Yoga | Down Dog Reviews

I'm astounded. They got it all right with YogaDownDog, and it's hard for for me to find the patience for yoga. The process and the way I feel afterward is amazing, and I never feel patronized, pseudo-spiritual, or like I'm trying to be a soccer mom. From the language used in the narration, the soothing yet energizing voice, the musical selections (and option for no music) the quality of the images.. I'm just really happy with Down Dog. Evidently there are in app purchases, but I probably wouldn't have realized that if it wasn't indicated on YogaDownDog description. It's not in-your-face at all - I'm going to have to go back and search for them. And I will, because the quality of the free product is so amazing. Maybe I sound like I'm gushing- it's just that I have never had the patience for yoga before. It was one of those things I thought I maybe "should" do. I have used YogaDownDog 5 times in 7 days, and always feel amazing afterwards.

UPDATE: it's over a year later, and I'm still using and loving Down Dog. I also paid for the upgrade, mostly because I wanted to support them so much, but it also unlocked some great features. I am impressed with how YogaDownDog has evolved and how responsive the team is. Even when life is at its most chaotic, I can fit their 10 minute sessions in every night before I go to sleep, and longer sessions during the day whenever I can. Thank you, Down Dog!

I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to use YogaDownDog. I couldn’t afford the full version but the people from down dog let me tell them my story and I received the full version for free for a period of time plus a discount when I’m ready to join . I’ve struggled with addiction most of my life . During those times the only thing that gave me any relief was exercise . One day my best friend , my wife , introduced me to yoga . It gave me something my soul yearned for . Yoga along with the love of my wife and family gave me something bigger than myself to believe in. I couldn’t afford classes anymore and I took time off for a hip replacement . That’s when I discovered Down Dog. With so many choices of what I want to focus on and with the beautiful music and soothing instruction from the teachers I don’t need a yoga studio . When I can’t sleep at night I’ll come out and practice yoga on my own. It helps me settle down . I don’t seep a lot due to trauma and the damage to my brain from drugs . But Yoga helps me . It helps me sleep . It quiets my mind during the day. It puts me in touch with emotions I could never seem to get out . I am very grateful to everyone involved in the down dog community . To me YogaDownDog is definitely worth the membership . Thank you all and thank you to my beautiful for giving me a reason
Down Dog is changing my life

I started off with YogaDownDog a little over a year ago when I wanted to start meditating and centering my mind due to anxiety. I didn’t want to go to yoga classes because they are very expensive and I was afraid of looking dumb and inflexible. I practiced each day for at least 10 min for about 3 months, I then saw a deal on Groupon for some classes at a local yoga studio and I bought it. After the first class the teacher came up to me and said they were happy to see a new face and that they hoped they see me again. They asked me if I had been practicing long and I informed them that I had been practicing for about three months, they then asked WHAT STUDIO I WENT TOO!? Hahah they were surprised when I said it was a app. Down dog! I recommend YogaDownDog to all my friends and family who want to start their yoga journey. I had their free version on my phone for about 8 months, I now have the paid version because I trusted YogaDownDog and was willing to pay a small price compared to what i would pay at a yoga studio each month. I was prepared to deepen my practice, and I knew YogaDownDog would help. Now here I am a year and a half later, loving YogaDownDog still (using this for a majority of my practice) and anxious to be attending a yoga institute in July 2018 to become a yoga teacher! I love yoga and I Love YogaDownDog. I cannot stress that enough!

I tried YogaDownDog on a friends recommendation as I had been using a different one for quite awhile. YogaDownDog is way above any other yoga app I have tried. It has many choices for difficulty level, even more selections for type of practice and time (full, short etc) with times ranging from 12 minutes to 110 minutes. The spoken instructions are easy to understand. The upgrade to buy after the trial is to change the type of music as well as having a certain "boost" such as hamstring opening, heart opening, strength etc and it very may well be worth the $50 for the year. What I love the most is that no two classes are ever exactly the same. It generates new sequences and keeps the practice fresh. The other app I was using had static classes, and while that worked, I much prefer YogaDownDog with the ability to have a different class every time. My only complaint on the free version is that the default music "alt beats" is very loud and often drowns out the spoken instructions. I sent feedback to the developer about this so we will see if they change that or at least allow a bit more volume control with the unpaid version. YogaDownDog is so smooth and simple to use, kudos to the instructor and the developer on a job very well done!

