I like to go to yoga classes because when I do yoga at home by myself, I tend to turn it into creating a yoga class.  I will start thinking about poses I can do with my students and I will start thinking about how to cue them.   Basically, I get distracted away from practice and it becomes a “choreography” session.  Or I see something that needs to be done/cleaned/fixed and I know that if I don’t do it right then I will forget.  Or the cats come in and BE right where I am trying to practice.  My focus just is not there.  Sometimes it is, but rarely.  So, that is one reason I like to go to yoga classes.  But sometimes I want to stay home.  It helps to have a yoga application, something telling me what to do.  I have one application that allows me to make up routines.  I have made up some routines.  I have them saved and I like that.  I use the application.  It is time consuming making up routines with that application, though.  So I use the ones I have but sometimes I want something different.  Sadly that application is no longer available, at least I can’t find it, so I can’t recommend it.  I would like to because it is really cool.  But I did find another one that I like.  I actually paid for the one that I mentioned, but this one, the new one, I am just using the free version and it is pretty cool.  It is called Down Dog.

With the free version there are few things you don’t have a choice about, but I’m ok with that..  I have only used it about five or six times, so it could be that if I use it more it will start repeating itself or I might want more choice s but for now it is great.

You have a choice of Sequence Type, Pace, Playlist Type, and Length.

Looks like you have to become a member to have access to the “Advanced” Sequence Type.  But in the free version in there is Beginner 1, Beginner 2, Intermediate, Beginner Restorative, and Intermediate Restorative.  That is pretty nice. I think.

In the free version you are limited in your choice of pace.  You can only choose “normal”.  As a member you can choose:  Slowest, Slower, Faster, and Fastest.  I feel that “Normal” is perfect.  I can’t imagine Faster or Fastest.  Wow.  I guess if you don’t want to stay in a pose at all.  I mean, I don’t feel like “normal” keeps me I a pose very long.  It is a nice paced vinyasa class.  Oh, and speaking of the length of time in a pose.  I am usually just listening to her and not looking so much.  I might look to make sure I am in the right pose, but WHILE I am in the pose, I don’t look at my iPad.  So it took me until the fifth time to notice that when she keeps us in a pose there is a little timer in the corner.  That is cool.  Sometimes knowing when it is going to end helps you stay in the pose.  At least for me.  Do you ever find that to be true?

Then there is the Playlist.  I tried the Alt. Beats, but it was not for me and my practice.  I actually have a lot of music that I like to play while practicing yoga.  I like to have a separate device playing the music.  I have found that in apps in order to hear the instruction I have to have it turned up really loud and they don’t always have separate volume for music so then the music ends up being too loud.  I cannot speak to how this music is in regards to that because I don’t use it.  But as a member you have more choices.

Then there is the Length of practice, the choices are:  15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 50 minutes, 60 minutes, 70 minutes, 80 minutes, and 90 minutes.  How cool is that?  She gives you the option to do a 15 minutes yoga practice.  Then you can go all the way up to 90 minutes.  Nice.

One of the best parts of this application is the voice of the person giving the instruction.  It is Adrienne Kimberley, the creator of the app, to me she has the perfect yoga voice.  Not too loud, not too harsh, just right.  I also really like her cues.

After you choose between your options you touch “Start Practice” and the application lets you know it is putting your routine together.  Then she begins to speak and you are on your way.  When I first tried it I did the beginner routine and while I would say, “Ok, they are beginner routines.”  I would not say it is for someone new to yoga.  It is not “an introduction to yoga”.  It helps if you know some of the asana.  But, if you need assistance with learning the poses, there is a “Pose Breakdown” in the about section of the application.  That links to Youtube where it looks like Adrienne has recorded breakdowns of the poses.  So she has got you covered.

Another great thing about this application is, you can pause it.  That is so awesome.  I have done other ones where you can’t pause it.  And while I don’t want to make it a habit of pausing because that interrupts the flow, sometimes you HAVE to pause.  I don’t like to miss a second so it is nice to be able to pause it when I have to put my hair up, or adjust the volume of the music on my other device.  Or just give up (having the cats in the room) and kick the cats out of the room.  You can also repeat a pose or skip a pose.

So, of you are looking for a great free yoga application you might want to give Down Dog try.  I wouldn’t be surprised if you liked it so much you became a member.

How do you practice yoga at home?