Alo Moves Review – Is It for You?

This Alo Moves review is based on my experience as an intermediate yogi who left my studio membership for a paid yoga app. In this Alo Moves review, I will discuss why Alo Moves is your best at home yoga workout resource, and how you can maximize your Alo Moves free trial.

Right off the bat I wouldn’t say that it’s worth your money, but I can vouch for Alo Moves as the best yoga app. 

Your intention matters

This article will help you weigh your options (I got you!), but before you jump into subscribing for a paid app during these financially and emotionally challenging times, I think it’s best to ask your “why” first. 

Some questions to ask: Do I wish to deepen my yoga practice? Do I wish to explore? Or do I wish to just learn yoga as a beginner? These are the primary points I considered before I let go of my studio membership and other paid yoga apps. Hence, knowing thy intention is the primary step before jumping in.

Alo Moves review in quick view

• Best for: regular practitioners, intermediate-advanced level, yoga teachers
• Average time per workout: 30-60 mins to maximize (1700+ classes)
• Focus: strength and flexibility all covered
• Cost: $20/month or $199/year (keep an eye for year-end promos!)
• No. of instructors: 67 (majority are US-based, but world-renowned)
• Classification: Yoga, Fitness, Mindfulness, Skills, Fitness (new!)
  • Recommendations:
    • Kundalini in Yoga
    • Barre in Fitness
    • Crystal Sound Bath in Mindfulness
    • Float Lab in Skills
• Yoga styles: Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Prenatal, Yin (Restorative)
• Non-yoga: Barre, HIIT
• Meditation offered?: Yes
• Connect via Facebook: Yes 
• Connect to Health: Yes
• Option to download offline?: Yes
• Device limit: None (offline access available) 
• Where to get: Alo Moves or via Amazon (which is the only site that offers it for 6 months)

Okay, now you ask: Is it for me? Let me help you with the answer. This Alo Moves review is useless without considering where you’re coming from.

Your own Alo Moves review: 3 things to consider

1. Your level of practice

Alo Moves is designed for all levels including beginners, but first-timers may not be able to fully maximize the platform. It is more cost-effective if you are at the intermediate level or higher. Why? Because most instructors rarely explain the right form. We have unique body types and we all need the right assistance that is right for our bodies. 

If you jump in without knowing what “walk the dog” means, and how “right hip forward, left hip back” feels, then you might just get injured, and you really won’t get the benefits of yoga that are right for your body. Non-beginners already have muscle memory. Beginners still need to be familiarized with their alignment, as well as the sensation of the poses.

Learn yoga the right way

As a first-timer in an all-levels virtual class, you run the risk of mirroring the instructor even if it’s not right for your body. You might come to a false sense of belief that how an instructor executes a pose is the “right way” for your body. Then you will forget about your breath because the pose is hard (the instructor makes it look too easy). Keep in mind that proper breathing is one of the foundations of a good (and right) yoga practice.

Beginners have the tendency to hold their breath and to exhale through the mouth just like when you do your crunches. Alo Moves instructors will jokingly check on you (“Are you still breathing?”), but will not explain what “breathe through it” exactly means.

Yoga for newbies

If you are a beginner, I strongly recommend that you visit your nearest studio or come to a virtual class where the instructor can also see you, to correct your form. Studio instructors have eagle eyes; Alo Moves instructors cannot do that for you.

Face-to-face instruction is a more beneficial and cost-effective way to learn yoga. It is more enriching. Alo Moves’ “studio experience” selling point has nothing to do with good yoga practice.

There is the right yoga instructor for you

Not all instructors in Alo Moves will tell you to imagine “like you are crushed between two walls,” because only Carling Harps does that. For non-beginners, there is no need to explain “do your vinyasa,” or access your ujjayi breath.

Of course, the advantage of being in an app for a beginner is you can pause and google it. But hey, do you really want to do that?

The best part of your Alo Moves subscription is you get to choose from 67 world-class instructors. Consequently, you get to experience a multicultural vibe. You can also experience their creativity, and pick the right (not just the cute) instructor that suits your practice. Try Dylan Werner if you want some unique and extra challenging flows. Do you want something hip? Alo Moves have it. Try MC Yogi’s MVMNT for a flow with a live DJ!

2. Your time and money

How much are you willing to invest in yourself? If you shift to this perspective, then you wouldn’t even notice a $20 deduction on your account every month. Yoga deepens your connection with your self, and that is guaranteed, regardless of your level.

How much time do I need to allocate for a yoga daily practice?

A yoga daily practice for 20-30 minutes is enough. What I like about Alo Moves is that they have 20-minute Vinyasa classes that feel like a full workout. But here’s the catch: you have to be good at finding the right one because most of their short classes (more or less 15 minutes) could be: a core class, a posing clinic, a class in a skill series, or a meditation class. Alo Moves’ best 10-minute workouts are their fitness workouts (there’s only one 10-minute yoga class by Caley Alyssa, and it’s good). A skill class is also good, but better if you complete the series.

