Instinct Yoga

19/04/2026

What I love about yoga is the focus on the here and now, just shutting out the world and enjoying the moment. Too often when I practice yoga I'm focusing on other things. In a class setting it's how are people reacting to what we're doing, what's next in the sequence. In my own yoga, too often I'm exploring ideas that I might use in class.
This morning - yoga in the park on my own. A cushion of soft grass, gentle yoga, blue sky and clouds drifting across the sun. For once truly appreciating the moment.

13/04/2026

You wouldn't believe the procrastination involved in getting this old guy into his morning run (generally Sunday).
1. Wake up, then go back to sleep, way too early.
2. 30 minutes later, it's a bit blowy out there, do I really have to?
3. Yes you know you do.
4. Where shall I go, I'm fed up with the usual?
5. Spend 5 minutes on Google maps looking for a new route, then of course decide on the usual.
6. How cold, how many layers?
7. Old running shoes or new ones? ( and it's always the old ones)
8. Hat or no hat - if so which one?
9. Shades or no shades?
10. Where's my watch gone?
11. Where's the key, I need to lock the door after me?
12. Start run - 1st minute - this is great!
13. After 5 minutes- this is hard work, should I still be doing this at my age?
14. Just get on with it!
15. Getting better
16. After twenty minutes - in the groove - this is so good!
17. After an hour - back home - that was brilliant.
18. Feeling self righteous for the rest of the day

29/03/2026

Hello, my classes continue over the Easter period with just one break. There'll be no class on bank holiday Monday evening, April 6th. Otherwise all classes as usual. Details set out below.

Also I'm planning to start quarterly workshop sessions focusing on particular themes. The first of these is scheduled for Sunday June 7th. The focus is on developing your individual fitness strategy - exploring three themes -
Flexibility and range of movement
Basic strength to cope with day to day life
Cardiovascular capacity, keeping heart and lungs in good shape.
The workshop will be at Brandon and Wolston Village Hall and runs from 10.00 am to 1.00pm and costs £20. By the end of the session the aim is for each of us to have in place our personalised fitness strategy. Let me know if you're interested - tickets will be on sale soon.

My regular weekly classes are as follows ...

In Coventry the daytime class is at Holy Family Church, Penny Park Lane, Holbrooks, Wednesday morning, 10.00am. and the evening class is at Radford and Holbrooks Methodist Church, Rupert Rd., Radford, 7.30pm. on Monday evening.
In Nuneaton it's St Nicolas Church Community Centre, Vicarage St., Wednesday lunchtime 12.30pm. and Thursday morning, 10.00am.
The Wednesday lunchtime class in Nuneaton aims to be more accessible. It combines chair yoga, standing work and mat work - but there's no kneeling and we get down and up from the mat just once.
All sessions are on a drop in basis - no need to book. If you've not been to my classes before, don't worry, you'll be very welcome. If you'd like more information, message me or phone / text 07415799770.

Best Wishes, Peter.

21/03/2026

21/03/2026

Fun in the sun this morning !

13/03/2026

Are these the most beat up running shoes in town? Goodness knows how many years I've been pounding my patch in these. Inexpensive to start with and now holes, splits and always muddy - but incredibly comfortable. Best practice says change your running shoes frequently - and I have tried buying proper posh ones - but they just don't feel as good as these. I must have clocked up many hundreds of miles in these and still can't get around to changing them The one concession I've made to those offering advice is to change the insoles. I must be on the third pair of insoles now and I have to confess that the latest pair probably cost more than the shoes cost originally - but we'll worth it for the comfort and just enough bounce. Any more beat up running shoes out there?

08/03/2026

The theme for this coming week's classes (w/c Monday 9th March) is "ease of movement". OK, so in pretty much every class we work on getting the body moving freely and easily and we work on a basic level of strength, and on relaxation, but this week a focus on movement.
The more relaxed our movement, the better we feel. We use less energy in moving and we put less strain on our bodies. if our bodies are relaxed and moving easily, our mind picks that up and mentally we feel more relaxed - so ease of movement it is the this week.

In Coventry the daytime class is at Holy Family Church, Penny Park Lane, Holbrooks, Wednesday morning, 10.00am. and the evening class is at Radford and Holbrooks Methodist Church, Rupert Rd., Radford, 7.30pm. on Monday evening.
In Nuneaton it's St Nicolas Church Community Centre, Vicarage St., Wednesday lunchtime 12.30pm. and Thursday morning, 10.00am.
The Wednesday lunchtime class in Nuneaton aims to be more accessible. It combines chair yoga, standing work and mat work - but there's no kneeling and we get down and up from the mat just once.
All sessions are on a drop in basis - no need to book. If you've not been to my classes before, don't worry, you'll be very welcome. If you'd like more information, message me or phone / text 07415799770.
Best Wishes, Peter.