This is the most phenomenal app on my phone. Idk how they did it. Every detail has been considered to create an unprecedentedly smooth, easy, personalized experience that I want to use every day. There is no part of the yoga practice that is not completely customizable, down to the voice of the guidance and speed of the flow. Speaking of the voice, how is it possible that my entirely personalized practice is generated in a few seconds when I press “start”, but the guidance is so naturally fluid that it basically seems live? Magic perhaps? The completely adjustable timer, so I can do anywhere from a 10 minute practice to 75, at intervals at only 2 minutes…genius! How can I ever argue that I don’t have time for yoga when I could do a full practice in 10 minutes? Even the fact that YogaDownDog asks you to select the type of music and plays actual pieces by talented artists, some little known; the type of thing that the average user wouldn’t even notice if they were missing, that takes the experience entirely to the next level. I’ll keep telling all this to everyone who will listen. I have never said this about an app before, and rarely say it in life: I am so impressed.

I have started doing yoga using YogaDownDog for over a month now. I tried beginner 2 but it was easy for me as I have been doing other exercises and I swim, but never tried yoga until then. I started doing intermediated 1 and I fell in love with yoga and YogaDownDog . YogaDownDog has very clear explanation and very easy to follow instructions. The level is challenging enough for me. I tried another yoga app for about 2 weeks before I started using down dog and YogaDownDog is far more superior. I paid for the subscription and thank you for the 30% discount. I like how you can chose full practice or to focus on specific body parts , different types of yoga and different types of music and also choose the duration. The sequence of the poses never repeats. I have referred this apps to many of my friends and relatives already. My husband started doing this, he paid for the subscription as well and he loves it too. Now the part I want to be added on it to be able to adjust the time even after starting the practice. For example today, I set the practice to be 45 minutes but it went by quick and I wanted to add another 15 minutes to the current practice but I couldn’t. Please add that option. Again this is THE BEST YOGA APP.

*Update 9/3
As a yoga instructor this is my favorite app to continue a personal practice which can be difficult sometimes. I use it to explore different types of yoga and I love the added Yoga Nidra! Having prenatal anxiety I struggled to find an affordable app to help me with a guided meditation. This is the perfect option and I love being able to customize my Nidra to what I want to focus on!! I love YogaDownDog! I don't have a lot of time to go to a studio class because of work, nor do I have a lot of money to go to the studio everyday. YogaDownDog allows me to really enjoy yoga on my own time and if I only have the strength to do 15 minutes for restorative flow YogaDownDog allows me to do it all! Quick on your feet flow when I'm rushing in the morning with the flexibility to allow me to do 90 minute flow on the weekends with full practice. I would recommend YogaDownDog to anyone new or advanced. YogaDownDog grows with you and has amazing advance features when you become a member! The music is amazing. The new advanced technology is really making YogaDownDog accessible for all levels with a change in options for instructional voices with different styles. Love it!

I would like to state that I usually do not write reviews for any app, but I feel this one deserves a HUGE review for changing my lifestyle. I downloaded YogaDownDog during quarantine because my gym closed and I needed something to do. I am a teacher, so I experienced a high level of stress and anxiety during this shutdown and thought yoga might help. YogaDownDog changed my life! The easy to use platform and the gradual increase of difficulty had transformed my flexibility, stress, and mental health. I use YogaDownDog every day before work to help me wake up and get refreshed. I recommend YogaDownDog to every teacher and have referred much of my school staff to YogaDownDog. I will be using it for life and will continue to tell every teacher the benefits of YogaDownDog on your life. I have even used some of the poses and breathing techniques on my students and have seen a huge transformation on their overall stress, energy, and focus. Teachers MUST get YogaDownDog to help with their stress and overall mental health. It is a lifesaver and it is free right now! Thank you Down Dog for supporting teachers and creating an app that helps our health and budgets! You are amazing!

