Celebrities who do Bikram yoga are mostly athletes, not film stars, and they practise one fixed class: 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in a heated room for 90 minutes. Fourteen documented names carry a Bikram label in our sources, from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Andy Murray. This guide shows what the sources say, then who trains the teachers behind that class.
At YogaFX, Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, teaches the same fixed class that these athletes describe. So this page does two jobs. It lists who practises, and it shows what a well-trained teacher behind the class looks like.
Celebrities Who Do Bikram Yoga: The Rules We Used
Most lists of celebrities who do Bikram yoga copy each other. They repeat gossip, mix up hot yoga with Bikram, and name people who never said they practise. We used three rules instead.
- Their words or a named outlet. A name makes the list only if the person, or a reputable outlet, states the practice.
- The label stays as written. If a source says hot yoga, we do not call it Bikram.
- No gossip. Marriage rumours, red-carpet photos and “insider” claims are out.
The earlier version of this page, published in 2018, listed famous names as general yoga fans and gave no source for a Bikram class. That is the wrong standard for this topic, so we dropped those names and kept only people with a documented Bikram link.
The 14 Bikram-Labelled Names, Grouped by Sport
The names below come from the YogaFX Research Report R2, published in October 2026. In each source, the class is called Bikram yoga, not hot yoga. That matters, because many athletes who do hot yoga follow a different sequence.
- Basketball. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Brandon Bass. Bass told NBC Sports Boston that he went twice a week for 90 minutes, which is a steady habit, not a one-off.
- Tennis. Andy Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, has spoken about taking classes to improve his flexibility.
- American football and baseball. Brock Osweiler, whose Arizona State offensive line trained at a Bikram studio (Cronkite News, 2016), and Al Leiter, the two-time World Series champion pitcher, who trained with a Bikram teacher (The Palm Beach Post).
- Boxing. Shawn Porter, Anthony Crolla, Denton Vassell, Paul Smith and Stephen Smith, quoted by Premier Boxing Champions and BoxingScene.
- Rugby. Paul O’Connell, the Ireland captain, and Richard Cockerill, who visited a Bikram studio where his Leicester Tigers first-team squad also trained.
- Film. Martin Sheen and Keir Dullea, named as students at Bikram Choudhury’s Los Angeles school in the 1970s (Syman, The Subtle Body, 2010).
One limit is worth stating. Every person we could verify this way is a man, and we haven’t yet checked a set of women to the same standard. We’d rather leave that gap than guess.
Want the hot-yoga names too? Our sister research site keeps a fuller list of 29 documented names with each source quoted.
Two Careers, Two Different Reasons
Among celebrities who do Bikram yoga, two stories show very different reasons for starting. One is about longevity, the other about flexibility and nerves.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: staying on the court
Houston CultureMap reported in 2010 that Bikram Choudhury cites Kareem Abdul-Jabbar among his loyal celebrity clients, and that these clients “claim it prolonged their sports careers”. Read the full piece in Houston CultureMap. That is Choudhury’s claim as the writer reported it, so treat it as a lead, not proof. Our research report also cites The National (2014) for Abdul-Jabbar.
Andy Murray: flexibility and nerves
An ANI report quoted Murray saying he started Bikram classes in December “to try to improve my flexibility in preparation for the Australian Open”. He also joked that the class looks “a little bit ugly”. Other reports say his fitness coaches suggested it and that he later linked it to mental strength. Because those reports disagree on dates, we give no start year.
Why the Teacher Matters More Than the Famous Student
Here is the part lifestyle lists skip. Celebrities who do Bikram yoga can walk into any heated room. A teacher has to hold that room for 90 minutes, in the same words, every class. At YogaFX the class runs on a scripted dialogue, with no demonstration and no music, so the teacher’s voice does the work.
That is why credentials matter. Four labels turn up around the Bikram class, and the table below explains what each one tells you and what it leaves out.
| Credential | Who stands behind it | What it tells you | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|---|
| RYT 200 | Yoga Alliance registry | The teacher completed a 200-hour training | How well they lead a fixed hot class |
| Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification | The training programme that awards it | Training in the 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises | How many classes the teacher has led since |
| E-RYT 500 | Yoga Alliance registry | The experienced 500-hour level (Mr. Ian also has 12,000+ teaching hours) | Which style the person teaches |
| Master Trainer | Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation | A trainer role inside a national yogasana body | Whether the person teaches hot yoga daily |
No single line settles the question. Read them together, then ask how many hours the person has actually taught.
How to Read Claims About Celebrities Who Do Bikram Yoga
A quote is only as useful as its details. Before you trust any claim about celebrities who do Bikram yoga, run four quick checks.
- Check the label. Did the source say Bikram, hot or heated yoga?
- Check the date. A 2013 quote tells you little about this year’s habits.
- Check who said it. A person’s own words beat a studio’s marketing copy.
- Check what changed. “It helped me” is a feeling. A measured result is different.
Those checks also explain why NBA players and boxers appear so often on lists of celebrities who do Bikram yoga. They talk about specific jobs for the class, such as lengthening, breathing and recovery, so their words are easier to test.
What Research Says About the Class These Athletes Practise
Quotes can’t prove anything, so here is what researchers measured. None of these studies tested celebrities who do Bikram yoga, and each result is a group average. Your own body may respond differently. If you have a health condition, consult a healthcare professional before your first heated class.
- Effort. A University of Wisconsin study led by John Porcari (2014) measured a 90-minute Bikram class. Women averaged roughly 333 calories and men roughly 460, while heart rate sat near 80% of its maximum.
- Heat load. An ACE-sponsored study led by Porcari compared a 60-minute class at about 70°F with the same poses at about 92°F in 20 healthy adults. Average effort was 56% and 57% of maximum heart rate, and the highest core temperature was 102.4°F. That study tested hot yoga, not a full 105°F Bikram room.