09/02/2026

Edward Monkton's Zen Dog has been a hero of mine for oh so long. He's been on the wall above my desk for many years, gently reminding me that life has to be about enjoying the ride. We spend so much time worrying about the destination, where our lives are going, that we miss out on so much that the ride of life offers. So relax, enjoy the day, wear cool shades.

18/01/2026

In the week of my 73rd birthday I've been blown away by the fact that the aggregate attendance over my four regular classes this week is more than at any time in my 20 years of teaching.
This puts a very positive spin on the ageing process for me. Of course I recognise how fortunate I am to be fit and well and I appreciate the fantastic support that I get from so many people who have attended my sessions over many years. I hope that the people who come to my classes enjoy the experience that I bring to the sessions, but also the relaxed sense of fun. There's no point coming to yoga if you don't enjoy it - and I have to say that its the enjoyment that I get from the company of so many great people at my classes that keeps me enthused.

Despite the fact that the classes are busy (but not overcrowded) there's generally space for a couple more people at any session if you're interested. Details are :

In Coventry the daytime class is at Holy Family Church, Penny Park Lane, Holbrooks, Wednesday morning, 10.00am. and the evening class is at Radford and Holbrooks Methodist Church, Rupert Rd., Radford, 7.30pm. on Monday evening.
In Nuneaton it's St Nicolas Church Community Centre, Vicarage St., Wednesday lunchtime 12.30pm. and Thursday morning, 10.00am.
The Wednesday lunchtime class in Nuneaton aims to be more accessible. It combines chair yoga, standing work and mat work - but there's no kneeling and we get down and up from the mat just once.
All sessions are on a drop in basis - no need to book. If you've not been to my classes before, don't worry, you'll be very welcome. If you'd like more information, message me or phone / text 07415799770.

Best Wishes, Peter.

03/01/2026

So, the old guy is back for 2026 - season 20 of my yoga classes.

My yoga is less traditional than many and more practical - focusing on keeping us fit enough, flexible enough and relaxed enough to cope with day to day life. Its about doing what works for me - teaching from experience rather than from the textbook.

You'll be very welcome if you want to come and join us. Classes start back into the regular routine from Monday 5th Jan.

In Coventry the daytime class is at Holy Family Church, Penny Park Lane, Holbrooks, Wednesday morning, 10.00am. and the evening class is at Radford and Holbrooks Methodist Church, Rupert Rd., Radford, 7.30pm. on Monday evening.
In Nuneaton it's St Nicolas Church Community Centre, Vicarage St., Wednesday lunchtime 12.30pm. and Thursday morning, 10.00am.

The Wednesday lunchtime class in Nuneaton aims to be more accessible. It combines chair yoga, standing work and mat work - but there's no kneeling and we get down and up from the mat just once.

All sessions are on a drop in basis - no need to book. If you've not been to my classes before, don't worry, you'll be very welcome. If you'd like more information, message me or phone / text 07415799770.
Best Wishes, Peter.

13/12/2025

Hello,

I'd like to offer my very best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year. My classes continue for one more week through to Christmas, so there's still a few days to get some yoga in before we take a break. Classes finish before Christmas on Thursday 18th Dec. and recommence on Monday 5th January.

Just a word of thanks for the great support I get from so many of you who attend my classes. Across the board classes are busier than I've known in nearly 20 years. When I started leading yoga classes all those years ago, I never dreamed that in my 70's the classes would become such an important part of my life. The key feature for me is that each class feels like meeting up with a bunch of friends to do some yoga together. People come and people go, but there are numerous of you who have been joining me week in and week out for 15 years or so. I don't say thank you as often as I should.

As a reminder, class details are :
Coventry - my daytime class is at Holy Family Church Parish Centre, Penny Park Lane, Holbrooks, Wednesday morning, 10.00am. and the evening class is at Radford and Holbrooks Methodist Church, Rupert Rd., Radford, 7.30pm. on Monday evening.

Nuneaton - St Nicolas Church Community Centre, Vicarage St., Wednesday lunchtime 12.30pm. and Thursday morning, 10.00am.
The Wednesday lunchtime sessions in Nuneaton are gentler and more accessible. The Thursday morning session is a more regular class.
If you need more information on any of this, please get in touch by e mail, via my Instinct Yoga FB page of message/call me on 07415 799770

Best wishes,
Peter

30/11/2025

For those who know my yoga classes, you'll appreciate that I try to get the vibe, the atmosphere, right for each class. The vibe might be different from one week to another or one class to another.
It's about getting the room right, the lighting, the heating (at this time of the year this is a challenge), the programme for the session and the music.
If you know my classes you'll know you won't get traditional yoga music. This week I'm turning the clock back to tracks that I was using a decade ago, some of the most relaxed jazz you'll find anywhere. I appreciate that some people enjoy my taste in music, others don't. It's the same with my approach to yoga - some people like it, some don't - but I can only do what works for me. I'd be a fraud if I was teaching what I thought people wanted rather than being true to myself.
So this week we're chilling to Miles Davis et al. You'll be very welcome if you'd like to join us.
Get in touch if you need more details.