I love YogaDownDog/company because it allows me to have a daily yoga practice when I can’t go into a studio regularly. YogaDownDog handles everything you need in a full practice and even has different versions of yoga practices. A couple problems that I’ve noticed is: 1. When practicing, the instruction from the instructor often does not align with the visual practitioner on the screen. Ie.) “warrior 2 with left arm up and right leg back” often shows actually the opposite on the screen. The person will actually have the right arm up and left leg back (the opposite). So that’s slightly confusing.
And 2. YogaDownDog glitches sometimes. Even with a downloaded practice, YogaDownDog will glitch and not play smoothly. During a yoga practice, rhythm is a big factor. So, being interrupted by lagging tech can be tedious. Also, when toggling back or forward, it takes YogaDownDog longer than it should to switch to another pose/position within the given practice. Simply, slow tech. These are the two main fixes I hope to see DownDog improve on, or their competitors strive in. If a competitor performed the above elements better, I would switch my subscription to them. Perhaps this is a simple tech solution.
-DG

I have been practicing yoga on and off for over 10 years; it began when I walked into a pilates class and the substitute only knew yoga. After years of practicing at the gym I began looking for an app to do anywhere, as my kids are older and their schedules do not coincide with the gym’s all the time. This is the third app I have use for yoga and I have had it for several years. I have lower back issues due to a fall in my early twenties and now scar tissue on my right ankle from missing a step; the wrong move and either injury can leave me out of commission for days. Thanks to YogaDownDog and its use on a regular basis I have been able to control my ankle issues to the point I don’t need a cane anymore (I am 51yrs old) and I can lift, twist and bend my back with no issues. I love the flexibility that YogaDownDog gives in terms of time, type of practice and ability to focus on particular areas. The videos are good quality and help double check posture; the verbal instructions are detailed and are great reminders to keep double check how am doing. Well worth the money, only app I need.

YogaDownDog is a pleasure to use. The instructor is very clear, and gives separate instructions for the left and right sides, something that is very helpful for more complicated poses. I was at first put off by the use of photos rather than the video, but after some use I do not miss the video at all, and it is nice not to require the bandwidth and the storage. YogaDownDog is very stable; I have not encountered any bugs aside from a small display issue in 2.0. I like the range of choices for difficulty level, as well as the duration selections. The addition of Boost, which allows you to choose a body areas to focus on, is great - I'm really happy they added this and it's clear YogaDownDog is continuing to improve. I previously used FitStar Yoga, and became quite frustrated when trying to select times, not to mention all the bugs. There are a lot of music choices, more than I need, but I did find that soft instrumental worked for me. The levels of the music are somewhat variable, so sometimes the music is too soft and sometimes too loud, but it is tolerable. Finally, of course, it's great that there is a new routine every time you use YogaDownDog . Highly recommended!

I started using YogaDownDog when my gym and yoga classes were shut down due to COVID-19. Being a full time clinical grad student, I have a very limited budget, and this company was gracious enough to give teachers and students free 3 month trials. As my trial was reaching its end, I was sad to think I couldn’t afford this monthly bill on top of my other bills that are coming back due to reopening.

Just got an email today saying they are extending the free period for students/teachers to JANUARY 2021! I’m thrilled!!! What a generous company that understands not everyone can afford the big price tag that often accompanies studios and Western yoga practices. They make yoga accessible, as it should be!

On top of being a generous company, YogaDownDog is easy to use and modify to your wants and needs! Depending on your mood they offer everything from yin to full vinyasa and everything in between! It’s so easy to modify speed, length, voice, music, focus areas (e.g., glutes, core, shoulders, etc.). I’m so appreciative of everything YogaDownDog offers, and that I’ll continue to be able to afford it throughout the rest of the year!

I have so many nice things to say about YogaDownDog but the most important thing that I can say is that I've found my safe space. I've found a way to transform my living room, the park, a hotel room, a cramped Brooklyn hallway, a rooftop or the beach into a private meditation space. It has truly changed my life and the way i live it, especially during these peculiar times. I downloaded YogaDownDog in 2017 when I was unemployed and couldn't afford a yoga studio membership or class. Since then Ive been in 2 car wrecks, started physical therapy / acupuncture, gained (& lost) and regained employment, joined a yoga pilates studio, rejoined the gym, and moved from BK to LA but one thing has remained a constant in my life - using YogaDownDog. I'm not one to over praise technology -- in fact I resent it often and try to avoid it as much as possible, however I am not a fool and acknowledge the ways in which technology has eased a lot of things in our modern lives -- this is one of them. Don't overthink it just download YogaDownDog and try. You will be surprised at how much you can do and before you know it you'll be advanced. God Bless You!

