Yoga Guide
Bikram Yoga in Lagos: What It Is and How It Differs from Regular Yoga
Bikram yoga is one of the most specific things you can do on a mat: the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, in the same order, in a room at a fixed temperature, every single class. Here is what that actually means, the facts behind it, and where to practise it in Lagos.
What Bikram yoga actually is
Bikram yoga is a fixed sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, always performed in the same order. A class opens with a standing deep-breathing exercise (Pranayama), moves through 11 standing postures, then works through the floor series of backbends, forward folds and spinal twists, and closes with a final breathing exercise (Kapalbhati). It does not change from class to class or from studio to studio.
The room is heated to around 40°C (105°F) with roughly 40% humidity, and a full class runs 90 minutes. The sequence was codified by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s. Because of controversy surrounding the founder, many studios now teach the identical sequence under the name "26&2" or "Original Hot Yoga" rather than his name. The postures are the same either way.
How Bikram differs from regular yoga (the facts)
"Regular yoga" is a broad term. It covers vinyasa, hatha, yin, ashtanga and more, usually at room temperature and with a sequence the teacher builds fresh for each class. Bikram differs on four concrete points:
- Fixed sequence. Bikram is always the same 26 postures plus 2 breathing exercises in the same order. Most other styles vary the postures and order every class.
- Fixed heat and humidity. Bikram is always run at about 40°C and 40% humidity. Regular yoga is typically unheated, and "hot yoga" more broadly runs anywhere from about 27°C to 40°C with no single standard.
- Fixed length. A traditional Bikram class is 90 minutes. Regular classes are usually 60 to 75.
- Bookended breathing. Every Bikram class starts and ends with the same two specific breathing exercises. Other styles use breathwork, but not in a fixed, standardised way.
Note that Bikram is a type of hot yoga, but not all hot yoga is Bikram. "Hot yoga" is the umbrella term for any heated class. Bikram is the one specific, standardised version of it.
What the heat does, based on the evidence
Two effects of practising in a hot room are reasonably well supported. First, warmth increases the range you can move through in a stretch, so postures that feel tight in a cold room often open up further in the heat. Second, the heat raises the demand on your cardiovascular system: your heart works harder to move blood to the skin and cool you down, so the same movements ask more of you than they would at room temperature.
It is worth being honest about the claims that are not well supported. Sweating heavily does not "detox" the body in any meaningful sense; that is the job of the liver and kidneys. Treat the heat as a tool that changes how the practice feels and how hard your body works, not as a cleanse.
Who Bikram suits, and what to expect your first time
Bikram suits people who like structure and repetition. Because the sequence never changes, you can measure your own progress posture by posture over weeks and months, which many practitioners find motivating. It also suits people who want a genuinely demanding class and do not mind heat.
For your first class: arrive hydrated, bring water and a towel, and eat lightly a couple of hours beforehand rather than right before. It is completely normal to sit down and rest during a first Bikram class. If you have low blood pressure, are pregnant, or have a heart condition, check with a doctor first, and tell the teacher before class.
Bikram in Lagos, with Nadine
At Heat Lagos, the full 26&2 sequence is taught by Nadine every Tuesday morning. Nadine is a world-travelling teacher with more than 19 years of experience who runs dedicated Bikram retreats, so the Tuesday class is the real method rather than a loose hot-yoga interpretation. Whether you are an experienced practitioner keeping your streak going while in the Algarve or trying the 26&2 for the first time, it is the same sequence you would find in a dedicated Bikram studio anywhere in the world.
One thing worth knowing before you come: we run the room at around 32°C rather than the traditional 40°C, and the heat is infrared. So it is not as hot as a classic Bikram studio. It is still warm, still opens the body up, and for most people it is plenty; the infrared warmth reaches the muscles directly and the lower temperature makes the 90 minutes far more breathable, which is a fair trade if the traditional heat has ever put you off.
If you want to try it, the 2 for 1 intro offer covers two classes for 22€, so you can take Nadine's Tuesday Bikram class alongside Sculpt, Pilates or recovery and see how the traditional hot method compares. Full details and booking are on the Bikram yoga at Heat Lagos page.