The international yoga sports federation (IYSF) is the global body that governs judged yoga. Mr Ian Terry holds no IYSF post that YogaFX can confirm. His confirmed roles sit at national level: Master Trainer of the Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation, coach of its athletes, and representative at an Asian championship.
That distinction matters, because several bodies use “world”, “international” or “federation” in their names. So below, I’ll separate what the international yoga sports federation does from what Mr Ian does, and show the evidence behind each role. I’m writing from the teaching room at YogaFX in Bali, alongside Mr Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, who has more than 12,000 hours of teaching behind him.
If you want the posture side of the sport, this posture-by-posture guide to the federation and its routines maps the 26&2 postures to competition routines. Here I stay with the people and the roles.
Mr Ian’s Three Confirmed Roles Beside the International Yoga Sports Federation
Roles in sport are easy to inflate. So I’ll list only the ones Mr Ian has confirmed. Each sits in Indonesia’s national yogasana system, not inside the international yoga sports federation. You can read his full background on our Mr Ian Terry teacher profile page.
Role 1: Master Trainer of the national federation
The Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation confirmed Mr Ian Terry as a Master Trainer in June 2026. A Master Trainer is a federation appointment. It is not a teaching certificate, so it sits beside RYT 200 and E-RYT 500.
As Mr Ian describes the work, it has two parts. First, he helps standardise training protocols for sports yoga instructors. Second, he helps evaluate the performance criteria used in regional and national competitive structures. In plain terms, he trains the people who train the athletes. That work happens next to the international yoga sports federation, not inside it.
Role 2: Coach of Indonesia’s athletes
Coaching is the role students see most, so it comes second. In July 2025, Ivara Candra Kartika won gold at the 8th National Sports Forum (FORNAS) in Lombok, coached by Mr Ian as her Master Trainer. He applied the methods he uses in teacher training: discipline, performance-focused practice, technical refinement and mental preparation.
Then came the world stage. At the first World Yogasana Sports Federation Championship in Ahmedabad, India, from 4 to 8 June 2026, Mr Ian trained the athletes and coached Indonesia’s team. Indonesia won 7 medals there: 1 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze, all from YogaFX graduates.
Role 3: Indonesia’s representative at an Asian championship
In August 2025, Mr Ian and Ivara were invited to the 6th Asian Yogasana Championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, as representatives of the Indonesian Yogasana federations. The event drew more than 160 athletes from 16 countries, and Ivara won silver.
Afterwards, Mr Ian also met sports officials in Dubai to discuss future international yoga events. Those talks were exploratory, so I won’t describe them as agreements. He went for the Indonesian federations, not for the international yoga sports federation.
What the International Yoga Sports Federation Itself Does
The international yoga sports federation describes itself on its own site as the international governing body for the sport of Yoga Asana. According to its About page, it was founded in 2003 in Los Angeles. Wikipedia’s overview of competitive yoga says the same year.
Its website lists an Executive Committee, an Athletes’ Commission and a Technical Committee, plus registers of international judges and coaches. In practice, that gives the sport a rule-writing group, an athlete voice and a pool of trained scorers.
For example, its flagship event is the World Championship of Yogasana Sports. The site announces the 17th edition for December 4 to 6, 2026, in Marina di Camerota, Italy, with 150+ athletes expected from 30+ countries. So the international yoga sports federation has already staged sixteen editions.
Our graduates took a different road. Our records show national events such as FORNAS first, then an Asian championship, then the Ahmedabad world event. That is why Mr Ian’s roles belong to the national and Yogasana tracks, not to the international yoga sports federation.
What an international federation does not do
- No teacher certificates. An RYT 200 comes from a school and a registry. A sports body issues none.
- No ownership of postures. Its rulebooks group postures into families for scoring. They do not promote one yoga brand.
- No replacement for national teams. Selection and preparation still happen country by country.
Federation Roles at a Glance: Who Holds What
Because the names overlap, a table keeps the bodies apart. It shows what each one is and what role, if any, YogaFX confirms for Mr Ian there. Note the first row: the international yoga sports federation itself has no confirmed Mr Ian role.
| Body or event | Level | Mr Ian’s confirmed role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Yoga Sports Federation (IYSF) | Global governing body, founded 2003 | None claimed by YogaFX | IYSF website |
| Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation | National federation | Master Trainer, confirmed June 2026 | YogaFX records |
| FORNAS VIII, Lombok (July 2025) | National sports forum | Coach and Master Trainer to gold medallist Ivara | YogaFX records |
| 6th Asian Yogasana Championship, Fujairah (August 2025) | Continental | Representative of the Indonesian Yogasana federations | YogaFX records |
| World Yogasana Sports Federation Championship, Ahmedabad (June 2026) | World event | Trained the athletes and coached Indonesia’s team | YogaFX records |
| Yoga Practitioner Association of Indonesia (PPYNI) | National association | None. Slamet Ariyanto, a 2024 graduate, chairs it | YogaFX records |
Federation Roles Beside the International Yoga Sports Federation in Five Numbers
From Teacher Training Room to Podium
The coaching starts long before a federation event. Every YogaFX trainee learns Original Hot 26&2 Yoga. That means 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, in the same order, for 90 minutes. The room sits near 40 degrees Celsius and 40% humidity. Because the order never changes, trainees repeat each posture many times.
That repetition helps an athlete. Judges at an international yoga sports federation event score alignment, balance and control. A posture practised daily tends to look steadier on the day. Rules differ between federations, however, so read the rulebook of the exact event you plan to enter.
