Jokes and laughter fill the studio as people begin to stretch for a class far different from a typical yoga class. Stand-Up Comedy, Sit-Down Yoga focuses on mental wellness through comedy and physical wellness through yoga exercises and breath work. 

On July 11, Stand-Up Comedy, Sit-Down Yoga is partnering with ATX Girl Hangouts, or  ATXGH, for an all-women’s inclusive class. For people with multiple yoga classes under their belts to those who have never stepped foot in a yoga studio, this 75-minute class offers a new experience for all.

“(The class is) the most unique thing,” Stand-Up Comedy, Sit-Down Yoga owner and comedian Stephen Campbell said. “For somebody (who) is completely new … they might just walk away (from the class) thinking, ‘Oh this breath work thing was super helpful for me to ground myself.’ (For) somebody (who has) been doing that stuff for 50 years, they (might think), ‘Oh, I’ve never seen these put together this way. Nobody’s ever done this.’”

On first arriving in Austin, Campbell said he realized the comedy landscape was focused on humiliation and creating jokes about different kinds of people. He said he knew he wanted to create a positive impact, one where people felt good after hearing his shows. He combined yoga and breath work as a way to create a wellness space for people and focused his comedy on overcoming hardship and mental health struggles. 

“(When I first took breath work classes) I saw the transformation people would have from the time they walked in to the time they walked out,” Campbell said. “People would be so stressed out … and after an hour, everybody was relaxed. I remember (thinking) ‘I would love it if I were able to make that sort of transformation happen with people.’”

Stand-Up Comedy, Sit-Down Yoga opened 10 months ago and has been partnering with local organizations around Austin. Campbell said he thought ATXGH would be a good organization to partner with since they shared the same mission. 

“One of our main categories of events is wellness,” ATXGH founder Jodie Rodriguez said. “That brings a lot of people together (who) are in the same boat of not only making friends, but also taking care of their body and mind.”

For a $35 ticket, each class starts with breath work and repeated transitions between stand-up comedy and yoga, closing out with a meditation. 

“I believe this (class) is wonderful because it puts you in a healthy environment that incorporates physical movement without getting you sweaty,” said Mandi Bowie, studio manager at Flow Yoga North Loop. “So you could definitely still use this event as a date in a situation, but also it gets you laughing. It’s not so serious.”

Currently, Stand-Up Comedy, Sit-Down Yoga is recording a comedy special show, “Something to Cry About,” to widen their impact. Campbell said the show will come on YouTube in December and will showcase comedy, yoga and breath work.

“We hope to make more people operate out of a place of love than a place of fear,” Campbell said. “I believe that if we can make that shift, we can (reach our goal of making) 10 million people thinking more from the loving standpoint.”