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Want to find the best workout for you? Why your personality matters so much
Study shows that different personality types like extroverts and neurotics enjoy different exercises, suggesting tailored routines are best
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My brother is a runner, my sister’s first choice of exercise is cycling or swimming, while mine is taking a class at the gym.
We had the same exposures growing up and yet we choose to stay fit in very different ways. This likely reflects our personality types, according to a recent study from University College London (UCL).
The key to sticking to – and reaping the rewards of – exercise over the long term, researchers found, may be as simple as doing something you enjoy. And what you enjoy is down to the sort of person you are.
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Lead author Professor Flaminia Ronca of UCL’s Exercise Neuroscience Research Group explains the inspiration for the study.
“The global population is becoming increasingly sedentary. You often hear about people trying to become more active but struggling to make lasting changes. In this study, we wanted to understand how personality can influence this to support the development of effective interventions for changes in health.”
Our personalities, of course, are largely dictated by how our brains are wired, which, as Ronca observes, “is partly nature, partly nurture”.
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