Introverts and exercise
Listen, I love you all.
But my Lord, I don’t want to do everything with you.
America is the land of extroversion: put yourself out there! Work in teams! Do school projects in teams! Form committees!
And, of course, exercise in groups.
But as a slight introvert, social interactions slowly drain my energy. (Extroverts are recharged by social activities.)
So group workouts aren’t as effective for me. Too much interaction drains the battery I’m drawing on to workout effectively.
If you’re introverted, here are some tips to keep you on track in your workouts.
Analyze and optimize
Introverts tend to perform more analysis than extraverts.
This is an advantage for us: we can research, track, analyze, and refine our workouts, and enjoy that process more than our boisterous brethren would. It’s inherently easier for introverts to optimize.
Shut down the noise
If the noise of big gym bothers you—lots of talking, loud music, equipment and weights banging, 23 TVs blaring 23 different ESPN channels—noise-cancelling headphones are a godsend.
Remote accountability
An accountability partner can help us stay on track. But that partner doesn’t have to be someone you always work out with. Just someone to check in with and keep you on track.
The principle of “parallel play”
When very young kids play together, they don’t really interact. They play alone, but near each other. This is called parallel play.
Many group exercises are like this, too. Spin classes don’t require much interaction. Even in a running group, you can throw in your earbuds and still get the accountability and camaraderie of exercising with others.
Know thyself and thine own energy
It’s still good for introverts to exercise with others from time to time.
Just know your own energy levels and schedule frequency and duration appropriately.
Whether you’re an introvert or an extravert, know yourself and tailor your workout plan appropriately. If you build it to your preferences and personality, you’re more likely to stick with it.