The Newest In Smart Yoga
Written by Julia Loten
So you want to be a true yogi? Or maybe you just want to take your yoga experience to the next level. Perhaps you’ve never even tried to meditate in your life. In our age of technology, we’re constantly checking our phones and worrying about notifications. Taking time to practice yoga and/or mindfulness may seem like an afterthought to most in our ever-busy lives, but being busy is all the more reason to take a moment to breathe. So whether you’ve been at this whole yoga thing for a while or you’re only just beginning, these products will help you immerse yourself in practicing mindfulness amidst your bright and busy life.
THE ASANA REBEL APP
If you’re interested in yoga but are searching for more of an intense workout than simply practicing poses, this app is for you. Asana Rebel has created a yoga-inspired type of fitness, bringing together the best of both worlds in terms of meditation and fitness. Asana Rebel is a Berlin-based startup that has invested much of its seed funding in improving the product and R&D, so the app will likely only improve from here.
When signing up, you choose your gender and three fitness goals (e.g. Sleep Better, Lose Weight, Build Healthy Habits). You input some other info about your body, including height, weight, and fitness level, and you are well on your way to workouts tailored to your goals, as well as meal ideas and other diet options. The app requires a subscription, but at $2.99 per month when you purchase a year subscription (reg. $15.99 per month), this program is a steal. Asana Rebel also offers a 14-day money back guarantee, so you can subscribe without the fear that you’ll be wasting money if you don’t like the workouts.
ALO MOVES APP
Clothing brand Alo Yoga has also come out with a workout app of their own. Alo Moves’ instructors are each specialized in either yoga, fitness, mindfulness, or barre, offering everything from Pilates and HIIT to meditations to flexibility skills; you can improve your strength, get in shape, or finally learn how to do a handstand all from the comfort of your home!
You can take an optional survey upon signing up, selecting your preferred areas of focus, level of skill for each category, and overall goals (similar to Asana Rebel). You can also choose your preferred teaching style. Alo Moves seems to have an emphasis on instruction, offering each instructor get-to-know-you profile pages. It seems a bit more of a hands-on experience for learners… However this comes at a price. After a free trial period, the app is $16.59 per month if billed annually (reg. $20 per month). But if you want to invest in your workouts, this app might be right for you.
YOGA PANTS WEARABLE
Speaking of investment, Wearable X’s Nadi X Yoga Pants might be a good one for both beginner and advanced yogis. At $250, the yoga pants are certainly pricy, however you won’t see a pair like them at LuluLemon. Embedded with sensors, the Nadi X boasts “A private yoga experience on your own terms.” The wearable connects to your phone via the Nadi X app to teach you proper yoga movements with these sensors, as well as accelerometers that sit on the hips, knees, and ankles, guiding you in your movements with vibration and audio. Despite the hefty price tag, Wearable X offers a 30-day free trial of the yoga pants before you make a final decision. And don’t worry, despite the techiness of Nadi X, they’re machine washable!!
SMART YOGA MAT
The SmartMat Yoga Mat is another sensor-based innovation that can help yoga lovers of any level improve their practice. While it looks, feels, and rolls up like an ordinary mat, the SmartMat connects to your phone through an app to give you guidance in your movements through sensors. You even go through a calibration process when first using the mat so that it can learn about your body and the way it moves. Cool, right! Tailored to your body and ability, the mat is unique to you. Users love SmartMat because it provides them with a form of one-on-one instruction that they never actually receive in group yoga classes. While it seems like something of the future, an interactive yoga mat is definitely something to consider.