The best hot yoga shorts for men are fitted, quick-dry shorts with a 5 to 7 inch inseam. Choose a polyester and elastane blend, with or without a soft liner. Skip cotton and baggy football shorts. In a 90-minute class at 40°C they soak up sweat, slide about and cling in the wrong places. In the UK you can buy a good pair for £14 to £30.
This guide is for the UK man who has booked his first heated class and stares at a drawer of five-a-side kit. It covers length, liner and fabric, then gives real prices in pounds. We checked them on 5 November 2026, so they will move with sales. For the wider kit list, see our guide to hot yoga for beginners.
Hot yoga shorts for men also matter in Bali, where our sister studio explains what to wear in tropical humidity. Here we stay with the UK view: cold commutes, rainy walks and a radiator-dried kit bag.
Disclaimer: these are not affiliate links. YogaFX earns no commission and is not responsible for third-party products. Prices are listing prices on the day we checked and can change.
Hot Yoga Shorts for Men: The Short Answer
Four things decide whether a pair of hot yoga shorts for men works. First, the fabric must move sweat off the skin. Second, the cut must stay put when you fold, squat and lie down. Third, the length must cover you in every posture. Finally, the waistband must lie flat.
- Fabric: mostly polyester or nylon with some elastane. It wicks sweat and dries fast.
- Length: a 5 to 7 inch inseam for most men. Shorter runs cooler, while longer covers more.
- Liner: optional. A soft brief liner holds everything in place. A separate pair of sport briefs underneath does the same job.
- Waistband: flat and wide, with a drawcord that does not dig in when you fold forward.
Get those four right and you’ll forget your shorts by the second posture. That is the real test. Every glance at your waistband is a moment you are not breathing.
Five-a-Side vs 40°C: Why Football Shorts Fail
Plenty of UK men start in what they already own, and that’s sensible for one trial class. After that, the gaps show. Football and gym shorts are built for running outdoors, not for lying on a towel upside down. The table sets out what changes in a heated room.
| Feature | Football or baggy gym shorts | Fitted hot yoga shorts | Why it matters in class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | Loose and wide at the leg | Close to the thigh, not squeezing | Wide legs ride up in Triangle and Standing Head to Knee |
| Fabric | Often cotton or heavy mesh | Light polyester with elastane | Cotton holds sweat and gets heavy by the standing series |
| Liner | Usually none, or a coarse net | Soft brief liner or separate briefs | A coarse net chafes when you move through 26 postures |
| Waistband | Elastic with a loose cord | Flat, wide band | A thick cord digs in during floor postures |
| Drying | Slow when damp | Fast on a radiator or airer | A UK winter airer needs fabric that dries overnight |
None of this means you need to spend a lot on hot yoga shorts for men. A budget pair in the right fabric beats an expensive pair in the wrong one. Mr. Ian Terry, our founder and an E-RYT 500 with more than 12,000 teaching hours, has watched thousands of men adjust their shorts mid-posture. His rule is simple: if you notice your kit, change it.
Length and Liner: Which Inseam Suits the 26 Postures
The 26&2 sequence tests hot yoga shorts for men hard. You squat in Awkward Pose, spread your legs in Triangle and lift one leg in Standing Head to Knee. You then lie on your back, kneel and fold. Each movement exposes a different weakness in the cut.
Inseam: 5, 7 or 9 inches?
Most retailer listings give the inseam in the product name. The common choices are 5, 7 and 9 inches. We would pick by body and comfort:
- 5 inch. The coolest option. It suits slim legs, and it suits men who run hot. Check that it stays down in Awkward Pose.
- 7 inch. The safe middle. It covers the thigh in most postures and rarely rides up.
- 9 inch. The most coverage. It can bunch behind the knee in deep bends, so test it before you buy.
Lined, unlined or 2-in-1?
A lined or 2-in-1 pair has a built-in brief under a looser outer short. It is convenient, because one garment does two jobs. An unlined pair is cooler and dries faster, so many men wear sport briefs underneath. Neither is wrong. Pick the one that lets you stop thinking about it.
