I didn't exactly follow through on my New Year's resolutions from last year, but it was a hectic year with numerous challenges and unexpected family situations so I can give myself a little grace. One resolution I did manage to see through was a recommitment to yoga. I spent the pandemic learning to love yoga and all it did for my body and mind. But when work schedules and other commitments picked up, yoga took a back seat until I could no longer hold a plank and my joints and muscles tightened up on me again. Not exactly how I want to feel as I approach my 60th birthday.
All that changed when I stumbled upon two apps that made it nearly impossible for me to continue to disregard my yoga cravings and need for flexibility and mild strength training. After a little research I settled on Bend and Yoga Go to help me ease back into my routine. I love them both and use them reguarly at home and even at the office for a quick stretch and pick-me-up.
The Two Yoga Apps I Can't Live Without
Bend: Bend is my go-to app when I need a quick stretch to get me going in the morning, to wind down at night before bed or to work on a specific area like the hips, neck, and lower back, just to name a few. The app, which has more than 90,000 positive ratings in the app store, offers up numerous routines both quick and not-so-quick and also allows you to create your own, picking from a long list of poses to assemble your perfect routine. What I most like about the app is the ability to track my progress from day to day, and month to month. Statistical and historical information is tracked so you can keep track of your workouts, time spent, and progress made.
Bend is ideal for a beginner who needs a little prompting to get going. Each pose comes with tutorial on how to make the most of the pose. Bend is pretty intuitive and didn't take me long to master. At just $39.99 a year, Bend is a bargain for anyone who wants to make stretching and yoga a part of daily living and well-being.
Yoga Go: I use Bend for quick and easy flexibility sessions, but Yoga Go offers up even more for those wanting a true yoga studio type experience. Yoga Go offers yoga, pilates, and Tai Chi for folks of all levels, from beginners to experts. Sessions that focus on stress, somatic exercize, and menopause make it easy to find exactly what you need day to day. Sessions range in length from 7 to 30 minutes so that you can fit a workout in no matter how busy you might be. It took me awhile to figure out how to navigate the app, but once I did it opened up a lot of possibilities for me. This app also tracks progress and activity and allows you to create your own practice. Numerous somatic and chair yoga practices make it a clear win for those over 50. A yearly subscription costs just under $53, which is a lot less than my local yoga studio.
Reviews of Yoga Go are really mixed. The videos do appear to be AI generated, and a lot of reviews criticize the app for being too basic. Honestly, that's something that really made the app appealing to me, but if you're a seasoned yoga enthusiast Yoga Go might not be enough for you.
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