- Mood. In a 2023 Massachusetts General Hospital trial (Nyer et al., Journal of Clinical Psychiatry), about 59% of adults with moderate to severe depression cut their symptoms by half or more after eight weeks of heated yoga, versus about 6% of a waitlist group. The trial studied people with depression, not athletes.
Together, these numbers describe a demanding class, and that’s what a Bikram teacher has to manage. So a trained teacher watches the room, calls a rest when someone needs it, and reminds students to drink sensibly instead of overdrinking.
Patterns Across Celebrities Who Do Bikram Yoga
Read the quotes side by side and a few habits stand out. They don’t depend on fame, so you can borrow them.
- A schedule. Brandon Bass went twice a week, and that rhythm matters more than any single class.
- A job for the class. Andy Murray wanted flexibility. Boxers talk about breathing. Each person asked the heat to do one specific thing.
- Acceptance of discomfort. Anthony Crolla has said he often wants the class to end (BoxingScene, 2013), yet he keeps going back.
Notice what is missing: nobody on the list promises a miracle. These celebrities who do Bikram yoga describe steady, plain work, which is exactly what a good teacher helps you sustain.
The Class at YogaFX in Bali
The class that celebrities who do Bikram yoga describe is not a mystery. At YogaFX in Seminyak and Canggu, it runs 90 minutes at about 40°C and 40% humidity, using natural tropical heat instead of electric heaters. The studios open from 06:00 to 22:00 every day.
Because the sequence never changes, a student can measure progress posture by posture. That is the same reason sport people like it. A teacher who knows the script well can then spend attention on the room instead of on what comes next.
Who Trains the Teachers: Mr. Ian Terry and YogaFX
Celebrities who do Bikram yoga learn from teachers, just like everyone else. So the real question for a future teacher is simple: who will train you?
Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, has taught for more than 12,000 hours. He trained for five years, from 2014 to 2019, with the founder of the Bikram Hot 26&2 method. He is also Master Trainer of the Republic of Indonesia Yogasana Sports Federation. Since 2017, YogaFX has trained more than 1,500 graduates from over 80 countries.
Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500, leads the training.
Trained from 2014 to 2019 in the Bikram Hot 26&2 method.
From more than 80 countries since 2017.
Yoga Alliance RYT 200-Hour plus the Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification.
Online preparation first, then an intensive in Bali.
His graduates carry that training into competition. Two YogaFX graduates won 7 medals between them at the 2026 World Yogasana Championships in Ahmedabad, and our guide to how YogaFX graduates won 12 medals tells the full story.
You can read more about his path on the Mr. Ian teacher page, or in our guide to Bikram yoga history and Mr. Ian Terry’s lineage.
What Students Say
Here is what students say about learning from him:
Incredibly thorough training program. Dedicated to teaching teachers be the best they can be.
Matt, Yoga Alliance review, 2025
The experience is very valuable to be able to join yoga FX.
Putu, Google review, 2024
Dian also left a video review. In it, she tells viewers to come and join the class and become yoga teachers.
That is Dian’s YouTube review, one of 357 video testimonials. The studio also holds 150 Google reviews and 50 Yoga Alliance reviews.
How to Check a Teacher Before You Book
You do not need a famous name to find a good teacher. You need a few direct questions, and a good teacher will answer them without fuss.
- Ask how long they trained. Hours and years both count.
- Ask who they trained with, and when. A real lineage has names and dates.
- Ask whether the class follows the full sequence. Fixed means the same postures, the same order.
- Ask how they handle rest. A good answer includes sitting out a posture, with no pressure.
- Search the registry. Our guide to Yoga Alliance certification and the Hot 26&2 explains the two certificates.
Train in the Same Room: Bikram Hot 26&2 Teacher Training in Bali
If these names made you curious about the method, you can learn it from the source. The YogaFX Bikram Hot 26&2 Yoga Teacher Training MasterClass is a six-day hybrid course: online preparation first, then an intensive in Bali. The course ends with two awards: Yoga Alliance RYT 200-Hour registration and the Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification.
- Next batch. Check-in Sunday 24 January 2027, check-out Friday 29 January 2027.
- Venue. Soham Wellness Center, Seminyak, Bali.
- Price. US$1,899 at the Early Bird rate, against US$1,999 normally. Instalments start from US$250 a month, interest free.
Read the full details on our hot yoga teacher training in Bali page.
FAQ
How hard is Bikram yoga?
Bikram yoga is demanding because the class runs 90 minutes in a heated room with no breaks between postures. Most beginners rest often in the first weeks, and that is normal. A good teacher lets you sit out a posture, so the goal becomes staying in the room.
Who should not do hot yoga?
People with heart conditions, low blood pressure, heat sensitivity or pregnancy should speak to a doctor before starting hot yoga. The heat adds load to the body. Tell your teacher before class if anything feels wrong, and consult a healthcare professional if you are unsure.
Where does Bikram yoga come from?
Bikram Choudhury taught the fixed sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in a heated room, and it spread widely from the 1970s. Mr. Ian Terry trained for five years, from 2014 to 2019, with the founder of the Bikram Hot 26&2 method.
Is this an official Bikram Choudhury teacher training?
No. The YogaFX course is independent training led by Mr. Ian Terry, E-RYT 500. Graduates receive Yoga Alliance RYT 200-Hour certification plus the Bikram Hot 26&2 200-Hour International Yoga Certification, and the course is not run by or affiliated with Bikram Choudhury.
Whether you want to join celebrities who do Bikram yoga in the hot room or learn to lead it, we can help. Still have questions? Message Mr. Ian and the YogaFX team on WhatsApp and we will answer them personally.