Fabric: Why Cotton Loses in a Hot Room
Cotton soaks up sweat and keeps it, which is why hot yoga shorts for men should never be cotton. Within the first part of class a cotton pair turns heavy and clingy. In a British winter it then takes a day to dry on an airer. Technical fabric works the other way. It moves moisture to the outer surface, where it spreads out and evaporates.
Read the label before you buy. One lightweight training short we found is listed as 100% polyester. A woven 2-in-1 pair lists its outer as 89% polyester and 11% elastane. Either mix suits a hot room. If the label says 100% cotton, put it back, however soft it feels in a cool shop.
Heat is not trivial. A 2014 University of Wisconsin study by Porcari and colleagues found men worked at about 80 percent of maximum heart rate in a 90-minute class and burned an average of 460 kcal. That is a serious workload.
So kit that keeps you cooler helps you stay in the room. Light hot yoga shorts for men also leave you free to focus on the dialogue and the breath. The paper is indexed on PubMed, though its page blocked our automated link check, so we cite it by name.
UK Price Check: Real Shorts, Real Prices
We opened the men’s shorts pages at Myprotein and Sports Direct on 5 November 2026. Several other big retailers blocked our check, so this is a snapshot, not a full market survey. Myprotein also advertises extra discount codes that are not included here.
| Pair | Retailer | Price | Fabric or style note |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP Men’s Lightweight Training Shorts, dark grey | Myprotein | £13.99 (was £22.00) | 100% polyester |
| MP Men’s Lightweight Training 9″ Shorts, black | Myprotein | £17.99 (RRP £22.00) | 9 inch, lightweight |
| Karrimor 2 in 1 Running Shorts | Sports Direct | £18.00 | 2-in-1 with liner |
| MP Men’s 5″ 2-in-1 Training Shorts, chrome | Myprotein | £23.99 (RRP £32.00) | 5 inch, inner liner |
| Nike Challenger 2-in-1 Running Shorts | Sports Direct | £25.50 | 2-in-1 with liner |
| Nike Dri-FIT Challenger 7″ Unlined Shorts | Sports Direct | £27.99 | 7 inch, unlined |
| Under Armour UA Launch 7in Shorts | Sports Direct | £28.99 | 7 inch |
| MP Men’s Hybrid Lightweight 5″ 2-in-1 Shorts, ash grey | Myprotein | £30.99 (RRP £38.00) | 5 inch, 2-in-1 |
| Nike Dri-FIT Unlimited 7″ Unlined Woven Shorts | Sports Direct | £44.99 | 7 inch, unlined, woven |
The pattern in hot yoga shorts for men is clear. A budget pair at about £14 to £18 does the job for a trial month. Mid-range pairs at £24 to £31 add a liner or a nicer cut. The £45 pair buys brand and finish, not better yoga.
Where to buy in the UK
High-street sports chains and online sportswear shops both stock the styles above. Buy from somewhere with easy returns. Try the shorts on at home, drop into Awkward Pose in the mirror, and fold forward. If anything rides up or digs in, send them back.
Does Your Body Type Change the Shorts You Need?
Yes, a little. Rugby thighs and football quads fill a short differently from a runner’s legs. If you have powerful thighs, choose a stretch fabric with elastane and go up a size rather than squeezing in. If your legs rub in a long class, a closer 7 inch cut or a 2-in-1 pair reduces friction.
The same logic applies to the first month. Our guide on why hot yoga can feel harder for men explains how tight hamstrings and hips shape your first classes. Meanwhile, can men do hot yoga covers the health checks that come before kit.
If you wear the wrong pair once, don’t worry. You’ll learn fast. Most men find their ideal hot yoga shorts for men within three or four classes, and there’s no prize for suffering in the first pair you bought.
Washing and Drying Hot Yoga Shorts in a UK Winter
Sweat-soaked shorts need care. Rinse them as soon as you can, because dried sweat holds odour. Wash at the temperature on the label, and skip fabric softener, which coats the fibre and slows wicking. Then dry them flat on an airer.
