Five essential apps for practicing yoga at home

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Owing to its universal popularity, United Nations declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Recognising the importance of mental health, the theme for this year's annual observance is ‘Yoga for well-being'. Lockdowns around the globe forced people indoors which led to many incorporating yoga in their fitness routines. Thousands of fitness and health apps made sure that all of us continue with our routines from the safety and comfort of our homes. On International Day of Yoga, we've rounded up some of the yoga apps that are suitable for varied fitness levels across ages.

Beginner friendly

Yoga for beginners ranks among the top rated yoga apps across the globe and is ideal for those who are just starting out. We know that yoga can be intimidating to those who might have never tried it, but the app offers curated workouts that are easy to learn and perform. All exercises are accompanied by soothing audio guidance designed to ensure that your journey is relaxed and seamless. Users can customise and build their personal workouts as well enabling them to progress at their pace.

Available on: Android and iOS

All you need is five minutes

If you have struggled to build and maintain a daily practice, 5 Minute Yoga Workouts is the app for you. Regular practice helps tone muscles, improve flexibility, reduce stress, and increase strength. Offering quick five-minute yoga sessions, the simple yet effective poses are ideal for starting the day right, stretching during a stressful work day or even unwinding before bed.

Available on: Android and iOS

Mindful practice

Known for benefits far beyond physical exercise, yoga is a holistic practice. Supplementing yoga with mindfulness and meditation is something practitioners recommend. The Insight Timer is an award-winning app that offers more than 75,000 guided meditations, sleep soundscapes, sleep music, and much more. Kundalini Yoga, Vipassana, and Yoga Nidra are few of the practices that are taught by leading meditation experts on the app. What is most interesting is that users can also engage with a like-minded mindful community through thousands of discussion groups.

Available on: Android and iOS

Body positive

If you have always believed that to practice yoga, you need to be of a certain size or at a high fitness level, The Underbelly is here to squash those beliefs. Created by Jessamyn Stanley, a yoga teacher and body-positive advocate, the app is designed to help users cultivate mindfulness in their everyday lives through yoga. The Underbelly offers an extensive number of sessions that vary in length and intensity. Users can look up classes based on specific body areas they want to exert, for example, neck or back.

Available on: Android and iOS

Figuring out what feels good

Exercise should not hurt or make you feel miserable, Find What Feels Good offers you the yoga lifestyle tools to help you find what works well for you. The app comes with over 100 hours of yoga sessions including prenatal yoga and yoga ritual alongside interesting categories empower, boost and chill, and many more. Founded by international YouTube star and yoga teacher, Adriene Mishler, the app is designed to encourage users to do their
best and be their authentic selves.

Available on: Android and iOS

NOTE: Please consult with your family doctor, nutritionist or dietician before trying out any of the above routines.