Overview

• University College London tracked 132 adults through an eight-week home-based cycling and strength intervention versus a control group to assess how Big Five traits shape exercise engagement
• Extroverts reported greater enjoyment in group high-intensity sessions, while people high in neuroticism preferred private workouts punctuated by short breaks
• Conscientious participants stuck with exercise for its health benefits regardless of enjoyment and those high in openness engaged out of curiosity
• Individuals scoring high in neuroticism saw the largest drops in self-reported stress after completing the exercise program
• Experts are urging fitness providers to adopt personality-based planning as fewer than one in four adults currently meet World Health Organization activity targets