For example, three graduates show how the pipeline works:
- Ivara Candra Kartika (class of 2023). She won gold at FORNAS VIII in July 2025, silver at the Asian championship in August 2025, and gold plus bronze at Ahmedabad in June 2026.
- Arkan Fauzan Riyanto (class of 2022). He won two silver and three bronze medals at Ahmedabad, and gold at FORNAS in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
- Slamet Ariyanto (class of 2024). He chairs PPYNI and manages the Indonesian Yogasana team, so he works on the organising side.
For the full results, see our yoga championship guide with all 12 medals. If you are new to the sport, our guide to competitive yoga for teacher trainees explains what judges look for.
What Research Says About Posture Training
Competition adds pressure, so it is fair to ask what regular posture practice does for the body. The research is encouraging but modest, because it covers hot 26&2 style classes, not elite routines. So treat it as background, not as a promise.
Tracy and Hart (2013, PubMed 23438366) studied healthy adults on a Bikram-style programme. They reported more strength in the back of the body, plus better flexibility and body composition. Athletes care about that mix, because a steady posture needs strength as well as range.
Willmott and colleagues (2025, PMC12488547) pooled 43 studies covering 942 participants in a systematic review. Their summary points to flexibility, bone density and well-being gains. They still ask for larger trials, so the findings are suggestive, not proven.
I name both papers instead of linking them, because the publisher sites blocked our link check. Search the authors and year on PubMed to read them. Hot yoga is not right for everybody, and none of this replaces medical care. Please consult a healthcare professional before you start, especially if you are pregnant or have a heart or blood pressure condition.
What Students Say About Training With Mr Ian
Competition standards only help if the teaching is good, so here are three reviews from students who trained with Mr Ian in Bali. None of them was a competition athlete. That is the point: the same teaching reaches everyone in the room.
“My experience with YogaFX was a true gamechanger… I really did start to feel a unexplainable sense of peacefulness as the course progressed.” Adam, Google review, 2024
“Grateful for Mr. Ian… I don’t think I could have made it without you.” Zainab, YouTube review, 2026
Shelley said in her video review that she could not have wished for a better group to train with, and that she and her friend had already decided to return in January (paraphrased). Shelley, YouTube review, 2026
We have 150 Google reviews and 50 on Yoga Alliance, plus 357 video testimonials on YouTube, so you can read plenty before you decide.
How to Check Any Federation Claim Before You Trust It
Names in this sport blur together, so a short check protects you. Instead of trusting a title, test it. Use it on the international yoga sports federation, on a national body, or on a coach who says he holds a federation title.
- Find the source. A real appointment appears on the federation’s own site or in its official announcements.
- Match the level. Ask whether the title is global, continental or national, because each level does a different job.
- Separate sport from teaching. A federation role does not replace a Yoga Alliance listing, and the reverse is also true.
- Ask for the event. A coach should name the competitions he has worked at, with dates and results you can look up.
We hold ourselves to the same check. The table above shows what we claim, and where the evidence lives.
Train With Mr Ian in Bali
Because this guide shows how Mr Ian’s federation work and his teaching connect, a next step is natural. If the teaching side calls to you, the YogaFX Bikram Hot 26&2 Yoga Teacher Training MasterClass is where our graduates start. You do not need any federation membership to join, and it is a teacher training, not a sports qualification.
- Format: a 6-day hybrid programme, with online study first and then in-person training in Bali.
- Certification: Yoga Alliance RYT 200-Hour plus a Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification.
- Next batch: check-in Sunday 24 January 2027, check-out Friday 29 January 2027, at Soham Wellness Center in Seminyak.
- Price: US$1,899 at the Early Bird rate, against the normal US$1,999.
Read the full details on our Hot Yoga Teacher Training Bali page, check the course dates, or message Mr Ian on WhatsApp to enrol directly.
International Yoga Sports Federation FAQ
What is the international yoga sports federation?
The international yoga sports federation (IYSF) calls itself the governing body for the sport of Yoga Asana worldwide. It was founded in 2003, keeps lists of international judges and coaches, and stages the World Championship of Yogasana Sports. Its 17th edition is set for 4 to 6 December 2026 in Italy.
Does Mr Ian Terry work for the international yoga sports federation?
YogaFX does not claim any IYSF post for Mr Ian Terry. His confirmed roles are national: Master Trainer of the Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation, coach of Indonesian athletes, and representative at an Asian championship in 2025. For IYSF rules and officials, check the federation’s own website.
What is a Master Trainer in Indonesia’s yogasana federation?
A Master Trainer is a federation appointment, not a teaching certificate like RYT 200. It covers training other instructors and athletes for competitive yoga. The Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation confirmed Mr Ian Terry in this role in June 2026, and he has coached its athletes at national, Asian and world events.
Is yoga an Olympic sport?
Not yet. IYSF says on its website that it works with federations around the world to develop yoga sports into an official Olympic sport. That is a stated goal, not a decision. Olympic entry depends on international sports bodies, so athletes should plan around the events that exist today.
Is the international yoga sports federation the same as Yoga Alliance?
No. Yoga Alliance is a registry where schools and teachers list credentials such as RYT 200 and E-RYT 500. A sports federation writes competition rules and runs events. So a teacher can hold a registry credential without ever entering a federation event. YogaFX is an independent academy, not official Bikram Choudhury Teacher Training.
Still have questions? Message Mr Ian on WhatsApp and the YogaFX team and we will answer them personally.
