Is hot yoga a cardio workout? Partly. In the studies we reviewed, heart rate in a 90-minute 26 and 2 class lands in a moderate-to-vigorous range, about 70 to 90% of maximum for much of the standing series. But the oxygen cost is closer to brisk walking, so it is a mixed workout, not a replacement for running or cycling.
Table of Contents
This guide answers "is hot yoga a cardio workout" with numbers. You will see what each study measured, a working heart rate map of the class by stage, and a simple way to use your own zones. We also explain why heat makes your heart beat faster without making the work proportionally harder.
Is Hot Yoga a Cardio Workout? The Quick Answer
Cardio means sustained work that raises your heart rate and uses oxygen. By that definition, is hot yoga a cardio workout? Your heart rate says yes. Your oxygen use says "mildly." Both are true, and the gap between them is the interesting part.
| Study | Who and what | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
| Lambert et al., 2020 | 16 experienced practitioners, one Bikram-style hour, heated (about 40.5 degrees) vs room temperature | Mean heart rate 113 vs 109 bpm; calories 156 vs 151 kcal |
| Colorado State University researchers | 19 practitioners in a full class | Average heart rate near 160 bpm; roughly a brisk 3.5 mph walk in energy terms |
| Porcari et al., 2014 (University of Wisconsin) | Standard 90-minute class | About 333 kcal for women and 460 kcal for men |
| Quandt et al., 2015 (ACE) | Practitioners in the standing series | Men near 80% of predicted maximum heart rate, women near 72%, peaks up to 92% in men |
| Boyd et al., 2018 | Same yoga, hot vs room temperature | About 67% vs 61% of maximum heart rate |
Figures come from the papers and press summaries named in the table. The ACE and Wisconsin figures are cited by name because the original pages could not be opened for a link check.
For the deeper calorie numbers, see our 26 and 2 yoga calories burned guide.
Is Hot Yoga a Cardio Workout? What the Heart Rate Data Says
The headline numbers look impressive. A Colorado State University press write-up reported that 19 practitioners averaged a heart rate near 160 beats per minute. That is a vigorous number on paper.
Then the same researchers added a caution. Heart-rate-based calorie estimates run high in a hot room, because heat pushes your pulse up on its own. In energy terms the class matched about a brisk 3.5 mph walk.
Why the two measures disagree on whether hot yoga is a cardio workout
Your body has two jobs in a heated room: move, and cool down. Cooling sends more blood to the skin, so your heart beats faster at the same workload. That's why a hot class can show a high pulse while the oxygen cost stays modest.
The 2020 trial in the International Journal of Exercise Science (Lambert et al.) shows this clearly. Heated vs room temperature, the mean heart rate was 113 vs 109 bpm, and calories were 156 vs 151 kcal. The authors concluded that heat did not significantly raise the aerobic energy cost, and that neither condition reached the threshold usually needed to improve aerobic fitness.
What that means for you
So is hot yoga a cardio workout? It is a cardio-style session that works best as part of a week with other aerobic training, because the oxygen cost stays modest even when your pulse is high. If your only goal is fitness for running or cycling, add some steady-state cardio. If your goal is a strong spine, flexible hips and a calm mind, the class does that job very well.
Heart Rate Zones in the Standing Series
Heart rate zones are bands of your maximum heart rate. A common estimate is 220 minus your age. For a 35-year-old that gives about 185 beats per minute.
A student aged 35 with a maximum near 185 bpm would see about 133 bpm at 72%, about 148 bpm at 80% and about 170 bpm at 92%. Wearables vary, so treat these as rough guides and use effort and breath as your main signals.
A heart rate map by stage
No study we found has logged heart rate posture by posture. So we can't give you a measured number for each pose. What we can do is map effort by stage, using the study ranges and how the class is built. This is a working estimate, and individual students vary.
| Stage | What happens | Typical zone | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening breathing | Standing breath work | Zone 1 | Low movement, calm breath |
| Early standing postures | Half Moon, Awkward pose, Eagle | Zone 3 to 4 | Big muscles, balance, heat building |
| Mid standing postures | Standing balances and stretches | Zone 4, brief Zone 5 | Single-leg work and long holds |
| Late standing postures | Triangle and related stretches | Zone 3 to 4 | Wide stances, deep breath |
| Floor series, first half | Cobra, Locust and variations | Zone 2 to 3 | Lying down, but muscles work hard |
| Floor series, second half | Bow, Camel, spine twists | Zone 2 to 3 | Backbends and twists raise the pulse a little |
| Closing breath | Fast breathing exercise | Zone 1 to 2 | Recovery |
If you want a stage-by-stage look from the heart's side, our guide to hot yoga and your heart goes into it. And if you want to know where the list of postures comes from, see the 26 and 2 yoga sequence.
Hot Yoga Heart Rate for Men: Why It Runs Near 80%
One finding deserves its own section. In a 2015 study of Bikram-style classes reported by the American Council on Exercise (Quandt et al.), men averaged about 80% of predicted maximum heart rate during the standing series, against about 72% for women. Peaks in men reached about 92% in the most demanding postures.
The gap may reflect more than fitness. Body size, muscle mass and sweat rate could all play a part, and the study samples were small. For a man planning to use the class as cardio, the practical point is simple: expect your pulse to climb quickly in the early standing postures, and pace yourself.
Our guide on hot yoga benefits for men covers how male students can build up gradually.
How to pace yourself
- Start light. In your first classes stay in the easy end of Zone 3. You'll get more from a class you finish than from one you survive.
