1. Lexy Kroeger
Speech Outline:
I. Introduction
A. Attention getter- Today I want to start off with a couple of question you can think
about in your head. Are you stressed, turning to coffee daily for more energy, not
flexible, have a bad self-image?
B. Refer to Audience- If any of these apply to you, and I told you there was a way to
fix your problems, would you be interested?
C. Credibility/Main points - Well according to Parachin in 2015 from American
Fitness… Yoga is the answer to all of these problems and many more. Yoga has a
long list of mental and physical health benefits, it is a total mind, body and soul
experience, and it reaches a very broad audience.
D. Thesis- For these reasons I recommend you pay close attention today and then
after listening to me I hope you give yoga a try because I know it won’t let you
down.
Transition: To start off I will talk about the physical and mental benefits.
II. Body
A. Physical and Mental Benefits
1. There are tons of physical benefits which include the following; lowers
blood pressure, reduces stress, increases energy, improves flexibility,
eases pain, heals injuries, relieves insomnia, helps arthritis, correcting bad
posture, improving balance, and helping fight off infections.
Transition: On top of all that, there are many mental benefits too.
2. In 2013 Hilger shared a story on Oprah about a woman who was suffering
from PTSD after witnessing a mass-murder of 18 people. Her brother than
died recently after sending her into deep depression and sleepless nights.
She was then referred to yoga therapy. It targets people suffering from
grief, depression, and anxiety. The reason this works is because the types
of breathing they do relaxes the body and forms unison with the mind.
Another example where Yoga is great for mental stability is that many
people with eating disorders begin to have a better self-image after doing
yoga. A quote from Melanie Klien, who was a guest author for yoga and
body image: 25 personal stories about beauty, bravery and loving your
body in 2014, states “Yoga practice proved to be the first experience in
movement that felt pleasurable and nourishing. Through our practice we
were able to re-connect and relate to our bodies in new ways.” Along with
self-image, yoga also helps with schizophrenia and other psychiatric
conditions.
Transition: Although there are so many physical and mental health benefits, some critics
say that yoga can also be bad for your body.

2. 3. CON: They think it is bad for you because it causes muscle pains and
tears. All I have to say in response to that is two things. One, doctors
prescribe you with medicine that has a page full of side effects yet you still
take them and secondly, all forms of athleticism have a risk for injury.
That is just a risk you have to be willing to take.
Transition: Yoga not only helps you mentally and physically but it also is more than just
a work out. It works your mind, body and soul.
B. More than just a workout - Mind, body and soul
1. Yoga is a great form of working out because it works all body parts at
once, it is less strenuous than lifting weights, and it helps tone the body.
2. According to Chopra Foundation in 2015, Chopra states that yoga’s
intention is to balance all the layers of life. It harmonizes the mind, body,
heart, intellect and spirit.
3. In the Physical Educator Villate shares that in 2015 he conducted a survey
on college students and his studies have shown that yoga helps them stay
calm, focused, feel empowered and have a better perspective on life.
Transition: One big problem with yoga is talked about in an article called Today’s
Christian Woman by Pavlik, written in 2001.
4. CON: Pavlik expresses that many people think yoga is a religious practice.
This is semi-true. Yoga did come from Buddhism and Hinduism cultures
and, they used yoga to feel closer with God. However, in today’s society,
yoga has nothing to do with Christianity. Many classes are designed
differently so, you can make sure you are not going to a Christian yoga
session. The great thing with yoga is that a lot of it is in your hands.
Transition: Just like you get to choose about yoga being religious or not, in yoga a lot of
the decisions are up to you. This allows yoga to reach a very broad audience.
C. Reaches a broad audience
1. Yoga is broken into many different categories. There are fast paced, slow,
pregnancy, relaxation, therapy, and breathing classes. If you do not like
the first class you try out, there are many other options available. Also,
another factor is the instructor. All instructors have their own style and
some may not be what you are looking for. If you do not like the first class
you attend, keep searching because there are something out there that will
fit your needs.
2. American Fitness also proves that yoga is great for all genders, ages,
flexibility levels, athletes, non-competitors and everything in between.
Instructors always give beginning and intermediate positions so that way
every position is in their ability and comfort zone. Also, the workout is in
your control so if something is too hard or you are feeling pain then you
can pull back or lessen your participation. Because it is so versatile, no
one has an excuse to not participating.

3. EXAMPLES: Here are some types that might be a good idea for you to check out
if you are looking to get started.
● Hot/Bikram yoga targets muscular strength, muscular endurance,
flexibility and weight loss. This type is also in a heated room so
you work up quite the sweat.
● Hatha yoga is the basic moves so, this is best for beginners. It is a
great form of exercise and also a stress manager.
● Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic yoga that targets emotions and is more
technique based.
● Vinyasa yoga is great because it trains the mind. There is a lot
going on that you need to focus on which stops your mind from
wandering and helps train it to be still.
Transition: One last problem people have is the cost of yoga.
3. CON: People do not participate because it is expensive. This can be true
but, there are so many ways to work around this issue. Many places have
packages and discounts that can help. If this is still out of your budget then
a great alternative is to watch yoga videos online. Cost should not be a
factor when getting started in yoga, there is always a way to make it
affordable.
Transition: So knowing the benefits of yoga is one thing, but the hardest part is actually
getting started. Here are some of the local yoga studios that could be the perfect fit for
you.
STUDIOS IN THE AREA:
● Balance Hot Yoga is on the hill.
● New Dawn Hot Yoga is located in the college square mall.
● Field of Yoga Project is in Cedar Falls.
ONLINE CLASSES:
● DoYogawithme.com
● Look at the list of the 10 best yoga channels on YouTube at
yogiapproved.com
III. Conclusion:
A. Brake light - Now that you know how to get started I really hope you make the
initiative to go to your first class or watch some online videos for free.
B. Refer to audience: & Main points & thesis- Yoga needs to be fit into your daily
life because of its mental and physical health benefits, it is a total mind, body and
soul experience, and it reaches a very broad audience. Everyone should practice
yoga for these reasons and to find out for themselves what makes yoga so great.
Reference Page
Chopra, D. (2015). 5 Yoga Practices for Mind-Body Balance. Chopra Foundation

4. Hilgers, L. (2013, December). Yoga Therapy: Why Doctors Are Prescribing the Ancient
Practice. Oprah.com.
Klein, M. (2014, October 14). The Release of Yoga and Body Image: 25 Personal Stories
About Beauty, Bravery Loving Your Body. The Yoga Lunchbox.
Parachin, V. M. (2015). Busted! TEN MYTHS ABOUT YOGA. American Fitness,
33(5), 50-51.
Pavlik, S. E. (2001). Is Yoga Really So Bad?. Today's Christian Woman. 23(5), 50.
Riley, K., Braun, T., Davis, M., O'Neill, M., & Fahan, E. (2014). Practitioners'
Perceptions of Yoga's Impact and Positive and Negative Effects: Results of a National
Survey. Journal Of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 20(5), A65-A66.
doi:10.1089/acm.2014.5171.abstract
Villate, V. M. (2015). Yoga for College Students: An Empowering Form of Movement
and Connection. Physical Educator, 72(1), 44.
(2015, June 25). Yoga's rising popularity in the west. Filipino Post. p. 16.