Exercise for Extraverts: A Prescription by Personality Type
Do you feel drained after exercise? If so, it’s time to tweak your regimen. Research shows that aligning your exercise regimen with your personality promotes post-exercise energy.
Personality Assessment
There are numerous dimensions of personality. For the purpose of this article, Iâm going to focus on the trait: Introversion verses Extraversion.
The following questionnaire is a shortened version of an Introversion verses Extraversion assessment. In each question, choose the answer that best describes you.
1) I quickly feel drained when in a large crowd of people.
    a. Very uncharacteristic or untrue, strongly disagree
    b. Uncharacteristic
    c. Neutral
    d. Characteristic
    e. Very characteristic or true, strongly agree
2) I do my best work in a quiet environment.
    a. Very uncharacteristic or untrue, strongly disagree
    b. Uncharacteristic
    c. Neutral
    d. Characteristic
    e. Very characteristic or true, strongly agreeÂ
3) Too much exposure to noise or light leaves me feeling drained or spacey.
    a. Very uncharacteristic or untrue, strongly disagree
    b. Uncharacteristic
    c. Neutral
    d. Characteristic
    e. Very characteristic or true, strongly agree
4) I feel drained after being out and about, even if Iâve enjoyed myself.
    a. Very uncharacteristic or untrue, strongly disagree
    b. Uncharacteristic
    c. Neutral
    d. Characteristic
    e. Very characteristic or true, strongly agree
Score
Score your questions: a = 1, b = 2, c= 3, d = 4, e = 5.
Add up your total score from the four questions.
    ⢠High Extravert = 4-7
    ⢠Extravert = 8-10
    ⢠Mid-Spectrum = 11-13
    ⢠Introvert = 14-16
    ⢠High Introvert = 17-20
Introvert or Extravert?
Introversion and Extraversion are each on opposite ends of a continuum. So, if you are high on one, you are low on the other. Most people are somewhere in the middle with a slight bend in one direction.
Extraversion manifests in a tendency toward outgoing, talkative, energetic behavior. Conversely, Introversion is manifested in more reserved and solitary behavior.
Preferences by Personality
Extraverts prefer higher levels of sensory stimulation than introverts to achieve the same positive hedonic tone (i.e. in order to feel just as good; see figure). Sensory stimulation includes visual, auditory, tactile, or social stimuli that range from low to high intensity. For example, reading a book in the corner of a quiet library provides a low level of sensory stimulation. Cheering in the stands at an NFL football game is a high level of sensory stimulation.Â
This doesn’t mean that Extraverts don’t like to go to quiet coffee shops or that Introverts don’t like people. Instead, it means that in general, higher levels of stimulation leaves an Extravert feeling energized. Conversely, those high levels of stimulation will leave an Introvert feeling drained, even if they have enjoyed themselves. When an Introvert needs to recharge, they seek out alone time. Extraverts recharge by seeking to heighten his or her stimulation with increased activity, social engagement, and other highly stimulating behaviors.
Exercise Prescription for Extraverts and Introverts
Given the difference in preference for stimulation, tailoring the details of your exercise regimen to your personality may benefit you by way of increased enjoyment during exercise and greater post-exercise feelings of energy.
Intensity. Research shows that in general, Extraverts prefer higher intensity exercise than Introverts. Furthermore, at higher relative workloads, Extraverts actually report lower ratings of perceived exertion. Put simply, the same workload may seem harder to an Introvert compared to an Extravert. Therefore, Introverts may prefer to exercise at a lower intensity for a longer duration.
Social Engagement. Extraverts may also prefer exercising with others as opposed to exercising alone. Exercising with others could include walking with a friend, joining a basketball league, or joining a group fitness class (e.g. aerobic-based, circuit training, spinning, etc.). Introverts may prefer a quiet jog on a nature trail, yoga in their living room, or weight training with bands or dumbbells in their garage.Â
Auditory Stimulation. Extraverts may prefer listening to louder, fast paced music. Introverts who work out at a gym may benefit from wearing headphones that are not playing any music. This will reduce the amount of small-talk from other gym members as wearing headphones is a polite, non-verbal way of saying, “I’m not here to chat.” 😉
Call to Action. There is more than one right way to exercise. It will make exercise more enjoyable and life-giving when you tailor your regimen to fit your individual personality and preferences. What ways can you design your exercise regimen to regimen so that it will inspire, energize, and give you life?
Thanks for reading! 🙂
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Reference:
Lox, C. L., Ginis, K. A., & Petruzzello, S. J. (2017). The Psychology of Exercise: Integrating Theory and Practice. Routledge. New York, NY.
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