These 5 personality traits can predict what kind of exercise you prefer — including the best workout for anxious people
Exercise is said to be the best habit for aging well — even a lazy, five-minute workout can improve muscle strength and heart health.
But if you're struggling to get going, a new study suggests that aligning your fitness routine with your personality type can significantly improve the odds that you'll stick with it.
A new study suggests the secret to sticking to a fitness regime could be your personality type.
Drazen – stock.adobe.com
'We know that the global population is becoming increasingly sedentary. You often hear about people trying to become more active, but struggling to make lasting changes,' said Flaminia Ronca, a researcher at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH) in the UK.
'In this study, we wanted to understand how personality can influence this to support the development of effective interventions for changes in health behavior.'
The research team assessed 132 volunteers randomly assigned to an eight-week cycling and strength-training program or a resting control group.
Participants completed detailed questionnaires measuring the 'Big Five' personality traits: extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism.
While everyone who finished the program — 86 people — got fitter, how much they enjoyed the workouts depended on who they were on the inside.
'We found some clear links between personality traits and the type of exercise the participants enjoyed most, which I think is important because we could potentially use this knowledge to tailor physical activity recommendations to the individual — and hopefully help them to become and remain more active,' Ronca said.
Conscientious types tended to have better all-around fitness levels, but they didn't necessarily enjoy one style versus another.
twinsterphoto – stock.adobe.com
We're Tracking Prime Day Live!
Unlock exclusive NYP codes and real-time deals on everyday must-haves. See Your Deals
Extroverts preferred exercise that puts their big energy to good use, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and the type of all-out cycling sprints that can wreck you in spin class.
They were, however, less likely to follow through.
Neurotic, anxious types favored more low-key workouts — and, unsurprisingly, they disliked being monitored, making them perhaps a better fit for solo, at-home programs.
They did, however, experience the biggest reduction in stress, implying people prone to anxiety might reap the biggest mental health benefits from exercise.
Conscientious types tended to have better all-around fitness levels, but they didn't necessarily enjoy one style versus another — probably because they viewed exercise as something good for them, not something designed to be fun.
'Extroverts often prefer team sports or group fitness classes, and they get energy from fellow exercisers,' Dr. Blaise Aguirre, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in Arlington, Massachusetts, who wasn't involved with the study, told NBC News.
'On the other hand, others who are more conscientious would be drawn to structured, schedule-based activities — say, a specific class at a gym where a specific and predictable routine is followed — and this is because this fits their organized, goal-oriented nature.'
Meanwhile, people with an open spirit may gravitate toward varied or unconventional workouts, while those with agreeable personalities are more likely to enjoy a relaxed, steady-paced bike ride, the study found.
The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.
One thing's for sure: if you want to work out more, find something that brings you joy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Health Line
5 days ago
- Health Line
Matching Your Workouts to Your Personality Could Help You Enjoy Exercise
Your personality may play a role in the type of exercise you prefer, according to a new study. Some personality traits were associated with greater baseline fitness levels, while others predicted greater enjoyment of specific types of exercise. The research could help to tailor exercise programs to individual preference, leading to greater satisfaction and consistency. If you find it difficult to stay motivated at the gym, a new study suggests that matching your workouts to your personality type could lead to more consistent, more rewarding sessions. Researchers at University College London found that personality traits influence exercise enjoyment and preference. The study was published on July 7 in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. 'We could potentially use this knowledge to tailor physical activity recommendations to the individual — and hopefully help them to become and remain more active,' said Flaminia Ronca, PhD, first author of the study, in an accompanying press release. The study compared participants' baseline fitness levels and fitness outcomes, along with enjoyment and exercise preferences, across the five major personality trait domains. The ' Big Five ' personality traits include: conscientiousness agreeableness neuroticism openness extraversion While everyone's personalities are unique, these core traits have been widely used by researchers for decades. 'It's an innovative study because they are exploring a novel idea: How someone's personality could indicate how they exercise,' said Brad Donohue, PhD, a professor of psychology and creator of The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. 