Laughter Yoga Brings Fun to Fitness at Katy’s Central Green Park

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

May 5, 2022

By Natalie Cook Clark

Katy’s Central Green Park in LaCenterra offers many free classes throughout the week, including Laughing Yoga. This is not your typical yoga, but rather involves prolonged laughter and imagination to achieve physiological and psychological benefits, including weigh loss.

Central Green Park Offers Free Yoga Classes and More

The Willow Fork Drainage District’s Central Green Park in LaCenterra offers free classes to Katy residents (and guests) including yoga, Spanish lessons, tai chi, and laughing yoga. While fitness and the benefits it brings is no joke, laughing yoga bring a whole new fun side to this growing fitness exercise.

Not Your Typical Yoga

“Laugher yoga isn’t getting down on the ground,” says Trina Maxwell, a yoga instructor with Central Green Park. “It is not the yoga that you know. Laughter yoga is exercises that uses your imagination.”

Laughter Yoga is offered every Thursday at 9:00 a.m. at Central Green Park. All classes are free thanks to the Willow Fork Drainage District. Follow them on Facebook for any weather cancelations and updates. Central Green Park has been offering Laughter Yoga since 2020.

“Laughter Yoga focuses on lung expansion, breathing, and stress reduction,” says Yvonne Arceneaux, Willow Fork Drainage District’s Park Director. “It may look like a bunch of silly people driving an imaginary truck, but Laughter Yoga allows us to step away from the responsibilities or stress of the day and leave the class happy, focused and the best version of ourselves.”

81-year-old Donna Mathews teaches Laughter Yoga. She’s been a clown for 8 years and knows the true benefits of laughter.

Donna leads participants in exercises and imaginary scenarios where they can act like superheroes, or animals such as monkeys just as long as they are using their imagination to find laughter. The class starts with rhythmic clapping and then add words between exercises.

“Most people passing by are inquisitive not judgmental,” says Arceneaux. “They want to be a part of the fun.”

Many participants are bused in from local retirement communities. After Laughter Yoga they enjoy the weekly tradition of Laughter Yoga Lunch Bunch at Dish Society.

“We have two members in their late 80's that would tell you it's more important to enjoy life and do what makes you happy,” says Arceneaux. “Who cares what other people think if you are bettering yourself, having a great time and making friends.”

All Levels Accepted

Laughter Yoga, like the traditional yoga, accepts all levels of ability. They have everything from seniors to elementary school students.

“The program is done at your own skill level. You choose if you want to stand still, walk, run or jump,” says Arceneaux. “We have some students that stay seated during the program. No mat or poses.”

Learn more about Laughter Yoga and other fitness classes and more at Central Green Park.

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