These 7 Yoga Apps Are a Must For Any Runner

Jenessa Connor

Updated June 21, 2018 at 9:00 AM

<p>Whether they see it as a holistic health practice or organized stretching, most runners can be convinced that doing yoga regularly can at least compliment - if not improve - their running. Yet, not everyone is willing to invest in a studio membership or trade in a tempo run for 90 minutes on the mat. That's where yoga apps come in. They offer a convenient and affordable alternative. </p><p>Like running shoes, there’s no shortage of yoga app options available. But depending on your goals, expectations, and style, some will fit better than others. We’ve weeded out the duds and came up with seven worthy contenders that offer tons of variety and runner-specific instruction.</p>

<p><strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/yogaglo-yoga-and-meditation/id1023475268?mt=8" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:yogaglo.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">yogaglo.com</a><br></strong><em>Free 15-day trial<br></em><em>$18/month</em></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.yogaglo.com/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:YogaGlo;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">YogaGlo</a>’s biggest asset is its instructor lineup, which reads like a who’s who of the celebrity yoga world and more than justifies the $18 monthly fee. But even runners for whom the names Seane Corn and Rod Stryker mean nothing will see this app’s value in both quality and quantity - a “run” search yields over 65 results, and YogaGlo continuously updates its programming. </p><p>Classes range from five to 90 minutes in duration and tend to focus on recovery and mobility for runners, though a handful of videos offer warm-up sequences (Claire Missingham’s 10-minute prerun vinyasa flow is quick and energizing), cross-training, and core-strengthening. </p><p>YogaGlo’s simple, single-camera videos mimic a typical studio experience, and the website’s clean design is easy to navigate. While the <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/yogaglo-yoga-and-meditation/id1023475268?mt=8" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:iOS app;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">iOS app</a> includes all the site’s functionality, plus Apple Watch compatibility, the <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yogaglo.yogaglo&hl=en_US" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Android version;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Android version</a> is designed exclusively for offline viewing (up to 10 videos). If you don’t have an iPhone, you’re better off just logging into YogaGlo’s mobile-friendly site.</p>

<p><strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/down-dog/id983693694?mt=8" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:downdogapp.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">downdogapp.com</a></strong><br><em>Free standard membership<br>$7.99/month or $49.99/year pro membership</em><br><br>The free version of <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.downdogapp.com/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Down Dog’s app;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Down Dog’s app</a> is surprisingly robust. All programming draws from Vinyasa-style yoga, but duration, skill level, and sequence type (for example, “restorative” or “quick flow”) is yogi’s choice. An upgrade to pro membership affords even more customization and unlocks the app’s “Boost” function, which allows you to target specific areas of the body - runners will appreciate the hamstrings, hips, and lower back options - or focus on elements like twists or standing balances. Pro members can also adjust the pace, change the music, and decrease the amount of spoken instruction.<br><br>Down Dog’s video quality is crisp, and its soundtrack options offer refreshing alternatives to the typical yoga video schmaltz. All the customization creates a noticeably modular experience. Transitions between poses sometimes can feel abrupt, and verbal cues don’t always align with the on-screen instruction. However, experienced practitioners will have no problem connecting the dots, but those with a beginner practice may want to start elsewhere.<br></p>

<p><strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1050813703" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:yogawithadriene.vhx.tv;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">yogawithadriene.vhx.tv</a></strong><br><em>Free 7-day trial<br>$9.99/month or $99.99/year</em></p><p>Adriene Mishler, an Austin-based entrepreneur and award-winning YouTube host, is the face of <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://yogawithadriene.vhx.tv/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Find What Feels Good;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Find What Feels Good</a> (FWFG). Mishler’s signature goofiness and self-deprecating humor give her instruction a casual accessibility, but not at the expense of her knowledge and capability as a teacher. Her videos, all of which are shot in her home, vacillate between the pragmatic (“Yoga for Weight Loss”) and the mystical (“Third Chakra Yoga”).<br></p><p>While the app doesn’t offer many bells and whistles - there’s no advanced filter, customization, or community-building features beyond the comments section - it doesn’t feel like anything’s missing. Videos are easy to find, watch, and download for offline viewing. </p><p>A runner herself, Mishler offers seven classes for runners, most of which can be completed in under 10 minutes. The mix of prerun warmups, postrun cooldowns, and recovery flows is effective but nothing revolutionary. Really, Mishler’s personality is FWFG’s differentiating factor. </p>

