Original hot yoga is the fixed 26 and 2 hot yoga class. You do 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, always in the same order, for 90 minutes. The room sits at about 40°C and 40% humidity. “Original” tells you nobody has changed the sequence. On a UK timetable, it usually means the class once called Bikram yoga.
Maybe you’ve seen “Original Hot”, “Hot 26” and “Bikram” on three studio websites in one town. If so, you’re mostly looking at one practice with three labels. This guide explains what the original hot yoga label promises and why UK studios switched to it. It also shows you how to check a class before you pay for a block of sessions.
What Original Hot Yoga Means on a UK Timetable
The label is a promise about structure, not about a brand. An original hot yoga class keeps every element of the method in place. So a class in Leeds should feel the same as one in Brighton or Bali. That sameness is the whole point, because it lets you measure your progress against an unchanging test.
In practice, a studio that says “original” should offer all five of these:
- The full sequence. 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, opening with Pranayama (standing deep breathing) and closing with Kapalbhati (blowing in firm pose).
- The same order every time. A standing series first, then a floor series, with a short Savasana between postures on the floor.
- The full 90 minutes. Shorter express versions exist, but they cut or speed up postures.
- The heat. About 40°C with around 40% humidity.
- The dialogue. A scripted spoken instruction, with no music and no demonstration from the teacher.
26
Postures
Same order in every class, standing series then floor series.
2
Breathing exercises
One opens the class, one closes it.
90 min
Class length
Long enough to hold every posture properly.
40°C
Room heat
With about 40% humidity in the room.
2015
Court ruling
A US appeals court ruled nobody can copyright the sequence.
If one of those five elements is missing, the class may still be a good one. However, it is no longer the original format, and you should know that before you compare prices or progress.
Original Hot Yoga vs Bikram vs Hot 26: The Labels Compared
Most confusion comes from the timetable, not the practice. The table below shows what each common UK label usually signals. Always confirm with the studio, because a label is a marketing choice and nobody polices it.
| Label you see | Sequence | Typical length | Heat | What it usually signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bikram yoga | Fixed 26 and 2 | 90 minutes | About 40°C, 40% humidity | The older name; now used by fewer UK studios |
| Original hot yoga | Fixed 26 and 2 | 90 minutes | About 40°C, 40% humidity | Same method, named to show it is unchanged |
| Hot 26 / 26 and 2 | Fixed 26 and 2 | Usually 90 minutes | About 40°C | A plain description of the sequence |
| Express or short 26 | Shortened 26 and 2 | Under 90 minutes | About 40°C | Fewer holds or a faster pace |
| Hot yoga (general) | Varies class to class | Varies by studio | Varies widely | Often a heated flow, not the 26 and 2 |
That is why the search “what is Bikram yoga called now” has no single answer. Some studios say original hot yoga, others say Hot 26, and a few still say Bikram. The physical class behind those names is the same. Want the wider picture? Our guide to the main types of hot yoga compares heated flow and the fixed sequence side by side.
Why UK Studios Renamed Their Classes
UK studios did not change the class. They changed the sign above the door. Three things made that possible and, for many owners, necessary.
1. The sequence was ruled free to teach
On 8 October 2015, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on the sequence. It decided the poses and breathing exercises could not have copyright protection. The court called it an idea, process or system designed to improve health (Bikram’s Yoga College of India v. Evolation Yoga). As a result, any qualified teacher could teach the 26 and 2 without a licence from the founder.
2. The founder’s name became a liability
Serious allegations against the founder, and a 2019 documentary about them, made many teachers want distance from his name. So studios kept the method and dropped the word. Matt, a teacher in our YouTube review, put the feeling plainly after training with us. He realised he “can use the word [Bikram] and not have to be ashamed about it”.
3. “Original” became a quality signal
Once heated flow classes spread, owners needed a word that said “this is the real, unchanged sequence”. A US trade association, the Original Hot Yoga Association (OHYA), formed in 2016 around that idea. Our own research checked the US trademark register. Every old Bikram yoga mark we read there is abandoned or cancelled, and we found no standalone “Original Hot Yoga” mark (YogaFX Research Report R1a, October 2026).