'The findings really get you thinking. If someone is introverted or extroverted, maybe that is something they should consider when it comes to a workout routine,' he added. Donohue was not involved in the research. How personality impacts exercise preference The researchers examined how the Big Five personality traits influence key aspects of an exercise routine. For example, do certain traits correlate with a preference for higher- or lower-intensity workouts? They recruited 132 volunteers from the general public, representing diverse backgrounds and fitness levels. Participants were randomly assigned to an eight-week exercise program — combining cycling and strength training — or to a control group that performed brief stretching sessions. Baseline fitness was measured via tests such as push-ups, planks, and VO2 max. Participants also reported their perceived stress levels. Personality traits were measured with a standard Big Five survey, asking respondents to rate statements such as whether they make friends easily or consistently complete tasks. A total of 86 participants completed the study. Regardless of personality type, all who finished the exercise program improved their fitness, doing more push-ups and achieving higher VO2 max than at baseline. Stratifying participants by personality resulted in intriguing associations between those traits and exercise behaviors. At baseline, both extraversion and conscientiousness predicted higher baseline fitness. Neuroticism, on the other hand, was associated with poorer heart rate recovery. Extraverts preferred higher-intensity workouts, such as HIIT sessions and VO₂ max cycling tests. Participants scoring high in neuroticism — which describes a proclivity to be anxious or insecure — preferred light exercise at home, rather than being observed in a lab. They were also less likely to record their heart rate data, which also suggests a potential preference for private workout conditions. Participants high in agreeableness preferred an 'easy long' cycling ride. Interestingly, conscientiousness wasn't associated with a preference for any particular form of exercise. Since this trait is a sign of persistence, grit, and goal-setting, the authors suggest that these individuals are strongly motivated by the fitness and health outcomes of exercise and less concerned with enjoyment. Personality also predicted stress-related outcomes, but only neuroticism showed an effect. Participants high in neuroticism were the only group to experience reduced stress from the exercise intervention. 'Exercise reduces stress. If someone is anxious, we know exercise is going to help them. So it would make sense that they would show greater improvements than someone that's not demonstrating those characteristics,' said Donohue. Motivation is key to workout consistency While the study makes a compelling case for the role that personality can have in exercise enjoyment and preference, Donohue notes that it's just one piece of the puzzle to helping people find satisfaction with their workouts. 'The task at hand becomes how do we get you motivated? It could be that certain types of personality traits are more motivated to work out under certain circumstances. But at the end of the day, those are generalizations,' Donohue said. Importantly, he noted, that individuals would rarely only embody a single dominant personality trait. Instead, people exist on a spectrum of these traits, which makes it more difficult to predict how this would affect exercise preference. Would an individual with apparently contrary traits, such as high extroversion and high neuroticism, enjoy a workout in a crowded gym class? It's not clear from identifying these traits alone. Instead, Donohue suggests, people can assess what type of exercise works for them by asking other general questions about their preferences. For example: What types of exercise have worked for you in the past? Do you prefer to workout with a partner or alone? What is your current routine? How would you describe your fitness or athletic goals? 'The best predictor is past behavior. When it comes to someone's workout routine, I really emphasize the things that they've already had success with. If someone has already been very successful with a certain type of exercise, that shows they are motivated by that particular type of workout,' Donohue said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
How your personality type dictates your exercise routine
A new study suggests an individual's personality type could influence their preferred type of exercise. Researchers believe this link could help those struggling to make lasting changes find something they enjoy. The study involved experts from University College London (UCL) giving 132 volunteers either an eight-week cycling and strength training plan or telling them to rest. Prior to the research, strength levels were evaluated using exercises like press-ups and cycling tests, with stress levels measured on a one to 10 scale. Researchers used the Big 5 personality test to assess dominant personality traits using five distinct groups. These are extroversion, or how energetic and outgoing a person is, agreeableness, which includes attributes related to trust and compassion, conscientiousness, which reflects traits like orderliness and and reliability. The other two traits are neuroticism, which measures emotional stability and the tendency for anxiety or mood swings, and openness, which describes a person's willingness to try new experiences. Dr Flaminia Ronca, of UCL's Surgery and Interventional Science and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), said the team found 'some clear links between personality traits and the type of exercise the participants enjoyed most, which I think is important because we could potentially use this knowledge to tailor physical activity recommendations to the individual – and hopefully help them to become and remain more active.' Of the group, some 86 people completed the programme. Researchers found extroverts tended to enjoy high-intensity workouts, such as high intensity interval training (HIIT). Elsewhere, those with strong neuroticism traits preferred bursts of activity over prolonged intensity. They also preferred not being monitored or recording their heart rate during the study, which researchers suggest could indicate they prefer being given space and independence while exercising. 'We know that the global population is becoming increasingly sedentary,' Dr Ronca said. '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 behaviour.' Professor Paul Burgess, from the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, said, 'people who scored more highly in the neuroticism personality trait showed a particularly strong reduction in stress when they undertook the fitness training recommended in the study. 'This suggests that there may be particular benefits in stress reduction for those with this trait.'
