthand for "any really hot yoga," which spreads the mix-up. When in doubt, read the class description or ask the front desk what the format and temperature are.

Which one is right for you

• Choose Bikram (or 26 and 2) if you like structure, predictability, and the same measurable sequence every time — and you are comfortable with the hottest room.
• Choose general hot yoga (vinyasa, power, sculpt, and friends) if you want variety, music, a cooler room, or a class that doubles as a workout.

You do not have to decide from the couch. Grab an intro offer, try a Bikram class and a hot vinyasa class in the same week, and let your body pick. New to all of it? Start with our beginner guide and beginner-friendly studios.

Common questions