That means the label is a description, not a licence. A UK studio does not need anyone’s permission to call its class original hot yoga. It also means the label alone proves nothing, which is why the checks below matter.
How to Check a UK Class Before You Book
Because anyone can use the name, a two-minute message to the studio saves you money. Ask these before you buy an intro offer or a monthly pass:
- Is it the full 26 and 2? Ask whether every posture is taught, in order, with both breathing exercises.
- How long is the class? Anything under 90 minutes is a shortened version, even if it is labelled original.
- What temperature and humidity? A UK studio has to heat the room artificially, so ask what the room actually reads.
- Is there music? The original format uses the spoken dialogue only.
- How was the teacher trained? Ask where they certified and whether they are registered with Yoga Alliance.
Your own health check first
Ninety minutes at 40°C is a real load on the heart and on fluid balance. So speak to your GP or another healthcare professional before your first class if any of these apply:
- You’re pregnant.
- You have a heart condition or high blood pressure.
- You’ve ever struggled in hot weather or felt faint in heat.
Tell the teacher too, so they can watch you and suggest rests.
Then keep the basics simple. Drink water through the day, eat lightly two hours before, and sit down whenever you need to. Our honest guide to whether hot yoga is good for you covers the pros, cons and warning signs.
What Research Says About the Original Hot Yoga Sequence
A fixed sequence is easy to study, because every trial uses the same class. That is one reason original hot yoga appears so often in hot yoga research. Here is what three of the stronger studies found.
| Study | Design | Who took part | Main finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nyer et al., 2023 (Massachusetts General Hospital) | 8-week randomised trial, heated yoga vs waitlist | 65 adults with moderate to severe depression analysed | 59% of the yoga group halved their symptoms, against 6% on the waitlist |
| Hui et al., 2022 | 6-week randomised trial, hot yoga vs waitlist | 290 healthy adults new to yoga | Better life satisfaction, general health, mindfulness and peace of mind |
| Willmott et al., 2025 | Systematic review | 43 studies, 942 participants; Bikram was the most studied style (74%) | Gains in flexibility, balance, bone mineral density and heart and metabolic health markers |
Mood and depression
The depression trial is the result most people quote. In the Massachusetts General Hospital study, the team asked participants to attend heated classes at least twice a week. After 8 weeks, 59% of the yoga group had halved their symptoms. Only 6% of the waitlist group did the same.
Body and fitness
The broader picture comes from a 2025 systematic review of hot yoga. It found promising effects on flexibility, balance and bone density. However, it also warned that nobody has yet proven hot yoga beats unheated yoga. And some case reports describe people becoming unwell after a hot class.
What about healthy adults? A six-week randomised trial with 290 beginners found better well-being in the hot yoga group. The lift was strongest on days they went to class. So the research suggests real benefits, but it does not make the class a treatment. If you are managing depression or any medical condition, keep your healthcare professional involved.
Where the Fixed Sequence Came From
People often ask who created hot yoga. The fixed heated class came from Bikram Choudhury, a student of the yoga teacher Bishnu Ghosh. He built the 26 and 2 from hatha yoga postures and taught it in the United States from the 1970s.
He described the sequence in his 1979 book, Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class, which the 2015 court opinion names. Studios followed in many countries, including the UK. For the full story of how that happened, read our history of the origin of hot yoga.
Teacher trainings carried the method forward, and trainees still learn the dialogue word for word. That’s why an original hot yoga class sounds so similar from one city to the next, decades later.
Original Hot Yoga in a UK Studio vs in Bali
The sequence is the same in both places. What changes is the heat source. A UK studio in January relies on heaters to lift a cold room to about 40°C. In Bali, the YogaFX studios in Seminyak and Canggu use natural tropical heat instead of electric heaters.
Students coming from the UK often notice that the humid heat feels heavier. For example, the first few standing postures can feel harder until the body adjusts. Others say it feels kinder on the breath than a dry, heater-driven room. Either way, original hot yoga follows the same script in both places.
