I use the term "older adults" when I describe who my yoga classes are for, but I think it's important to share why I use this term and what I mean by it.

For some, "older adult" feels like a comfortable description, for others, it feels like a label that doesn't quite fit. Age is a funny thing. We know the date on our birth certificate, but that doesn't mean we identify with our biological age.

Age doesn't tell the whole story

I've met eighty year olds with boundless energy and fifty five year olds who feel exhausted. Some people in their seventies say they still feel thirty, and there are people in their forties who feel like they're living in a much older body. Age doesn't tell me how old you feel, what your body can do, or whether yoga is the right practice for you.

So when I use the term "older adults" for my yoga classes in Newark, it's simply a broad, honest way of describing who my classes often appeal to, not a strict age bracket.

Why my yoga classes are slow

Over the years, I've realised that what I enjoy most about teaching yoga is helping people explore what feels possible for them. Often, when movements are broken down and approached step by step, people find they can do more than they first expected. This is why my classes are slow.

Slow doesn't necessarily mean easy. It means there's time to feel, connect and adapt, instead of rushing from one pose to the next. It also means there's time to pay attention; to notice your breathing, where you're holding tension, and the subtle shifts in how you're feeling.

Mindfulness at the heart of every class

This mindfulness is often one of the things people tell me they value most about the classes. Weaving mindful, intentional movement through every session is what turns a simple stretch into something that supports both body and mind.

What "older adults" really means to me

Perhaps this is the best way to understand what I mean by "older adults." It's not really about age at all, but the kind of community I'm trying to create. A space where there's no pressure to keep up, no expectation that your body should move in a certain way and enough time to be curious about what feels right for you.

If that sounds like the kind of practice you've been looking for, take a look at my weekly Hatha and Yin classes in Newark - everyone is welcome, whatever your age.