- A new study suggests people enjoy exercise more and reduce stress significantly when workouts match their personality.
- Extroverts thrive in energetic group activities while more neurotic personalities prefer solitary exercises with breaks.
- Tailoring fitness plans to personality traits could encourage greater consistency and better results
Finding the motivation to stay active is challenging for many of us. Less than a quarter of adults meet the recommended activity guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
However, researchers from University College London (UCL) have found that matching exercise routines to personality traits could be the key to making fitness more enjoyable and effective.
Published in Frontiers in Psychology, the study found distinct connections between personality types and preferred exercises.
Extroverts enjoyed high-intensity group workouts or team sports where they could interact socially.
In contrast, individuals with higher levels of neuroticism preferred private exercise sessions with opportunities for short breaks.
Lead researcher Dr Flaminia Ronca explained that personality traits shape how we respond to different types of exercise.
Those with higher conscientiousness and openness continued to engage consistently, even if they did not find the exercise particularly enjoyable, suggesting they were motivated by discipline or curiosity.
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Significantly, the research showed notable reductions in stress among participants, particularly those higher in neuroticism, after following a tailored exercise programme.
Dr Ronca emphasised the importance of enjoyment, adding, “It’s fine if you don’t like a certain type of exercise initially; you can always try something else.”
Professor Paul Burgess, senior author of the study, highlighted the broader implications, saying, “Finding exercise we enjoy encourages us to stick with it. Unlike dogs, humans often ignore the natural reward signals of physical activity, leaving many miserable due to inactivity.”