- Heat source. UK: heaters. Bali: tropical climate.
- Timetable. UK studios vary. The YogaFX studios open 06:00 to 22:00 every day.
- Labels. UK studios use several names. In Bali, YogaFX teaches it as the Original Hot 26&2.
Live in London? Our London hot yoga studio guide sets out areas, costs and class types.
How Mr. Ian Terry Keeps the Sequence Original
Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, founded YogaFX in Bali in 2017. He trained for five years, from 2014 to 2019, with the founder of the Bikram Hot 26&2 method. Since then he has taught more than 12,000 hours and trained 1,500+ graduates from more than 80 countries.
In June 2026 he also became Master Trainer of the Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation. So his standard is the competitive one. Every posture is held correctly, in the right order, with nothing added.
He is just as clear about what a new teacher should do back home. In one of our graduation videos he tells the group: “you make a change to the people in your studio… You raise their level.” That’s the job of an original hot yoga teacher, in the UK or anywhere else.
What our students say
“I came back to the UK with a real fire in my belly to teach Yoga.”
Judith, Google review, 2025
“I’m going to go back now really knowing what I’m doing and feeling confident.”
Matt, YouTube review, 2025
“I thought the best part was going to be getting this certificate and being able to tell my parents I did something. But the best part was meeting all of you.”
Greta, YouTube review, 2026
You can watch Matt tell his story in full below. He had practised for 25 years before he came to Bali to train.
Learning to Teach Original Hot Yoga from the UK
Some readers want more than a class. Want to teach original hot yoga yourself? The YogaFX MasterClass suits people with jobs and families in the UK. You complete the pre-course preparation online at home, then join a 6-day intensive in Bali.
- Next batch. Check-in Sunday 24 January 2027, check-out Friday 29 January 2027.
- Certification. Yoga Alliance RYT 200-Hour plus the Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification.
- Venue. Soham Wellness Center in Seminyak, with the Djabu Seminyak hotel.
- Price. Early Bird US$1,899, against the normal US$1,999, with interest-free instalments from US$250 a month.
Because the course takes only five days off work, many UK students fit it around annual leave. Our complete UK guide to Bikram yoga teacher training compares this format with longer UK courses. It helps you weigh time, cost and travel. When you are ready, message Mr. Ian on WhatsApp to ask about the next spots.
FAQ
What is original hot yoga?
Original hot yoga is the fixed 26 and 2 class. It has 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in the same order for 90 minutes. The room is about 40°C with 40% humidity, and the teacher uses a spoken dialogue with no music. The word original means nobody has shortened or changed the sequence.
Is Bikram yoga and hot yoga the same?
Not exactly. Hot yoga is any yoga in a heated room, often a changing flow. Bikram yoga is one fixed style, the 26 and 2, now often called original hot yoga or Hot 26. YogaFX teaches the sequence as an independent training, not the official Bikram Choudhury Teacher Training.
Did Bikram invent hot yoga?
He didn’t invent yoga in heat. But he created the fixed 26 and 2 sequence and made the heated class famous from the 1970s, and he described it in his 1979 book. In 2015 a US appeals court ruled nobody can copyright the sequence, so anyone may teach it.
How is original hot yoga different from vinyasa?
Vinyasa changes from class to class, flows between poses with the breath and often uses music. Original hot yoga repeats the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises every time. Each posture is held, and the teacher follows a scripted dialogue without music. That repetition lets you track your progress against the same test each class.
How hot is hot yoga in the UK?
An original hot yoga class aims for about 40°C with around 40% humidity. UK studios usually reach that with heaters. Other heated classes in the UK are often cooler and vary by studio, so ask before you book. If you have a heart condition or are pregnant, check with your GP first.
Still have questions? Maybe you want to know if a class near you is the real sequence, or whether training in Bali fits your annual leave. Message Mr. Ian and the YogaFX team on WhatsApp and we’ll answer you personally.