A skill class is not like your usual vinyasa class where the sequences lead up, or prepare your body to the peak pose at the end of the class. This is an individual class (10-30 mins) that belongs to a series. The series is like a masterclass. Completion of a whole skill series equates to having a whole new skill set under your belt.

An average Alo Moves class is 30 minutes. That is to say, to fully maximize Alo Moves, you should be able to allot at least 30 minutes of practice. That is just the right amount of flow, often without sun salutations and less time for you to do your vinyasa. A 30-minute class typically looks like this:

• brief warm-up
• 2-3 full-flow sequences
• quick savasana (sometimes it’s not part of the class)

They have 60-75 minutes of full vinyasa too, but the majority are just 30 mins. What I also like about Alo Moves is that the thumbnail for a class immediately shows you the peak pose for that class. So, that’s helpful for me to decide whether I will take a 60-min class or not.

Best classes under 30 minutes

Try the Alo Moves classes by Eoin Finn, Jonah Kest, and Calvin Corzine. I love the women of Alo, but I notice that the male instructors give more emphasis on strength, quick movements, and HIIT-type of routine. And these types give justice to the short amount of time. Each of their classes fits the “quick fix” criteria and is absolutely an energy booster for busy people.

Beware of some 20-minute classes. Yes, there are overrated classes too. For example, there are two classes (and maybe more) that are misleading. Both even have the “awaken” in their titles (that’s the clue! But it’s not Calvin Corzine’s!). They are described to be “dynamic”, but movements are slow and familiar, almost like a warm-up. When I tried that I felt like I wasted 20 minutes, and I needed to jump into another class.

Is Alo Moves affordable?

Alo Moves is not affordable if you practice only once a week. But it becomes affordable if you practice regularly (4-5 times a week), if not every day. You will see progress real quick too if you practice every day. 

Generally, it is not affordable, but you get the price you pay. If you don’t get bored easily, then you can choose Down Dog, which is one of the best free yoga apps for beginners. If you value the variety of techniques and world-views, creativity, and cost-effectiveness, then give Alo Moves a shot.

3. Your values and personality

Alo Moves is a mindfully curated platform featuring internationally-acclaimed yoga teachers. Consequently, Alo Moves classes are of a world-class experience. That may sound like an over-promotion, but I’ve learned a thing or two from Alo Moves’ instructors that I never heard from any of my studio instructors. For instance, Caley Alyssa in one class vehemently expressed to never manually spread flesh around the sitting bones in a seated asana. We learn something new every day, and we can learn something new, 67 times more.

You value learning from the best

Alo Moves feels like having your favorite mentors around the world teach you in one location. Also, it feels like being at a yoga festival on your favorite island, and you pay nothing for the tickets.

Alo Moves is like an aggregate of masterclasses, because the instructors reveal precious insights through their classes, and it genuinely feels like they are doing it to enrich their students’ practice. To add, I learned from Eoin Finn how fun it is to integrate Tai chi, old-school skate moves, and surfing poses with yoga.

Alo Moves also have yoga legends in their roster:

1. Sri Dharma Mittra who created the Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures and the founder of Dharma Yoga Center (New York, 1975), and
2. Gurmukh Kaur Kalsa is a pioneer of prenatal yoga (The Khalsa Way), an author, and a Kundalini master teacher, who has been uplifting others for 50 years.

If you value being taught by the best instructors, then Alo Moves is for you. 

Class suggestions based on your profile

Alo Moves offers daily recommendations based on your profile. You will be asked about your style as you register. These recommendations are updated daily. However, it repeats if they run out of classes available for recommendation. The classes you have logged or completed are not removed from the options.

Value for time

I came back to Alo Moves because I value my time. I used to take 2 hours of travel to go to and leave my favorite studio. That’s a good break to meditate during travel, but in our current work-from-home scenario, catching up with your daily exercise has never been easier.

Value for variety

Certainly, your personality has a huge role. If you don’t want to explore various instructor styles, and you want to stick with one instructor, then Alo Moves is not for you. If you like playtime and are open to discovering various styles, you have it all under one roof.

In a typical yoga studio, you go to a vinyasa class but the instructor will never tell you a day before what you would be working on. It could be just a variation (not a pose builder) of the same class you took with the same instructor the other day. So, if you like to continue working on a specific pose, or you feel like practicing your flexibility poses for a week, then subscribe to a yoga app with a series, like Alo Moves. Moreover, if you’re willing to dedicate a month just to learn a specific skill like splits or handstands, then you don’t have to pay for another class pass, because Alo moves can help you with that.

So, to conclude the first part of my Alo Moves review, take a look at those 3 points.

Firstly, Alo Moves is not beneficial to beginners. Secondly, if you are not willing to consider it as an investment, then it’s not for you. And lastly, I value diversity, variety, accessibility, and playfulness, so those are aligned with Alo moves’ thrust. It might be different for you.

However, if you are still unsure about Alo Moves, you can sign up for a free trial. Take note that once your free trial ends, you cannot return to a free version, and you will lose your downloads. So, what can you do in 2 weeks, supposing you don’t practice regularly?

