Choosing a technique and a length
What the marks on the technique list mean, what the lit band on the length slider is for, and the round selector that replaces length in Kapalabhati.
6 min read
The list that opens when you tap Start isn't in a random order. Every mark on it means something.
The marks on the cards
"Suggested for you" and a turning light. The card at the top of the list. It is chosen from your goal, the time of day, your recent sessions and what you have already done today. It doesn't have to be the same every time you open it.
"Program" and an amber light. If you have a program running and haven't done that day's session, the program's technique moves to the top and is marked in a separate colour.
A yellow or red tint. There is a warning on that technique. Yellow is usually about the time of day ("not suitable for the night"); red is about your health notes or your age. The technique isn't hidden, only marked.
A padlock and a number like "0/4". The technique isn't open yet. Tap it and it shows what is needed and the shortest way there.
Cards that look faded. You are on the Simple interface and that technique isn't being suggested to you.
The length slider
The lit band above the slider is the range suggested for you. It is built from your experience, the scores of your recent sessions, your completion rate for that technique, the time of day and your streak.
You don't have to stay inside the band — it is a suggestion, not a rule. As you drag your finger, a separate, more pronounced haptic tap marks the middle of the band. Once you pass the band, its colour changes behind the handle so you can see where you are.
Underneath are preset buttons. For techniques with a program you can go up to ten minutes; for the others, up to five.
On the Advanced interface, a line under the slider also tells you why the range is where it is.
When a program takes over the length
If you pick the technique of a program you have running, the length is locked: the program's daily length applies, and a line under the slider says so.
If you start from Do today's session on the Programs screen, the length picker doesn't appear at all — you go straight into the session.
Rounds instead of length in Kapalabhati
In this technique you choose rounds, not length. One round means twenty-five fast breaths followed by half a minute of normal breathing.
The presets are 1, 2, 3 and 5 rounds. You can also pick 4 by dragging the bar.
If you have a health note, or if you are over sixty-five or under thirteen, the upper limit drops to 3 rounds and the reason is written under the round selector.
The first session of the technique is always a single round, twenty breaths, and slower.
Your own pace
When you pick Coherent Breathing a line appears underneath: you can measure your own resonance pace and have Coherent run at it. Once measured, the value you found is used instead of five and a half seconds.
Ignoring the suggestion
All of this is a suggestion. If you want a different technique, pick it; take the length outside the band; you can do any unlocked technique at any time. The app notes your choice and tunes its next suggestions accordingly.