- Rotate two pairs. Damp shorts on a cold morning are a poor start to a 40°C class.
- Pack a wet bag. A plastic bag keeps sweaty kit away from your phone and wallet.
- Skip the radiator cover. Direct heat can shrink elastane over time.
Stepping out of 40°C into a cold November evening is a shock. So bring a dry top and warm trousers for the walk to the station.
What YogaFX Gives Its Trainees
Kit is only one piece of preparation. During our teacher training in Bali, YogaFX gives trainees its own merchandise, so you arrive with the basics and add your own shorts. We do not sell the third-party products above, and we do not earn from them.
Before any heated class, check your health first. The Cleveland Clinic says hot yoga is not suggested for people who are pregnant or have a heart condition, and it lists dehydration and dizziness among the downsides. The NHS says drinking fluids regularly lowers the risk of dehydration. If you have a medical condition, speak to a healthcare professional first.
What Trainees Say About Showing Up
These reviews come from graduates of our teacher training in Bali. They are about the experience, not the shorts. We use first names only, with the source and year.
Jonathan, Google review, 2026: “I learned more in those four days than in the previous two months of classes elsewhere.”
Ivara, Google review, 2023: “Mr Ian Terry is the best teacher I’ve ever had, he really brings out your best and genuinely wants you to succeed.”
Sophie, YouTube review, 2026 (paraphrased): she says she is glad she decided to trust herself and come to Bali, and that she found a connection to herself she had not felt before. Watch her full review on YouTube.
From Your First Pair of Shorts to Teacher Training in Bali
Some men buy hot yoga shorts for men for a trial class and stay for years. Then they want to understand the method. YogaFX runs a 6-day hybrid Bikram Hot 26&2 Yoga Teacher Training MasterClass: an online pre-course part, then an intensive in Bali. For a UK worker that is about 5 days off work.
The next batch checks in on Sunday 24 January 2027 and checks out on Friday 29 January 2027 at Soham Wellness Center in Seminyak. Graduates receive a Yoga Alliance RYT 200-Hour certificate and the Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification. The Early Bird price is US$1,899, against a normal price of US$1,999, and instalments start from US$250 a month with no interest.
Mr. Ian leads the course. He trained for five years, from 2014 to 2019, with the founder of the method. YogaFX has trained more than 1,500 graduates from over 80 countries since 2017. Weighing your options? Compare teacher training in Bali versus the UK.
FAQ: Hot Yoga Shorts for Men
Can you wear shorts to hot yoga?
Yes. Shorts are the most common choice for men in a heated room. Pick fitted, quick-dry shorts with a 5 to 7 inch inseam. Avoid cotton, which holds sweat. Wear them with sport briefs or choose a pair with a liner so nothing shifts in deep bends.
What length of shorts is best for hot yoga?
Most men do well with a 5 to 7 inch inseam. Five inch runs coolest, seven inch covers more, and nine inch can bunch in deep bends. Try them at home in Awkward Pose and a forward fold. If they ride up, choose a longer or closer cut.
Do hot yoga shorts need a liner?
Not always. A built-in liner gives support and means one garment does both jobs. An unlined pair is cooler and dries faster, so many men wear sport briefs under it. Choose the option that lets you forget your kit during the class.
How much do hot yoga shorts for men cost in the UK?
On 5 November 2026 we found lightweight training shorts from £13.99 and 2-in-1 pairs from about £18 to £31 at two UK retailers. Premium unlined pairs reached £44.99. Prices change with sales, so check the listing before you buy.
Are football shorts fine for a first hot yoga class?
They are fine for one trial class if they are light and not cotton. After that, the wide leg and loose cord usually get in the way. A cheap fitted pair in polyester and elastane is a better long-term choice for a 90-minute class at 40°C.
Still have questions? Message Mr. Ian and the YogaFX team on WhatsApp and we will answer them personally.
