The best thing about Hot 26 is that nothing in the class changes except you. The traditional class is the same sequence of 26 poses bookended with two breathing exercises in a heated space. I learned during teacher training that Hot 26 that is more likely to be offered on the East or West Coasts, not in the Midwest. And a simple Google search will reveal that at least one studio in a major metropolitan city offers the class. For me, that would be in the Chicago area.
Image by Megan Robertson
The Hot 26 class is also referred to as 26 and 2 (see Emily Rose Yoga Co.) or Bikram Yoga. Regardless of what one calls it, the class is a full-body workout. The sequence is one of the best for a beginning student. There’s a lot of tension and release of the spine. It’s the class that I’ve seen the most improvement in my body – in my flexibility, strength, and balance – and the class in which I see the most improvement when teaching the same students.
Over the course of the next several months, I’ll dissect all the Hot 26 poses periodically one post at a time. This exercise is in part for me to process how I talk about these poses but also for you to better learn about them – and perhaps try them out for yourself. If you choose to try them regularly, I hope you’ll notice changes in your body in flexibility and strength. And those are good things to feel good about.
Peace,
Shuva