HATE EXERCISE?: MATCH TO PERSONALITY

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HATE EXERCISE?: MATCH TO PERSONALITY






A new study from University College London (UCL) suggests that how much you enjoy exercise — and whether you stick with it — could have more to do with your personality than sheer willpower. The research, published in Frontiers in Psychology, found that matching your workout style to your personality type not only boosts your fitness but can also seriously lower your stress levels.

Why Enjoyment Matters

If you want to build a lasting fitness habit, it may be as simple as choosing activities you actually like. The UCL team set out to understand what makes some people love exercise while others dread it, looking beyond generic advice to explore how individual personality traits influence their approach.

The Study in a Nutshell

Researchers recruited 132 people with a mix of fitness backgrounds. Some participants joined an eight-week program that combined cycling and bodyweight strength training, while others acted as a control group with no new exercise routine. Everyone’s fitness, stress, and personality traits (using the Big 5 model: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness) were assessed at the start.

During the program, participants rated the enjoyment of each session. Ultimately, their fitness was tested again, and the results were surprising.

What They Found

  • Extroverts were drawn to high-intensity activities, such as HIIT and all-out cycling sprints.

  • People high in neuroticism (those who tend to worry more) preferred short, intense bursts of effort over long sessions, and wanted privacy, skipping heart-rate tracking and monitoring whenever possible.

  • The highly conscientious, those who are organized and goal-driven) showed better overall fitness and activity levels, but didn’t necessarily enjoy one type of exercise more than another. For them, sticking to a routine seemed more about achieving health goals than having fun.

As for stress? Only those high in neuroticism saw a significant drop in stress after exercise, suggesting that the proper workout can be a real game-changer for anxious types.

The Big Takeaway

Dr. Flaminia Ronca, the study’s lead author, believes these findings could help tailor fitness recommendations to individuals. “We saw clear links between personality and preferred exercise,” she said. “If we can use this information, maybe we can help more people get active and stay active.”

Professor Paul Burgess, a co-author, adds, “Those who scored higher in neuroticism got the biggest stress relief from exercise. That could be a big motivator for people who struggle with anxiety or mood swings.”

So if you’ve tried — and failed — to stick to a workout plan in the past, the problem might not be you. It might be the workout. Finding something you genuinely enjoy isn’t just good advice; it’s backed by neuroscience.

How the Program Worked

Participants in the intervention group completed:

  • Three cycling workouts per week: one easy ride, one tougher threshold session, and one high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session.

  • One bodyweight strength session per week.

The Big 5 Personality Traits

  • Extroversion: Outgoing, energetic, and enjoys social settings.

  • Agreeableness: Cooperative, trusting, and compassionate.

  • Conscientiousness: Organized, reliable, and achievement-oriented.

  • Neuroticism: Prone to anxiety and emotional ups and downs.

  • Openness: Curious, imaginative, and open to new experiences.

Bottom line: If you want to get fitter and less stressed, forget the one-size-fits-all approach. Tune into your personality, try different activities, and pick what feels fun — your body and mind will thank you.

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