Let Your Gym Personality Be Your Guide
“Birds of a feather flock together.”
How mahy times have you heard that saying? Generally, people who love to hike, bike and camp are not going to be hanging out with people who like to play video games, surf the Internet and create computer programs. That’s just the nature of the beast. The same thing generally goes for the gym. People who are full of energy and outgoing won’t be on the stationary bike, pedaling with no urgency, reading a Nicholas Sparks novel.
I believe that your personality has a lot to do with your “workout personality.” And just like we will feel off balance if we try to walk in shoes that don’t fit, we will feel out of place or bored if we try to fit a gym mold that isn’t us. For example, the other day in my 6:30 AM spin class, I played a CCR song… a C-C-R-song! That group was popular before I was even a thought in existence but I played it as a favor to my class. (oh, CCR is Clearance Clearwater Revival. If you’re even younger than me, just Google them, kids.) For me, if the music doesn’t have a strong bass, beat or make you want to get off your bike and shake it, it’s not going to be blasting through my speakers. “I feel a bad moon rising…” doesn’t make me want to get my butt moving, it makes me want to give up, get off the bike and go fishing on the Delaware River with my great uncle. But I did it…and you can see the scars it left on me. I hope my class knows how much I love them.
So, what lessons can you take from my trip down that musical memory lane?
Know your personality: Ask yourself these questions…Do I love adventure? Do I get bored easily? How regimented am I with my schedule? Do I do well with goal setting or spontaneity? Am I a numbers person? These seem like silly questions… but they can actually help you figure out why maybe your routine isn’t necessarily “boring or wrong,” it just might be boring or wrong for you.
If you are energetic and outgoing: You are a people person with high energy, and love a challenge! This type of personality would do really well with boot camp type classes or workouts, where you are constantly being challenged, you get something different each time, and you are moving and working at a high intensity! Zumba would be a great fit for these type of gym-socialites as well.
Goal setter, type-A, regimented: SET GOALS, SET GOALS, SET GOALS. Write things down and get after them! If you are a lifter, write down your sets, reps and weights. If you are more into endurance sports, maybe sign up for a 5K race to run or a race to train for – something you have never tried before – and track your progress toward your goal.
Conservative, introverted: You cringe at the loud music in the fitness classes, you can’t figure out why people tend to use their mouths to socialize more than they use the equipment to workout on… You like to use the treadmill, do your lifting program, avoid that loud obnoxious trainer that happens to look like my identical twin, and be out of there. You could do that everyday for the rest of your life and be 100% satisfied. That is fine, that is more than fine…that is great!
“Variety is the spice of life.” “In a world where you can be anything, be yourself.” “Be who you are and say how you feel… because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind…” Etc. Etc. Etc.
We have all seen the posters & quotes…Straight up: Just be you. In and out of the gym.
**Photo Credit: http://www.obesitypanacea.com/2010/01/10-most-annoying-gym-personalities-tips.html
**Kate is a Personal Trainer at Elevations Health Club.