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  • A recent study indicates that your personality might influence your exercise preferences.

  • Certain personality characteristics are linked to higher initial fitness levels, while others predict a higher enjoyment of specific exercises.

  • This research could pave the way for customized exercise plans that enhance individual satisfaction and adherence.

Struggling to keep up with your gym routine? New research suggests that aligning your exercise with your personality type could make your workouts more fulfilling and consistent.

A team at University College London discovered that personality traits impact how much one enjoys and prefers certain types of physical activities. This study was documented in the journal Frontiers in Psychology on July 7.

“This insight could enable us to customize physical activity suggestions based on individual preferences, which might encourage them to stay active,” explained Flaminia Ronca, PhD, the lead researcher of the study, in a press release.

The research assessed the initial fitness levels and outcomes, along with enjoyment and preference for exercise, against the five major personality domains.

These “Big Five” personality traits are:

  • conscientiousness

  • agreeableness

  • neuroticism

  • openness

  • extraversion

Researchers have employed these key traits extensively for decades to study human personality.

“This is a groundbreaking study because it investigates a fresh concept: how one’s personality might dictate their exercise habits,” commented Brad Donohue, PhD, a psychology professor and developer of The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

“The results are thought-provoking. Considering whether someone is introverted or extroverted could influence their fitness routine,” he added. Donohue was not part of the study.

How Personality Affects Exercise Choices

The study investigated how the Big Five personality traits correlate with preferences for different exercise intensities.

132 individuals from various backgrounds and fitness levels participated, being randomly assigned to an eight-week program of cycling and strength training, or a control group that engaged in short stretching routines. Initial fitness was assessed using exercises like push-ups, planks, and VO2 max tests.

Participants also evaluated their stress levels, and their personalities were measured with a standard Big Five survey, which included questions about their social ease and task completion habits.

A total of 86 participants completed the study. Regardless of personality, all participants who completed the training program showed improved fitness, performing more push-ups and achieving higher VO2 max scores than initially.

When categorized by personality, interesting correlations emerged between traits and exercise behaviors.

Participants with high levels of extraversion and conscientiousness showed greater initial fitness levels. Conversely, those high in neuroticism had poorer heart rate recovery.

Extraverts favored more vigorous activities, such as HIIT sessions and intense cycling tests. Individuals with high neuroticism, characterized by tendencies towards anxiety or insecurity, preferred lighter, home-based workouts.

These individuals were also less likely to monitor their heart rate, hinting at a preference for more private exercise conditions. Those scoring high in agreeableness preferred less intense, longer cycling sessions.

Interestingly, conscientiousness did not correlate with a specific exercise preference. As this trait is associated with persistence and goal-setting, the authors suggest that individuals with high conscientiousness are more focused on the health outcomes of exercise rather than the enjoyment.

Only neuroticism had a noticeable impact on stress-related outcomes. Participants with high levels of this trait were the only ones to experience significant stress reduction from the exercise program.

“Exercise is known to mitigate stress. If an individual is prone to anxiety, it’s logical that they would benefit more from physical activity in terms of stress relief,” noted Donohue.

Staying Motivated is Crucial for Consistent Exercise

While this study strongly suggests that personality influences exercise enjoyment and preferences, Donohue emphasizes that it’s only one factor in ensuring workout satisfaction.

“The challenge is finding what motivates you. Although certain personality traits might predispose someone to enjoy specific workout environments, these are just general tendencies,” he explained.

Crucially, he noted, people typically exhibit a mix of dominant traits, complicating predictions about exercise preferences. For example, how would someone with high measures of both extraversion and neuroticism feel about a busy gym class? It’s not easily determined by their traits alone.

Instead, Donohue recommends gauging suitable exercise types by asking broader questions, such as:

  • What exercise formats have you enjoyed in the past?

  • Do you prefer solitary workouts or group settings?

  • What does your current routine look like?

  • What are your specific fitness or athletic goals?

“Past behavior is often the best predictor. When it comes to planning someone’s exercise routine, I focus on what has already proven successful for them. If they have thrived with a particular type of exercise previously, it’s likely they will be motivated by similar activities in the future,” Donohue advised.

“We aren’t quite at the point where we can design a workout regimen based solely on personality traits,” he concluded.