Pumping Personality into your Workouts
By Nicole Irlbeck, Restoration Fitness, LLC
Let’s face it… life is not always a cakewalk. Getting everything checked off our to do list every day is often a miracle in and of itself, let alone fitting in that great workout. A new University of Florida study linked personality as a contributing factor in predicting an individual's willingness to stick to an exercise routine. Therefore, our personality could just give us the very clues we need to create a workout program that fits our needs and keeps us on the move.
Carl Jung created one of the most well known personality tests. This test can easily be accessed online. The outcome of this test can give you a description of four basic temperaments that have been described by Dr. David Keirsey. Using these descriptions, let’s take a look at how your personality temperament might help you to choose your ideal workout:
Guardian: People with this temperament tend to pride themselves on being dependable, helpful, and hard working. They are loyal, responsible, and stable. Guardians join groups; seek security, and prize gratitude and justice.
Team sports: basketball, soccer, volleyball, football, etc.
Small group fitness classes (where you will be missed if you don’t show up)
Charity race event involvement
Idealist: Those with this temperament trust their intuition, yearn for romance, and seek their true self, prize meaningful relationships, and dream of attaining wisdom. They are loving, kindhearted, and authentic. Idealists are focused on personal journeys and human potentials.
Dance including belly dancing
Running
Large group fitness classes
Yoga
Gymnastics
Artisan: People with this temperament tend to be fun loving, optimistic, realistic, and focused on the here and now. They are typically unconventional, bold, spontaneous and great at troubleshooting.
Dance of any kind
Yoga
Pilates
Nia
Zumba
Adventure fitness (skydiving, scuba diving, mountain climbing)
Rationalist: Rationalists tend to be pragmatic, skeptical, self-contained, and focused on problem solving and systems analysis. They are ingenious, independent, strong willed, and strategic leaders.
Running
Cycling
Body Building
Fencing
Kick-boxing
If you realize that you are not doing a workout that fits your personality type, pick a choice from the category that describes you best, and keep an open mind. Focus on what the movement does for your whole body, including your spirit and mind. The goal of movement is to keep us young both externally and internally. If you are already on track, try a new movement type from within your category. Above all else, listen to what your body needs…even if that means a swift kick out the door to get moving!