5 ways to take advantage of the free trial

1. Take a Kundalini class

All Kundalini classes are masterclasses. This means, you have to pay for it separately, even if you’re a lifetime member of your yoga studio. Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa teaches a whole series of Kundalini called Kundalini Rising (running time: 3 hrs, 50 mins with 8 videos), from which she shares her expansive experience in this yoga style.

Your energy meridians (chakras) will be balanced through mantras, mudras, meditation, and breath work in Kundalini. Therefore, it raises your vibration. Moreover, there will be no adjustments, because as Gurmukh puts it: through Kundalini, “you will find and honor your limitations.”

The Kundalini experience reminds me of Buddha’s path–from starvation, comes enlightenment. Personally,  a Kundalini practice is a delayed gratification practice–you will endure, and your newfound freedom feels cathartic. Hence, it is a rebirth. Above all, it awakens consciousness.

2. Heal through sound

My Alo Moves review top pick: Healing Sound Bath series by Susy Markoe Schieffelin

This series has 7 videos (2 hrs, 23 mins in total), with an average of 10-20 minutes per class. The last class, which is Total Body Relaxation, runs for 45 minutes. This series can actually substitute for your Reiki or regular massage sessions, which we can’t have yet in a time of the pandemic. All her subsequent classes run for only 5-10 minutes.

Sound healing sessions are also offered apart from a yoga class, just like meditation classes in a yoga studio are sometimes not included in your all-access pass.

Some sound bath sessions are done using Tibetan Singing Bowls. Alo Moves’ Healing Sound Bath offers a full range of singing bowls made with crystals. The Tibetan bowls made with brass or copper sound earthy. Crystal bowls, on the other hand, have a crisp, high-pitched sound that lingers around your aura (at least from my experience). And the best part: the crystal bowl vibrations (yes, even just through a digital device) reverberate through my soul.

3. Learn to float (or a new skill)

My Alo Moves review top pick: Float Lab by Patrick Beach

I used to think that I would never ever gonna learn how to jump silently from my down dog to the top of the mat because my arms are too small and I am just heavy. Hence, I thought I will never be strong enough to float.

But I learned otherwise, through this class. Float Lab by Patrick Beach is easy to follow and follow through with. You don’t need to be an intermediate yogi to learn it, because the individual classes feel like just a plain workout.

It was a more focused approach: we targeted the right muscle group per class (average: 20 mins). I learned that no, it was not the arms, but the back (and legs)! And yes, I have been in the wrong mindset! I have never seen it from that perspective until I completed this class.

I learned how to float just midway through the series. And it is just one of those marvelous moments inherent in a yoga practice–you learn to outgrow your insecurities, and you discover to love your body in humongous ways.

Learning advanced skills in yoga require a special class. Usually, you have to pay for masterclasses or the Special Saturday Series type in your studio. That would cost you around $20 or more, on top of your studio membership.

Why take this class? Because it is a “not so special” skill. Floating is fun, but it’s not really necessary to be able to float to your chaturanga. No studio will ask for your money to learn how to float. Arm balance masterclasses are common, but not to float.

4. Take a double-instructor class 

My Alo Moves review top pick: Invoke the Goddess Within by Steph Gongora and Erin Kelly

You are hitting two birds with one stone with this series: you learn about the goddesses, and at the same time you cultivate an intention to raise your vibration as you invoke these goddesses. Having two instructors in a yoga class is rare in a studio (because they have to pay for two)! But seriously, owners may find that unnecessary.

You may also try Patrick Beach and Carling Harps’s classes–I consider this then-power couple’s teaching method as gentle and non-intimidating, even if the poses are extra challenging.

5. Try Barre

My Alo Moves review top pick: Barre Strong by Emily Sferra

Barre is ballet plus Pilates. This is taught in specialty studios, and very rarely taught in a yoga studio. It is sometimes even more expensive than a yoga studio membership. Try it at Alo Moves, but be prepared to be somehow immobile the next day!

Conclusion

Is Alo Moves overrated? No. Some classes are, but not its entirety. And the distinctive classes override the overrated ones.

Is it better than a Youtube subscription? Yes. Because you don’t have to create your own playlist–Alo Moves will do it for you. You don’t have to scour the web for the best teachers and follow them one by one on Youtube. The popular Alo Moves teachers (almost all of them are) are founders of their own schools or authors. In one way or another, they will offer you something (merch, book, class pass, subscription discount) on their own websites, and in a cumulative sense, it would be much more expensive than an Alo Moves subscription. So, that will bring you back to my first point in this Alo Moves review: know thy intention.

I wish you good luck as you find the right virtual studio for you. But if you want to experience almost everything under one roof, try Alo Moves (check it out)! I hope this helps! /highfive!

Is this Alo Moves review helpful to you in some way? What’s your Alo Moves story? Let me know in the comments section! You may also share it with your friend who’s having a hard time deciding!

Much love and gratitude,

A