Why Some People Love The Gym, And Others Just Don’t

Ever slogged done a workout while your gym-obsessed friend seems to thrive connected each sweaty minute? You’re not alone. According to caller research, it whitethorn person little to do pinch information and much to do pinch your personality…

A caller study from University College London, published successful Frontiers successful Psychology, July 2025, suggests that nan type of workout we bask and really overmuch use we get from it tin beryllium predicted by our characteristic traits. The researchers tracked 132 participants complete an eight-week home-based cycling and spot programme and recovered that characteristic plays a cardinal domiciled successful some fittingness improvements and wide enjoyment of nan workouts.

“Personality traits were beardown predictors of baseline fittingness levels, and of enjoyment of different workout intensities,” nan authors wrote successful their report.

So, if you’ve ever wondered why you dread that HIIT convention while your mate can’t get enough, it mightiness not beryllium that you’re lazy, conscionable that you’re wired differently.

Extroverts: Born to pain calories fast

The study recovered that extroverted group (outgoing, bask being astir people, and summation power from societal interaction) thin to bask high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts nan most. These individuals not only had amended baseline cardiovascular fittingness but besides sewage nan biggest buzz from short and explosive sessions. This fits pinch erstwhile findings linking extroversion to a emotion of stimulation and thrill-seeking.

However, while extroverts performed well, they were besides little apt to return for post-intervention testing, perchance suggesting that they suffer liking successful repetitive aliases overly system programmes.

Neurotics: Quiet achievers

On nan different extremity of nan scale, those precocious successful neuroticism (people who often acquisition antagonistic emotions for illustration anxiety, worry, and self-doubt) were little enthusiastic during nan lab-based workouts, particularly those that progressive agelong aliases aggravated effort successful beforehand of researchers. But here’s nan twist: contempt their discomfort, they showed nan top simplification successful accent levels aft completing nan programme.

“Participants who scored precocious connected neuroticism reported a greater alteration successful accent aft nan intervention,” nan study found, indicating that those prone to worry and overthinking mightiness softly summation nan astir from accordant workout – moreover if they bask it nan least.

These individuals were besides much apt to instrumentality pinch private, at-home workouts and disliked search their progress, particularly if it progressive outer monitoring. Yet, they still turned up and completed nan plan, showing that a low-pressure situation whitethorn beryllium nan cardinal to semipermanent occurrence for this group.

Conscientious types: Consistent but cautious

If you’re personification who ever follows a routine, tracks your steps, and sets wellness goals, you mightiness autumn into nan conscientious camp. The study recovered that these individuals reported higher play activity levels and had amended baseline beingness health, including little assemblage fat and amended muscular endurance.

Oddly though, conscientious participants didn’t show nan largest improvements during nan programme. Researchers speculated that these individuals whitethorn already person been truthful progressive that nan prescribed sessions were really little challenging than their accustomed routines. Still, they were nan astir reliable successful position of showing up and staying committed.

Open-minded: Less intensity

Participants who scored precocious connected being open-minded amazingly rated strenuous sessions little favourably. While they were much apt to be follow-up testing, they seemed to for illustration little aggravated and much exploratory activities. This could constituent to a greater sensitivity to beingness exertion aliases simply a dislike for repetitive aliases accepted workouts.

Agreeable types: yogis

Agreeable individuals, known for being benignant and cooperative, were much apt to bask low-intensity sessions specified arsenic yoga, but didn’t show beardown links to beingness betterment aliases programme adherence.

Ultimately, this investigation challenges nan one-size-fits-all attack to exercise. If we tailor workouts to suit characteristic types, we mightiness not only bask them much but besides instrumentality pinch them longer and summation much from them successful nan agelong run. It’s not conscionable astir uncovering clip to move it’s astir uncovering nan right measurement to move for you.

So, nan adjacent clip you consciousness bad for not enjoying your friend’s plus-one CrossFit session, springiness yourself a break. Perhaps gyms should beryllium matching group to classes for illustration making love apps.

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