If you believe in the mind-body connection, then it’s not much of a leap to say that the kind of exercise you gravitate towards is influenced by your personality. Your preferred sweat-inducing activity says a lot about who you are, what matters to you, and how you live your life outside of the gym. We’ve demystified the various kinds of physical exertion to expose the secrets they reveal about you (and the people you’re forced to share exercise equipment with). Read on to find out what your favorite form of exercise says about you!
Cover Photo: skynesher (Getty Images)
Exercise Says About You
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Running
You're an Alpha. You're competitive, you like to be in control, and you get shit done. Running is your passion because it gets your blood pumping, frees your mind, and is the most efficient way to stay in shape. While you prefer to run alone, you love nothing more than talking tips and tricks with other runners. It also gives you an excuse to constantly shop for cool kicks.
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Cycling
You're short. And you have a Napoleon complex about it. But on a racing bike, no one notices how vertically challenged you are. So you've thrown yourself into cycling culture, where all that matters is how hard you pedal and how fast you can go. The adrenaline rush almost makes up for how ignored you are in every other area of your life because of your height.
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Weightlifting
You believe a man without muscles isn't a man at all. You like to be seen (sweaty) and heard (grunting), which is why you lift weights in a gym and not in your mom's basement. You're a bro and are proud of it. You've mastered the strut and like to chat up the ladies between sets. Someday, you hope to meet -- or even spot -- your idol, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Rock Climbing
You're a loner who lives a safe, suburban life. You're probably a teacher or work at some other desk job where you feel unstimulated and underappreciated. In search of a thrill (albeit one with a safety harness), you turned to rock climbing. It's the perfect sport for introverts because you don't have talk to anyone while doing it and don't have to expose yourself to the elements, either. It's dangerous-ish without actually risking your life.
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CrossFit
You were scrawny and weak until you discovered the cult of CrossFit. Now you've not only drunk the Kool-Aid, you've puked it up on the floor after too many reps. Fitness is your fiercest obsession, and you've rearranged your life to make sure you get it in every day in addition to subjecting yourself to the strictest of diets. People used to like you because you were non-threatening. Now they see you coming and they sprint in the other direction. Your incessant, enthusiast CrossFit sales pitch is just too much.
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Boxing
Rocky was your favorite movie growing up. Now, as an adult, you suppress your aggression -- about professional stagnation, that woman that ghosted you, your parents' lack of approval -- until you put the gloves on. Then you let the beast out. You've always been tough, and this sport makes you tougher. You savor the taste of sweat and blood dripping into your mouth. You're a goddamn animal. And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you're good at it and keep your blows in the ring.
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Power Walking
You wish you were a runner, but you're not, either because you don't have the endurance or you've been permanently injured. But you've discovered power walking, and it makes you feel like a speed demon without the painful pounding. You err on the sensitive, feminine side, especially when it comes to fashion. When not speed walking, you spend your free time admiring Renaissance art and tasting fine cheeses.
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Hiking
Let's be honest: you're lazy. But hiking is the one form of exercise that you can do as slow as you want, and it puts you outdoors with your buddies, where you can pee as nature intended and take constant Instagram breaks. It also gives you permission to stock up on some pretty sweet gear. Even if you barely get your heart rate above what it is while sleeping, you look like you're working really hard, and that's all that matters. Do it for the Insta.
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Swimming
You enjoy feeling sleek and weightless in the water. The repetitive nature of swimming puts you in a Zen state and people are constantly commenting on how chill you are. You like your body hairless, your shoulders strong, and your Speedo snug. As long as you get your daily swim in, nothing rattles you.
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Yoga
You don't go to yoga for exercise. You go for the eye candy. It's even worth putting on those tight pants for. But while you're there, you do make an effort to bend your body into impossible positions, wondering why anyone thinks this qualifies as exercise. Your favorite part of the class is savasana, when you can lie on your back and play pornographic fantasies on a loop in your brain.
