This Summer, HPPC’s free yoga classes, led by Joy Chen are returning to Hunter’s Point South Park! For three consecutive Monday nights - July 12, 19, and 26 - at 6:30pm Joy will teaching her beginner yoga class in the park. Registration is required, please make sure to check our calendar of events for more details and to register.
For information on other classes Joy teaches with her studio, Cosmic Fit Club, check out their website here and follow them on Instagram @cosmicfitclub.
Read on to learn more about Joy and her passion for yoga!
Photo by Clifford Toy
First off, quick background info! Tell us your name, where you’re from, and what you do.
My name is Joy Chen. I was born in Manhattan's Chinatown on the Lower East Side, attended college in Ithaca New York and now live in Queens. I opened a yoga and movement studio in Long Island City in 2017 and currently teach in-person classes and fitness events outdoors and live streaming classes at https://video.cosmicfitclub.com
How’d you get into yoga? How long have you been a yoga instructor?
I first got exposed to yoga during college when I took a few classes as a way to deal with stress. After college I pursued yoga more seriously because I loved the feeling of flexibility and strength it gave me. I completed my 500 hour teaching training at Yogaworks in 2011 and have been teaching yoga professionally ever since!
What’s your favorite thing about what you do?
My favorite thing about teaching yoga is serving students of all ages and abilities and helping them restore greater mobility and health in their bodies. The flow of different yoga poses can cultivate physical well-being as well as help students focus better and tap into their mental energy. It's a beautiful thing. Yoga brings together movement and breath and can also be so much fun! My students inspire and challenge me. I regularly teach runners, office workers, rock climbers, teachers, elderly retirees, even mommy and baby yoga and acroyoga.
How is teaching in the park different than teaching in a yoga studio?
Teaching in the park is definitely more challenging than teaching in a yoga studio because there are a lot more external noise and environmental conditions that need to be actively managed. For instance, I've had to project my voice to be heard over the sound of dogs barking or helicopters flying. In addition, there are usually much larger crowds in the park compared to the studio. I can have upwards of 70 people taking class together in the park! But it's also really lovely to practice yoga outdoors in the grass and fresh air and watch the sunset. Best of all the park offers free yoga which makes it much more accessible to the general public.
When you’re not teaching, what is your favorite thing to do in the parks?
When I'm not teaching my favorite thing to do at Hunters Point South park is find a shady spot to practice acroyoga with my boyfriend and eat birria tacos from one of the the taco trucks on the waterfront and watch the sunset.
Lastly, how do you motivate/energize yourself to be active when you’re feeling lazy?
I listen to my body but when I'm feeling too lazy to travel to a class or go to the gym I motivate myself by doing some simple seated stretches like sitting in a cross legged position and raising my arms overhead and arching my back in a chair. If you have more space you can also try standing stretches which takes a little more muscular effort but you can do warrior 2 pose or a high lunge anywhere-- even on the subway! Running outside on your own-- preferably in a forest where there are a lot of trees and meandering pathways at a slow pace can also be super energizing. Sometimes you also just need a healthy snack. For the summer I like to eat a lot of watermelon and drink ice cold pineapple juice mixed with coconut flavored seltzer water! Try it and then pack up your yoga mat and join me for some free Monday night yoga classes on the waterfront July 12, 19 and 26 at 6:30pm!