<p><strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grokker-yoga-fitness-cooking/id920187336?ls=1&mt=8" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:grokker.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">grokker.com</a></strong><br><em>Free two-week trial<br></em><em>$14.99/month</em></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://grokker.com/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Grokker;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Grokker</a> aims to provide users with a comprehensive wellness solution by offering over 4,000 videos that cover everything from nutrition and strength training to sleep and financial health. Yoga represents a substantial portion of the fitness vertical with high-quality videos that vary in style and tend to hover around the 30-minute and one-hour marks. Runners looking for guided stretching or a more structured recovery practice will benefit from the “Yoga for Athletes” series, even though its classes, which focus on flexibility, injury prevention, and strength, aren’t specifically designed for runners. (Interestingly, Grokker chooses to specialize in more niche sports like skateboarding, surfing, and golf.)</p><p>If runner-specific yoga (or even just yoga) is what you’re after, Grokker’s abundance of non-yoga options can feel like it’s crowding the user experience. But if you’re shopping for an all-in-one fitness tool, it’s a great deal.</p>

<p><strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nike-training-club/id301521403?mt=8" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:nike.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">nike.com</a></strong><br><em>Free</em></p><p>A companion app to Nike Run Club, <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/nike-plus/training-app" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Nike Training Club;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Nike Training Club</a> (NTC) can help round out your mileage with over 175 workouts that promise to bolster strength, endurance, and flexibility. While the word “yoga” appears in just 17 of the app’s video titles (including “Run Ready Yoga,” a centering seven-minute flow), runners will find about 20 additional yoga-like sequences under NTC’s mobility category. These full-body routines, most of which can be finished in 15 or 30 minutes, cycle through a combination of dynamic stretches, core strengtheners, and range-of-motion drills. </p><p>As a cross-training and recovery tool (especially a free one), NTC more than delivers. It offers tons of variety, the video quality is stellar, search and navigation are simple, it features workout sharing capabilities, and the user experience is clean - like, antiseptic-level clean. Nike’s approach to yoga instruction is no-frills - a robotic voice-over (that you can turn off) and countdown clock accompany poses demonstrated by Nike master trainers like <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/cities/nyc/coaches/traci-copeland" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Traci Copeland;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Traci Copeland</a> - but for those who prefer to skip the self-reflection and “Just Do It,” NTC is a win. </p>

<p><strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.jasyoga.com" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:jasyoga.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">jasyoga.com</a><br></strong><em>Free two-week trial<br></em><em>$9.99/month</em></p><p>Not technically an app, Jasyoga’s online platform hosts over 100 videos designed for runners, cyclists, and triathletes. The site is decidedly agnostic, favoring practicality over spirituality. Save for a concluding “Namaste,” you won’t hear any Sanskrit terms or typical yogi speak, and many of the warmup and recovery sequences clock in under 15 minutes.</p><p>What Jasyoga lacks in user experience (the site is mobile-enabled, but the videos are less slick than those of its competitors) it makes up for in runner-specific instruction. Erin Taylor, Jasyoga’s founder and on-screen instructor, has a knack for designing programs that do more than stretch road-weary muscles. For example, the “Power Your Push Off” routine promises to add strength and stability to your stride, while the “Starting Line Warm Up” is so quick and effective that you may actually use it the morning of a race. </p>

These 7 Yoga Apps Are a Must For Any Runner

Whether they see it as a holistic health practice or organized stretching, most runners can be convinced that doing yoga regularly can at least compliment - if not improve - their running. Yet, not everyone is willing to invest in a studio membership or trade in a tempo run for 90 minutes on the mat. That's where yoga apps come in. They offer a convenient and affordable alternative.

Like running shoes, there’s no shortage of yoga app options available. But depending on your goals, expectations, and style, some will fit better than others. We’ve weeded out the duds and came up with seven worthy contenders that offer tons of variety and runner-specific instruction.

These cheap and convenient apps will help you improve your strength, speed, and mobility.

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These 7 Yoga Apps Are a Must For Any Runner

These 7 Yoga Apps Are a Must For Any Runner

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