It's a natural fact-body positioning affects our mood and the strength of our emotions. Have you ever noticed when you are fighting away tears, you automatically look up towards the sky? Or when you get depressed or sad, you look down towards the ground? Body positioning also plays a very important role in our workouts.

Try the following exercise: Stand in an idle position with your shoulders slouched and your eyes focused down toward the ground. Take shallow breaths. How do you feel?

Now stand in a position of strength and positive emotion, with your chin up, chest open, eyes to the sky, and a big smile on your face. Breathe deeply. Notice how you feel.

It's a natural phenomenon-when you look up to the sky, it's impossible to feel depressed!

So when it comes to your workout, don't be a slouch! Slumping causes you to check out of your workout both mentally and physically. The less you focus on the exercise, the less you'll receive in the way of benefits. Slouching also keeps you from breathing deeply, which is necessary for delivering the oxygen your muscles need to work at full capacity.

—Tina Vindum, Outdoor Fitness