Being in a place without any yoga community and spotty internet, I tried out several yoga apps. This one is simple and elegant, and with a focus on improving your practice. Never boring and easy to grow your skill. I feel it’s really aimed at people who really want to practice yoga as an integral part of well-being, instead of just another type of superficial workout. The coaching voice is so soothing and I keep it on full instruction to take advantage of the timely reminders to self-correct. The generated videos are ridiculously seamless, and shows the transitions between the poses clearly. And, required for me, you can download sequences to use offline. It is not overwhelming with unnecessary bells and whistles. Their beginner app is a delight as well and is a great introduction (or re-introduction) for those who may not have recently been on the mat. The one thing I could recommend may be the option to have a chime or bell when it’s time to transition to the next pose as a cue to look at the screen. But overall, this has been the first yoga app I have stuck with since the dawn of iphones. Thank you!

Just completed my first 30 min. Beginner session. As an on again off again, VERY tight yogi who would rather run than stretch, I have neglected going to a studio for a few years now. (Did I also mention I'm over sixty and have moderate spinal stenosis?). If I could underscore the word 'tight' it would still be an understatement. Although I've tried other apps because I can't seem to get motivated to go to my favorite studio, nothing seemed to captivate me. Wow! Enter Downdog!!! This felt just like a true studio class (especially with the music as other apps are missing this feature). Instruction was clear, video was teal life, and voice/music was perfect.

I especially like that I just chose a timeframe and skill level and Downdog did the rest. It's why other apps left me cold. I don't want to put my own sequence together, I don't know how. That's why I would go to a studio! Can't say enough good things about YogaDownDog without sounding like I'm on their payroll! Thank you so much for offering such a powerful tool to enhance people's quality of life! Feel like my flexibility goals are much more attainable with your app.

Before trying YogaDownDog I ran. I would run for 30-40 minutes a day, trying to lose weight and get back in shape (I took a couple years off with four kids at home). I’m 37, and running just wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do. My legs were slim and toned, but my back and upper body were weak and without definition. My friend suggested yoga. With four kids and two jobs (and a husband who travels), going to a studio every day was out of the question. I downloaded YogaDownDog based on the reviews and tried the first two free classes and was hooked! I started at beginner 1 and I’m now up to beginner 2 (a month later). I try and do one workout a day, but sometimes miss a day or two. I do this in my living room or family room with the kids with me or joining me for parts- it’s so unbelievably easy to do at home! And after a month, I’m able to do most of the moves on my level and I feel stronger. I’m seeing a difference in my arms and back, and I’m so happy that I have YogaDownDog to help me get a powerful workout in at home. I cannot recommend anything more. If you’re thinking about this- don’t hesitate. You’ll love it.

I’ve been practicing yoga for about 4~ years now, and this was recommended to me about a year ago by a yoga teacher. It has easily become one of my favorite ways to do yoga at home! YogaDownDog gives many options before you start your practice. There are lots, but to name a few: you can pick how long the practice is, what voice you’d like to be instructed in, what kind of practice whether that be Yin or a full Vinyasa Flow. One of my favorite features is that you can select music from a list of genres, and the songs match the beat of your workout! It tells you the song and artist on the screen in a non-obstructive way, and gives a song list at the end of the practice! I’ve found a lot of new favorite songs through YogaDownDog! I can share practices I really liked with friends and family by sharing a link, too! YogaDownDog has several notable features that I think are worth checking out for yourself! They give you a free trial to try it before you commit, and I really fell in love with it during my trial!

