Lawyer Richard Cassin, 55, says he has grown 1cm taller. No, it's not because he went for any excruciating height-enhancement surgery, or that he finally decided to gel up his hair.
According to the American who is a PR here, he merely gained back a bit of height that he lost over the past few years. The reason: a possible change in posture due to increased muscle mass and bone strength.
For more than a year now, he has been attending the hottest form of yoga, literally, in town. He says Bikram yoga, which claims to be the original form of hot yoga, has "toned my muscles and strengthened my joints". He adds that it has healed his chronic knee pain.
Hot yoga, invented in the United States in the 1970s by Bikram yoga founder Bikram Choudhury, has been endorsed by many superstars, from Michael Jackson to Madonna.
Basically, it comprises a 90-minute yoga session done in a room with temperatures of 38 to 40 deg C. The premise is that higher temperatures allow more flexibility in the body since muscles are warmed up and the constant sweating is a good detoxifying process.
However, over the past few years, hot yoga has been feeling the heat from traditional yoga practitioners and medical professionals who say that it is dangerous.
In articles published by The New York Times, critics say that the principle of relaxation in yoga is derailed by
stress from the heat, and that injuries may result from the physical demands of yoga contortions done under such heat.
But yoga centres here say hot yoga is popular and generally safe. It is all about taking the right precautions, they point out.
Ms Diane Lee, director of Bikram Yoga City Hall, says of the concerns: "I would love to know if these doctors have ever done Bikram yoga before."
Bikram yoga has been patented and consists of 26 postures and two breathing exercises. Other yoga centres offer other variations, all done in a heated room.
Fees vary, with one- to five-year memberships costing a few thousand dollars, or 10- to 100-class packages for a few hundred bucks.
Ms Jeanne Chung, director of Absolute Yoga Singapore where the number of hot yoga clients has doubled over the past two years, says: "Dealing with the heat is an important part of the practice. It requires greater concentration to stay focused."
She says safety measures are in place to ensure that the heat does not go beyond the 40 deg C limit. "One must bear in mind that the heat in the room is not as hot as that in a sauna where you can stay for only 10 to 15 minutes,"
she adds. Hot yoga classes generally last for one to 11/2 hours.
It is important to be hydrated and understand the limits of your body, say hot yoga experts.
Besides that, she says, proper hygiene is also observed, with mats and studios cleaned thoroughly after each class, and fresh towels provided.
While yoga centres acknowledge that there have been instances of people experiencing discomfort and feeling faint, they say there have been no serious incidents and that the heat was not the primary cause.
Ms Lee says: "In almost all cases, those people didn't have enough sleep, water or food, or had too much junk food."
Ms Yvonne Seow, 34, a fitness and yoga instructor, advises students to always take along some drinking water to a class. "Drink during and after class to keep yourself hydrated, and cool down for 30 minutes to an hour before showering."
And what do doctors have to say about all this? Dr Sanjay Doshi, a general practitioner, says hot yoga is generally safe but cautions against believing too much in the numerous health benefits that it supposedly offers.
"The concept behind hot yoga as a cleansing method is not scientifically proven but we do know that after a good
sweat, your pores open up and your skin breathes better," he says.
He adds that it is more of the "feelgood" sensation that people are after.
Indeed, public relations executive Olivia Kwok, 25, who goes for classes once a week, says: "The reason I prefer hot yoga is that you feel you really work out because you sweat a lot."
As for all that talk about muscles, bones and flexibility, sports physician Patrick Goh explains that ligaments and muscles become more elastic with higher temperatures so it is possible to stretch further.
But he cautions: "The danger may come from causing the joint to move beyond what can be considered normal ranges of movement."
And while yoga can increase flexibility and help strengthen muscles, Dr Doshi says: "Basically, yoga is something you need to do at the right time. If you've got stiffness or muscle aches, and you go for it, it's not going to help."
In general, people who should take precautions for hot yoga are those with heart or kidney conditions, or severe skin allergies triggered by heat.
Always let your instructor know of any problem you might have, or consult your doctor before taking up the practice.
Ms Lee says: "Let go of your expectations. If you need to sit and take a breather for a couple of postures, do so.
"No one is judging you."
This article was first published in The Sunday Times on July 6, 2008.
