How to set up your phone for AI yoga coaching

Camera-based coaching is only as good as what the camera can see. Setup takes a minute or two, and getting it right is the difference between feedback that feels precise and feedback that feels confused.

Here is how to set up your space, your phone, and your lighting for AI yoga or pilates coaching, using Kova as the example.

Choose the right spot

You need enough room for your mat plus a clear line from the camera to your whole body. Clear away anything that might block part of you, like a chair, a coffee table, or a plant at the edge of the mat. A plain wall behind you helps more than you might expect.

Position the phone

• Stand your iPhone or iPad upright, 2 to 3 metres from the mat.
• Rest it somewhere stable, like a low shelf, a table, or a stand, so it does not slip mid-session.
• Make sure your whole body is in frame, both standing and lying down, with a little space around you.
• Keep the screen facing you so you can glance at demos and your form score.

If you are unsure, stand on your mat and reach your arms overhead, then lie down with your arms extended. If any part of you leaves the frame, move the phone back.

Get the lighting right

Pose tracking works best when your body stands out clearly from the background. Light in front of you, from a window or lamp behind the phone, is ideal. Avoid a bright window directly behind you, which turns you into a silhouette. Fitted clothing that contrasts with the wall and floor also helps the camera read your joints.

What happens to the camera feed

This is the question worth asking of any camera-based fitness app. With Kova, pose tracking runs entirely on your device using the Neural Engine. Your camera feed is never uploaded, never stored, and never leaves your phone. Kova works with body landmarks, the positions of joints like hips, knees, and shoulders, not recordings of you or your room.

Troubleshooting

If coaching seems to lose track of you, check the basics first: is your whole body in frame, is there light in front of you, and is the phone stable? Moving the phone a little further back fixes most issues. Loose clothing that hides the knees or elbows can also make tracking less precise.

Kova guides camera placement before each session begins, so you know you are set up before you start moving. On days when you would rather not use the camera at all, you can switch to audio-only mode from the session screen and keep full breath pacing and verbal cues.

Make the setup part of the ritual

Once you find a spot that works, keep it. Leave the stand where it lives, roll the mat out in the same place, and setup becomes a 30-second habit rather than a reason to skip practice.

Good coaching starts with being seen clearly, and privately.