For people in their 60s, 70s and 80s

Gentle Yoga for the Over-60s in Berkhamsted & Hemel Hempstead

It is never too late to start yoga — and it is never the wrong day to feel a little better in your body.

If you are in your 60s, 70s or 80s and wondering whether yoga is for you, the short answer is yes. Penny has been teaching gentle Hatha Yoga in Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead since 2004, and many of her regular students have been with her for ten or fifteen years. The classes are friendly, slow-paced and welcoming — designed to leave you feeling looser, calmer and a little stronger, not exhausted.

What gentle yoga can do for an older body

Regular gentle yoga supports the things that matter most as we get older:

• Mobility. Slow, mindful movement keeps joints lubricated and helps maintain everyday range of motion in the hips, shoulders, spine and ankles.
• Balance. Standing work and weight transfers, practised regularly, help you feel steadier on your feet — one of the most important things you can do to reduce the risk of falls.
• Strength. Held postures gently load the muscles and bones, supporting bone density and helping with day-to-day tasks.
• Breathing and relaxation. Simple breathwork calms the nervous system, often improves sleep, and gives a real sense of "letting go" by the end of the class.
• Mood and connection. A weekly class is a regular meeting with a friendly group. That matters.

None of this is dramatic. It is the steady, weekly practice that pays off — and a gentle class is by far the most sustainable way to keep going year after year.

What "gentle" actually means here

Gentle does not mean "no real yoga". The classes follow the structure of a traditional Hatha Yoga session: breathwork, mindful warm-ups, a sequence of standing and floor postures, and a guided relaxation at the end. What makes them gentle is the pace, the use of modifications, and the fact that nobody is asked to push beyond what feels comfortable.

Penny offers alternatives for every movement — chair-supported versions, smaller ranges of motion, props, or simply rest. You always work within your own body's range. Many students find they can do far more after a few weeks than they expected on the first day.

Common worries

"I'm not flexible." Flexibility is something yoga gives you, not something you need to bring. Most students start out feeling stiff and improve gradually with steady practice.

"I've never done yoga before." Beginners are warmly welcomed in every class. There is no jargon and no expectation that you'll know the names of the postures.

"I have arthritis / a dodgy knee / a tricky back / a new hip." Tell Penny before the class so she can suggest modifications. Many regular students come precisely because gentle yoga helps them manage these things.

"I might be the oldest there." You almost certainly won't be. The classes lean towards a mature group, and that is part of why they are so welcoming.

Penny's experience with older students

Penny first walked into a yoga class in the mid-1990s and was inspired by students twenty and thirty years older than her, who moved with strength and ease that surprised her. That experience has shaped her teaching ever since.

Alongside her current weekly classes, she has previously taught:

• The "50 and Beyond" yoga class for Sportspace, the Dacorum Sports Trust.
• Yoga classes for Mind, the mental health charity.
• Yoga for Oaklands College and West Herts College.
• Numerous private classes across Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.

Penny is qualified by the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY), the national governing body for yoga in the UK. Her training takes two to three years and includes anatomy, modifications and safe teaching for mixed-ability groups. She holds current first-aid certification and continues annual professional development.

Where and when

Four weekly face-to-face classes plus a Wednesday Zoom class:

• Mondays in Berkhamsted — The Court House, 7:45pm.
• Tuesdays in Leverstock Green — Village Hall, 12:30pm and 2:00pm.
• Thursdays in Hemel Hempstead — Carey Baptist Church, 2:00pm.
• Wednesdays online via Zoom — 7:00pm, from your own mat at home.

If you are new, the gentlest way in is a one-off trial session. Get in touch and Penny will let you know what's available in the current block.