New York Post
6 days ago
- New York Post
‘Speedballing' drug trend is becoming ‘increasingly lethal,' warns public health expert
There's a new twist in the devastating opioid crisis. The US is said to be in the fourth wave of this epidemic, marked by the increased use of several substances at once, specifically stimulants and fentanyl. This toxic combo is known as a 'speedball' — it dates back to World War I, when it was used to treat soldiers' pain and boost their energy. Advertisement 3 A body bag is loaded into an ambulance in Brooklyn on Jan. 1, 2025. Initial reports indicate that two people were found dead inside a car on East 10th Street, possibly from overdoses. Gregory P. Mango The potentially lethal one-two punch took center stage with the 1982 death of John Belushi and the 1990s fatal overdoses of River Phoenix and Chris Farley. Now, a drug researcher warns that speedballing has become a 'widespread public health crisis' that requires a multi-faceted approach before it spirals out of control. Advertisement 'Since 2010, overdoses involving both stimulants and fentanyl have increased 50-fold, now accounting for approximately 35,000 deaths annually,' Andrew Yockey, an assistant professor of public health at the University of Mississippi, wrote last week in The Conversation. Drug overdose has long been a major cause of injury-related death in the US. 3 Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that can devastate the mind and body. wing-wing – Stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine can enhance alertness and energy but also raise heart rate and blood pressure and narrow blood vessels. Advertisement Opioids like fentanyl block pain signals and promote feelings of happiness and relaxation while slowing breathing. We're Tracking Prime Day Live! Unlock exclusive NYP codes and real-time deals on everyday must-haves. See Your Deals Together, these drugs increase the risk of respiratory failure, cardiovascular complications such as heart attack and stroke, poor decision-making, mental health struggles and overdose. 'Users sought to experience the euphoric 'rush' from the stimulant and the calming effects of the opioid,' Yockey explained. 'However, with the proliferation of fentanyl — which is far more potent than heroin — this combination has become increasingly lethal.' Advertisement Fentanyl emerged as a crisis in the US about a decade ago and has infiltrated just about every corner of the illicit drug market. 3 Fentanyl is a powerful opioid, approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Matthew McDermott Recently, there was some good news in this hard-fought battle — the deadliest phase of the fentanyl problem appears to be easing. Provisional data indicated a substantial decline in the number of drug overdose deaths in the past year. Experts have credited Gen Z's inclination toward sobriety, weaker fentanyl on the market, greater availability of Narcan, which rapidly reverses opioid overdoses, and increased access to treatment, among other factors. Yockey said more work needs to be done. He proposed educational campaigns about the dangers of speedballing, additional funding for stimulant use disorder and increased distribution of fentanyl test strips and Narcan. 'Implementing these strategies widely is crucial to reducing overdose deaths and improving community health outcomes,' Yockey said.
