Your Personality Type Could Be Sabotaging Your Fitness Goals.

A July 2025 UCL study in Frontiers in Psychology found that when people choose exercise types suited to their personality, they enjoy workouts more and experience greater stress relief than mismatched routines.

Researchers split participants into two groups: one tailored to their personalities, the other following standard fitness plans. After 8 weeks, all groups improved fitness—but personality-aligned exercisers saw significantly higher enjoyment and lower stress, especially individuals with higher neurotic tendencies.

• Extraverts → Loved group workouts like HIIT classes and team sports

• Neurotic types → Preferred solo workouts with rest breaks and flexibility

• Agreeable individuals → Enjoyed walking, yoga, and less competitive movement

• Conscientious types → Responded well to structured routines like Pilates or strength circuits

• Open-minded personalities → Engaged best with varied activities like dance or martial arts

Find your fitness flavor: if you’re social, join group classes or team sports; if not, go solo with intervals and breaks. A little alignment goes a long way—for fitness, fun, and stress relief.