For a week or so, my phone’s battery life has been pitiful. Finally, today I sat down to figure out what was draining it. It’s YogaDownDog. It is using HOURS of background refresh activity which is draining my phone’s battery life. And guess what? YogaDownDog IS NOT LISTED IN BACKGROUND REFRESH LIST!! So, this means YogaDownDog is not asking for your permission to refresh in the background. It is simply doing it without your OK. Not acceptable!
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I LOVE YogaDownDog, and I use it nearly everyday. Some days, I need to have the practice through my wireless headphones, but YogaDownDog does not allow me to adjust volume through my headphones. I must go through my phone to adjust the volume for my headphones which is extremely inconvenient during a flow when a new song is just a bit too loud. (Swipe up to unlock, pause practice, adjust volume, relocate the time I stopped to change the volume to ensure I’m not missing a step, rewind, start again... it’s a hassle!) That’s not to mention needing to have my phone next to me. I’m doing yoga-the whole point is to get away from my phone. Having the ability to adjust volume as the songs change in type over the practice would take YogaDownDog to the next level for me, personally. This seems to be its only flaw. But it’s a really big one for me.

I downloaded YogaDownDog because I started yoga and am a dog lover, an interesting combo, I know. I was using another yoga app that I thought I really liked. However you could only do the same 5 workouts unless you "unlocked" (aka purchased) the monthly subscriptions so I was quite bored after a few weeks. I really like the "flow" tempo in YogaDownDog because it gives you a little bit of an elevated heart rate without having to run or go to the gym. I'm not avoiding those things because of laziness. I have a condition that limits the intensity I can work out at. I used to love running and lifting weights. Well I have to say, after 3.5 years since I last stepped in a gym or gone for a good run I've finally found a workout that's both safe for my health and an amazing workout!! The flexibility of pace, level, speed, etc. makes it so versatile for my pain level, time allotment, and energy that day. From first seeing that smiling doggy icon to practicing with YogaDownDog for several weeks, I'm fully committed to Down Dog!! Thank you so much Down Dog for helping me regain my self and finding a perfect fit for my life!!🐶

I started Down Dog yoga in July 2020 during quarantine. I had always wanted to do yoga and had one class 10 years ago. I love YogaDownDog for three reasons: you can customize it, it offers so much variety, and you can explore yoga styles. Customizing: length of practice, amount of verbal instruction, different boosts (aerobic, hips, etc.) music type, level of “difficulty”, etc. Variety: even if you stay at the same level with the same settings, each practice is a little different so you do familiar poses but don’t get completely bored. Types of yoga: The different types allow for days when I want a full practice to days when I just want deep stretching. I paid for a subscription after the free three-week trial and have been using it several times a week ever since. I am now starting to explore DD HIIT, DD Barre, and DD Meditation, which come with my subscription. I love YogaDownDog and enthusiastically recommend it. There is also a supportive community group on Facebook that helps others fine tune poses and offers encouragement.

YogaDownDog is a pleasure to use. The instructor is very clear, and gives separate instructions for the left and right sides, something that is very helpful for more complicated poses. I was at first put off by the use of photos rather than the video, but after some use I do not miss the video at all, and it is nice not to require the bandwidth and the storage. YogaDownDog is very stable; I have not encountered any bugs aside from a small display issue in 2.0. I like the range of choices for difficulty level, as well as the duration selections. The addition of Boost, which allows you to choose a body areas to focus on, is great - I'm really happy they added this and it's clear YogaDownDog is continuing to improve. I previously used FitStar Yoga, and became quite frustrated when trying to select times, not to mention all the bugs. There are a lot of music choices, more than I need, but I did find that soft instrumental worked for me. The levels of the music are somewhat variable, so sometimes the music is too soft and sometimes too loud, but it is tolerable. Finally, of course, it's great that there is a new routine every time you use YogaDownDog . Highly recommended!

I never write reviews for stuff but this was too good not to share! I’ve been teaching yoga around 7 years- I teach mon-thurs and I also am a musician who works at night, so finding time for my own practice has been incredibly hard. YogaDownDog is incredible. There are many options to customize your perfect class. You can choose from video or no video, instructors voice, length of class, length of savasana, difficulty and pace of class, how much “instruction/talking” you want, choice of music (music is awesome btw), you can “favorite” a class to revisit, and you can also pick an area of focus like core or twists, etc.. I was able to purchase YogaDownDog through their website for $35 for the YEAR. If you’ve been looking through different apps and don’t know which one to choose, look no further. Plus they have a free trial for 3 classes- I only did one class and bought YogaDownDog right away! So great for traveling too, and there’s also an option to download practices to your device. Great app and awesome price, so glad I took a chance on this one!

