Colder weather negates certain forms of enjoyable exercise like swimming, waterskiing, kayaking, etc. With the winter months approaching, it can become more mentally challenging to maintain the motivation needed to work out. The trick is to find a winter exercise that best suits your personality type and the limitations of a colder climate because it’s vital to stay consistent when working out to achieve the desired results.
Sports and Performance Psychology Ph.D. Haley Perlus has tips on how to select exercises/workouts that best suit your personality type:
For the Shy Introvert- Weight Lifting
If you prefer working out alone and not being bothered by others, Dr. Perlus recommends trying weightlifting. Not only can this be done in the gym, but also in the space of your own home. Having weights at home, such as ankle weights, to help activate the legs and glutes will help; however, you can also use objects around the house that are easy to grip. You can also strengthen your core by using your body weight to do exercises such as planks, squats, and sit-ups.
For the People Person – Try a Boot Camp
A Boot Camp workout will allow you to socialize with others while working on strength training, aerobics, and speed elements. It’s likely you thrive in high-energy situations and prefer exercising at a gym rather than at home to enjoy the company of others. If talking to strangers and meeting new people excites you, a Boot Camp workout could be ideal.
For the Competitive Person – Give Boxing Class a Jab
If you are naturally competitive, boxing classes are perfect for you. Psychologically speaking, boxing can boost confidence, concentration, resilience, and self-awareness. Boxing also has significant physical advantages as it helps things such as balance, endurance, strength, and hand-eye coordination. In addition, it’s a great stress reliever!
For The Adventurous One- Take a Scenic Hike
If you thrive off new experiences and love exploring, Dr. Perlus recommends taking a scenic hike. With this personality type, it can be challenging to go to the gym to do workouts in the same scenery, but that doesn’t mean don’t exercise. Instead, burn your daily calories by taking a hike with a beautiful view and changing landscapes. You will be caught up in the adventure of the hike and most likely forget you are even working out.
For The Energetic Person: Spin Class
If you’re energetic, high-strung, and love a fast-paced workout, then a spin class would suit you well. One of the main goals of a spin class is to keep your legs constantly moving, often for an hour. This would give you the opportunity to expend extra energy you have built up and give you a safe and fun space to release it.
For The Hard-Core Exercise-Hater: Yoga
Yoga is much more soothing and peaceful than other workouts can be intense. Although yoga can be very beneficial for our bodies, as it helps to increase flexibility, improve energy and maintain a balanced metabolism, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a workout because the focus is mental rather than physical. Therefore, Dr. Perlus suggests trying yoga if working out is something you dread. Yoga can be fun and is something many people look forward to doing, and it’s not as hard-core as a gym workout, and it’s not competitive.
Dr. Haley Perlus knows what it takes to overcome barriers and achieve peak performance. As an elite alpine ski racer, she competed and trained with the best in the world, pushing herself to the limits time and time again. Now, with a PhD in sport psychology, Haley continues to push boundaries and drive peak performance, helping athletes and Fortune 100 executives reach their goals.
Haley works with individuals and teams to manage and expand their energy capacity while increasing resilience, focus and drive. Dr. Perlus is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, professor, author and consultant to Division I athletes. She has spoken at many events, including VISTAGE, Tec Canada, Elite Fitness and Performance Summit and Trilogy Athletes. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado lecturing on applied sport and exercise psychology at the graduate level. She has authored several books including The Ultimate Achievement Journal and The Inside Drive and her articles have been featured in publications such as Thrive Magazine, Fitness Magazine, IDEA Fitness Journal, EpicTimes, Telluride Inside, MyVega and BeachBody®.
Dr. Perlus earned her PhD at the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis on social psychology of sport and physical activity, her MS at the University of Florida in sport pedagogy and her bachelor’s degree at the University of Western Ontario in kinesiology. Haley loves both water and snow skiing and hiking. Her favorite meal is anything that requires only chopping or blending.
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