Choosing the best exercise for you is as simple as this questionnaire!

Have you ever wandered why for some exercise is a smiling endorphin-fest and or others and absolute soul-draining drudgery? The answer is simple, personalization. Exercise and wellness has to fit your lifestyle and personality in order for it to be sustainable and habit forming. Ready to personalize your success? Here’s the hack of your fitness dreams, the best exercise for you!

Psychology of the Brain-Body Connection and Motivation

Individual or Group Exercise?

There are two camps when it comes to best exercise for motivation. Those who enjoy the shared “suffering” of an early morning spin class or Zumba dance marathon, bumping into strangers and benefiting from the collective sweaty energy of friends or complete strangers. Or you could be someone who enjoys the solace of a solo distance run or headphones-focused, intense-glare staring power lifter reaching their one man monster set max. Maybe, you even enjoy your exercise online anonymously. The psychology is simple, you either enjoy working out in a group or not.

Not sure? You’re in luck, branded studios like Orange Theory have created hybrid versions where you do exercise independently but in a group circuit setting.

Competitive or Team Minded?

Some of the questions I love to ask my clients at intake is, “What drives you?” “How do you designate success to a workout?” and “Do you consider yourself Competitive?”

If you’re the person eyeballing the other participants in a yoga class to see if your pose is strong or the person who cranks up the treadmill speed to silently out pace the person next to you, congratulations! you are motivated by peer competition.

Or are you the cyclist who finishes first only to ride back to accompany your trailing team member? Watching others experience success too or joining a community kickball club is an indicator that you thrive with “We” energy.

Do you like to learn new things or level up your current skills?

New versus Known. Let’s face it, trying out new ways of exercise requires courage. You always look uncoordinated and a little lost the first time you step into a martial arts class or even setting up on an indoor rowing machine. So do you have the courage to be that beginner that can laugh off the first time you completely miss the bag at 9Round while attempting a roundhouse kick?

Or are you better suited to be the master of your favorite sport of Skiing, Swimming or Golf? Personal Training coaches are incredibly beneficial for both Beginners and Experts. Having the one-on-one support to build your library of appropriate exercises for your training exponentially produces greater results.

Both new and mastery prepare and cross-condition for health and performance, but which appeals to you more?

There are so many ways to find your best fitness and the answer for you lays in what you and your lifestyle connects to most. If you enjoy it you will do it. If it’s not helping you reach your goals, your discipline will wane. So choose activities to support you, fitness is not one size fits all.

Be Well and Have fun getting Fit!