How to Choose a Yoga Routine

Last Updated on February 5, 2022 by Ellen Christian

Yoga isn’t a one size fits all type of exercise. Knowing how to choose a yoga routine that’s right for you can make all the difference in how successful you are.

For years, I heard people talk about how much they enjoyed their yoga routines and I couldn’t figure out why. I tried routines over and over again and just didn’t enjoy it. I generally relieve stress by taking a long walk in the woods, but some days I need something I can do inside and yoga works great for those days.

How to Choose a Yoga Routine That’s Right for You

Before you can choose a yoga routine, you need to understand your reasoning for wanting to try yoga. There are many different types of yoga and many have a different purpose. Do you want to control stress, lose weight, become more flexible, strengthen your core or improve balance? Please consult with your healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise routine.

Ashanta yoga is a challenging form of yoga that focuses on moving fluidly through a series of different yoga poses with a focus on breathing to include focus.

Bikram yoga is an advanced form of yoga done in a very hot room (also called hot yoga) to improve fitness. This is not recommended for those with heart problems or who have diabetes.

Hatha yoga is a simple form of yoga that is a great choice for beginners. It focuses on learning the basic poses and breathing properly.

Iyengar yoga is another great choice for beginners. A large focus in Iyengar yoga is improving alignment. This is a very slow-paced yoga and might be a great choice for those that are out of shape.

Kripalu yoga is intended to increase your mindfulness. The movements are slow and gentle and not intended to be a workout. Kripalu is a wonderful choice for those trying to manage stress.

Kundalini yoga is a spiritual form of yoga and includes meditation, breathing, chanting and a variety of yoga poses. Again, it is not intended to be a workout but more to broaden your mind.

Sivananda yoga is a form of yoga that focuses on poses but it has the added benefit that you lie down between each pose. This may make it the most suitable choice for someone with physical restrictions.

Viniyoga is unique because the focus isn’t on doing each pose perfectly. Instead, the focus is on flexibility, relaxation, and movement.

I often use yoga to manage stress. I enjoy the calming feeling I get when I breathe deeply and focus on clearing my mind. Because of this, I tend to choose the Kripalu yoga method most often. However, I am trying to strengthen my core and get a good workout in occasionally. When that’s my motivation, I often choose Hatha yoga. I find that Ashanta and Bikram are just too intense for my fitness level.

You may notice that in my last post, I mentioned that I was stiff when I was trying to do some of my yoga movements. I had just started taking Osteo Bi-Flex® EASE which supports joint function and mobility. I wanted to share that after a week, I am noticing that I do have improved flexibility after taking it. Osteo Bi-Flex® shows improved joint comfort in as little as seven days.* It’s so much easier to be active when your joints feel comfortable.

Each Osteo Bi-Flex® product contains Joint-Shield™ 5-Loxin® Advanced, a proprietary blend that helps support joint function.* Osteo Bi-Flex® helps nurture and support your joints, so you can keep doing what you love!* Connect with on Osteo Bi-Flex® Facebook,

*Based on two human studies with 5-LOXIN® Advanced where subjects rated their joint health over time, subjects’ joint health improved within 7 days, and continued to improve throughout the duration of the studies. 5-LOXIN® Advanced is a trademark of PL Thomas – Laila Nutra, LLC. U.S. Patent #8,551,496 and international patents pending. †Based on the results of the Pharmacy Times Survey among pharmacists who recommend a “bone/joint strengthener” dietary supplement, 2016-2017. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

This post has been sponsored by Osteo Bi-Flex®. I was provided with product at no charge to sample in exchange for my review. The options expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with Osteo Bi-Flex® and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.