I like how I can customize the practice options. Length, focus on a body part or function, type of music, speed, instructor, and more. I have mine on beginner 1 and still find some of the pose suggestions a bit advanced. I wish like most classes I’ve been to in person they had instruction that started basic, and then options to increase the postures (the video instructors are able to perform them well so if I can’t bend or move like they can it’s hard to know the right but “lesser” pose options. As a beginner I love the reminders for breathing sprinkled in as well as reminders to adjust the posture so you are getting it correct. Sometimes the flows seem repetitive with a LOT of down dog, plank, up dog, down dog sequences in a row - but maybe this is a style I’m just not familiar with in the “in person” classes I’ve taken. I love that you can also lengthen shavasana at the end or even remain listening if you forgot to lengthen it. Overall YogaDownDog is a deal if you buy in during the holidays and works great for an at home option to get you through the week of you can’t make or can’t afford a group lesson.

I still love YogaDownDog but lately some of the savasana music has felt distracting and creepy. One example sounded like a creepy woman voice yelling (sounded like a Halloween witch shrieking into a dying off voice with other high pitched voices) on alt beats (not spiritual where I might understand that working for some cultures) and another sounded like a rattlesnake (again in alt beats, not spiritual where it might work for some.) Today I was thankful that all of the selections were relaxing (and I still like the sung chants that I can drift off to savasana in.) Maybe the music categories could be broken up more for different preferences or cultural needs. Also I had to reduce talking for the new option to just announcing the pose on the new voices because she talks way too much even on limited talking with breath cue so it makes it hard to relax into the breath. I wish the classic voice could be combined with the new options even though the instructions would have less detail. The original voice was more inviting and soothing/relaxing for me personally.

I have only recently begun to go to yoga classes at the local gym. I'm having trouble keeping up with the "Flow" class, and wanted something that I could use at home to up my game. Loving YogaDownDog! One great thing about it is the number of levels you can choose from (Beginner 1, Beginner 2, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, and Advanced) before you start each practice. There are also 3 types of yoga to choose from and different lengths of time. That's great for me because sometimes I want to try a 45 minute "Flow", and sometimes when I'm quite busy I can take 10 or 15 minutes to do a "Restorative" practice to just relax. Once you have chosen all of the options you want (Type, Level, Time, Pace, and Music Playlist Type) the sequence is generated for you and you're ready to begin. And, even choosing all of the same options, I have never had the same practice twice. YogaDownDog is a winner all around!!!

(Note: I only have the free version of YogaDownDog. I'm not sure what purchasing the membership "unlocks" for you.)

Just want to thank the creators of YogaDownDog. It’s uhmazing! Not only is it free on all levels but there are different kinds of yoga! Restorative, quick flow, short practice, full practice, and even intro to yoga ( for my new to yoga partner!)!!! But there is also different levels of intensity! I can also choose how quick or slow paced I would like my practice to be! It has background music and the option to have full little or no spoken instructions; and these instructions are good! I can keep my eyes closed during my practice and be guided through the entire session! Love the playlist options too!!! Seriously all around my favorite app!! It is the only thing that gets me up before 6 am! And I feel GREAT after practicing. Serious life changer. It’s also great to have on my phone so if my anxiety gets bad at work I can just sneak away and do some quick flow yoga ! Thank you for YogaDownDog and thank you for making it free!!!!!!!! I love it and recommend it to all my friends!! Thanks for helping me bring yoga into my life! ❤️💜🧡💛💚💙 namaste!

I have been a fair weather yogi mainly because of time and money...living in LA has many varieties of yoga, but parking and traffic make it had to justify the cost sometimes. YogaDownDog has been a godsend. I started with the free app, and decided within a month to just cough up the $20 for a year to be able to customize the practice...and I wasn’t disappointed! In fact, I was overly impressed how much focus (and variety) the shoulder practice has, I’m sure it has helped my shoulder pain immensely. And because I mainly do my yoga practice with my eyes closed, I also love the step by step instruction (but with the premium you can turn this off if it’s not for you!) While there is no teacher to correct your poses, I have been to too many studios where it is overcrowded and they never get to you anyway. So for the cost of 1(!) yoga class, you can have hundreds at your disposal, anytime, anywhere, minus the traffic and parking! Do yourself a favor and download YogaDownDog! Your body will thank you!