Hot YogaBikram yoga is the notorious “hot yoga” in which the practice room is heated to 105º. Bikram Choudhury of Calcutta established this school in L.A. It’s a hatha class of 26 sequenced asansas (postures). The teachers all deliver an identical, Choudury-written dialogue, class after class. It’s not a flowing vinyasa class, but one asana, then another, with short pauses in between to gulp some water (don't forget some electrolytes). The intensity comes not from the pace, but from the temperature of the room and the length the postures are held.
Bikram has a bad reputation amongst yoga purists, and I was surprised to quite enjoy my experience. It is not, however, a practical daily practice for those without an in-home washer-dryer, as your clothing and 2 towels will be soaked through.
Hot yoga is a general term for yoga done in a heated room, but not in Bikram’s legally trademarked style. Sometimes these are flowing vinyasa yogas, sometimes one asana at a time. If you want to try a class called hot yoga, call to inquire exactly what it means.