- Rest between sets. The short rests are part of the design. Use them to breathe, not to leave the room.
- Watch your breath. If you can't breathe through your nose in a posture, ease off.
- Hydrate before and after. Water, and a little salt if you sweat heavily.
Is Hot Yoga a Cardio Workout for Your Fitness Goals?
Whether the answer to "is hot yoga a cardio workout" helps you depends on the goal. The table below sorts common goals by how well the class serves them.
| Goal | How well it fits | What to add |
|---|---|---|
| General heart health | Good as part of an active week | Walking or easy cycling on other days |
| Running or cycling performance | Limited on its own | Steady-state and interval cardio |
| Weight management | Helpful, mostly through consistency | Food habits and regular activity |
| Stress and recovery | Strong | Nothing needed |
| Joint mobility | Very strong | Nothing needed |
Research also points to benefits for mood. A 2023 Massachusetts General Hospital trial (Nyer et al.) found that 59% of participants in an eight-week heated yoga programme saw a drop of 50% or more in depression symptoms, against 6.3% on a wait list. That's a different outcome from fitness, but it explains why many students keep coming back, and why "is hot yoga a cardio workout" is only one of the questions worth asking about the class.
Measuring Your Heart Rate in a Hot Room
If you want your own answer to "is hot yoga a cardio workout," measure it. Is hot yoga a cardio workout for you in particular? Only your own numbers can say, but sweat and heat make measuring harder than it sounds.
- Chest straps are more reliable. Optical wrist sensors can drift when your skin is wet and your wrist is bending, so they may read too high or too low.
- Check at the right moments. Look at your pulse right after the early standing postures and again during the rest before the floor series.
- Compare week to week. Absolute numbers matter less than the trend. If your pulse falls for the same postures over a month, you're getting fitter.
- Don't chase a number. Pushing to hit a zone in a hot room can leave you dizzy, so let your breath lead.
What a good session looks like
A good session ends with you tired but clear-headed, not wrung out. Your breathing settles within a minute or two of the final posture. That's a better sign than any figure on a watch.
Myths About Hot Yoga and Cardio
Questions around the cardio side tend to repeat. Here are the ones we hear most.
- "A high pulse means a hard workout." Not always. In a heated room your pulse rises to cool you down, so a high number can overstate the work.
- "Sweat equals fitness." Sweat equals heat and body size. It tells you little about how fit you are.
- "If it isn't cardio, it doesn't count." Strength, balance, flexibility and calm all count. So is hot yoga a cardio workout? Partly, and it's also much more than that.
- "I'll lose weight just by sweating." Water weight returns when you drink. Lasting change comes from regular practice and everyday habits.
- "Hot yoga can replace all my cardio." For most adults it can't. It pairs well with walking, cycling or swimming.
How to add more cardio without changing the class
You don't need to change the method. Walk or cycle on your non-class days, and keep your class attendance steady. If you want a heart-focused plan, our yoga for CrossFitters guide shows how athletes pair hard training with the fixed sequence.
Because the class is the same every time, it also gives you a stable test. Check your pulse at the same stage of the class each week and you'll see how your fitness changes. That's one reason teachers like the fixed sequence for tracking progress.
What Students Say
The class changes how people feel about exercise, and not only how hard their heart works. Mariana, in a 2024 video review, called her experience fabulous and said that deciding to train with us quickly turned out to be the right decision. She thanked the team for being efficient, helpful and kind throughout.
Justin shared his own story in a 2025 video review. If you'd like another student voice, take a look.
Is Hot Yoga a Cardio Workout? Our Answer as Teachers
Students ask us "is hot yoga a cardio workout" almost every week, and we never give a one-word answer. We teach this class every day, and our answer is practical. The class works the heart, but it is not built as a cardio session. It is built to move the spine through every direction, wring out tight hips and shoulders, and teach you to stay calm when it's hot.
Our lead teacher, Mr. Ian Terry, is E-RYT 500 with 12,000+ teaching hours, spent five years (2014-2019) training alongside the founder of the method, and has trained 1,500+ teachers from 80+ countries since 2017. If you're curious how fit your students would need to be, see whether 26 and 2 yoga is hard, and read more on our teacher's page.
For a view of the same cardio question from our online training side, read this cardio and hot yoga explainer.
FAQ: Is Hot Yoga a Cardio Workout?
Is hot yoga a good cardio workout?
It is a decent one, not a complete one. Heart rate in a 90-minute class reaches moderate-to-vigorous zones, but studies measure oxygen use closer to brisk walking. Add steady cardio if you want aerobic fitness, and keep the class for flexibility, strength and calm.
What heart rate should I aim for in hot yoga?
A reasonable target is roughly 60 to 80% of your maximum heart rate for most of the class, with brief peaks in the standing series. Estimate your maximum as 220 minus your age, then use breath and effort as your main guide.
Does the heat make hot yoga count as cardio?
Heat raises your heart rate without raising oxygen use much. In one 2020 study the mean heart rate was 113 beats per minute heated and 109 at room temperature, with similar calories. So heat adds strain and sweat, but not much extra cardio benefit.
How many calories does a hot yoga class burn?
A University of Wisconsin study measured about 333 calories for women and 460 for men in a 90-minute class, while a 2020 trial found around 150 in a one-hour heated session. Calorie estimates vary with size, effort and temperature, so treat them as ranges.
Is hot yoga enough cardio on its own?
For most adults, no. Public health guidance usually calls for regular moderate aerobic activity, and hot yoga sits at the gentle end of that range. It works well alongside walking, cycling or swimming. If you have a heart condition, ask your doctor first.