Bikram Yoga Union Square, New York

Hot air swirls around hard-working bodies, causing students to collect beads of sweat as they stick challenging postures. Reflected in the wall-to-wall mirrors, bodies bend, fold, and twist into 26 gentle, therapeutic Hatha postures as high humidity facilitates deep stretching, accelerated fat burning, and detoxification. Feet plant themselves onto the blue floor, which is illuminated by light that floods the white-walled studio from the rounded wall of windows. Certified by Bikram Choudhury himself, all the instructors draw on their rigorous 500 hours of training to captain morning and evening classes, ensuring attendees feel confident and secure and dispensing hands-on guidance. After each sudorific session, students can hit the on-location showers to wash off skin salt and prevent unwanted garment pickling.