Free Shape Up NYC Yoga Class Featuring Inversions and Breathwork in Queens

A Shape Up NYC yoga session at Fort Totten Park drew locals to Building 422 in NE Queens for a 45-minute class focused on inversions and breathwork. The free program, led by instructor Ambeka Khadse, ran 6:15–7:00 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, and was listed on the NYC Parks calendar as a community fitness offering.

The Parks event description framed the class as inclusive and dynamic: “Connect with yourself in this Yoga class with Ambeka, a class to be enjoyed by all. Experience a fun and light-hearted, mid-intensity flow that will move you seamlessly from Sun Salutation to a final peak pose. We focus on inversions and breath work to ensure you leave class feeling challenged and balanced.” The listing identifies the site as Fort Totten Park - Building 422 - NE Queens Headquarters, 422 Weaver Ave, Fort Totten, NY 11359, and notes that registration guidance is available: “Learn how to create an account and register for programs. Learn more.”

City parks-hosted yoga classes like this one serve both fitness and community goals by making instruction accessible without studio fees. For Queens residents, a free, instructor-led evening session that includes inversions and focused breathwork can help deepen practice while lowering cost and travel barriers. The NYC Parks event page also displays navigation and accessibility tools and an Events by Email signup that community members can use to find similar classes.

Fort Totten’s listing on the Parks calendar currently carries a site notice that “Please note: This event has already taken place.” That status makes the Feb. 9 session a recent example of Shape Up NYC programming rather than an upcoming class. Readers interested in recurring sessions or details such as whether mats or props are required should consult the NYC Parks event calendar and the program registration guidance, since the Fort Totten entry does not specify equipment or capacity rules.

Park-based yoga in New York runs on different formats and logistics across sites. Fort Greene Park’s Shala Yoga, for example, is offered on the South Monument Lawn and is described as vinyasa-style: “This class is vinyasa-style, meaning we blend breath and movement to help stabilize the mind and strengthen and stretch the body. This class is suitable for all levels.” Fort Greene’s page also states: “Class registration is free and on a first come first served basis. Please bring your own mat and a water bottle. Weather permitting.” Central Park’s program follows a different model, classes run April through November, are one hour long, require reservations, and end with meditation and final relaxation; the Central Park page also notes awards and participant praise such as A.V.: “Beautiful setting for a relaxing yoga class!” and C.J.: “Feeling my bare feet on the grass and being forced to do those challenging poses felt AMAZING!!”

For readers looking to join similar offerings, check the NYC Parks event calendar and the Shape Up NYC listings for future Fort Totten sessions, use the registration guidance on the Parks site, or consider nearby park programs such as Fort Greene Park’s Shala Yoga (Fort Greene Park Conservancy, 85 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217; info@fortgreenepark.org; (201) 614-3643) and seasonal options in Central Park. The recent Fort Totten class underscores how parks can host varied yoga formats, from inversion-focused evening flows to daytime vinyasa and seasonal outdoor series, giving practitioners multiple, low-cost ways to stay active and connected.