How Your Enneagram Type Can Affect Your Exercise Routine
The Enneagram test. Even if you haven't taken it, odds are you've heard about it at a party, on social media, or at work. The Enneagram test is a personality test that maps out your deepest fears, strongest motivators, and key behaviors. So…what does this have to do with exercise?!
While the Enneagram test doesn't directly correlate with exercise preferences or routines, understanding your Enneagram type can provide insights into how you approach fitness and working out. Knowing your personality traits can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses—helping you make self-improvement steps within different areas of your life.
Understanding your core motivations can also help you boost your productivity and work WITH your personality to build a consistent fitness routine. Understanding your personality may also help you crack the code of staying motivated to exercise!
While we've created a workout app to help moms reduce some common barriers to exercise—like time, clarity, and ease of use—there may be aspects of your personality holding you back. Once you figure that out, you'll be off and running with your Expecting + Empowered App and never looking back!
How to Figure Out Your Enneagram
The Enneagram test describes nine distinct personalities, each with unique motivations, fears, and behaviors. To learn your Enneagram, you need to take the Enneagram Test. Once you take this personality test, you'll get an Enneagram number that breaks down your personality type.
Different Enneagram tests available include:
Ian Morgan Cron Standard Type Test ($60) — if you want a deeper dive into your Enneagram type; this gives you your subtype and more insight!
Personality quizzes aren't necessarily 100% accurate—because how can a test sum up one person completely!? But, when you learn more about your Enneagram type, you get a better picture of why you operate the way you do. This includes understanding what excites you, what you're passionate about, and what negatively impacts your inner motivation. These are all important self-motivators when it comes to fitness!
How Your Enneagram Relates to Exercise
Now that you've figured out your Enneagram type, let's dive into how your personality may influence your exercise tendencies. Just keep in mind: this is just a generalization and may not be 100% accurate for you!
Here's a general overview of how different Enneagram types might relate to exercise (click each type to learn more):
Type 1 (The Perfectionist)
Type 1 individuals may approach exercise with discipline and a burning desire to do things "right"—or, as the name implies, perfectly. A lot of moms can relate to this need for perfectionism. This is especially true if you're someone who sets really high expectations for yourself. If you were an athlete in high school and college, you may also hold yourself to that same standard after having kids. You might be used to getting in that perfect hour-long workout three times per week. Then motherhood happens…and that expectation is no longer realistic. It can be REALLY hard to adjust to change as a Type 1 striving for perfection.
Click here to learn how to dive deeper into the "perfectionist" and find solutions for the things holding you back on your wellness journey.
Type 2 (The Helper)
Type 2 individuals often enjoy activities that involve helping or supporting others. You may find fulfillment in group workouts that involve teamwork or assisting others, like partner exercises or group classes. Helpers also love participating in accountability challenges—which we host for our Expecting + Empowered App users! You are more likely to gather a group of women together for group workouts or accountability. If you're a type 2, you may have tried different exercise classes and enjoyed meeting new women in your groups!
Click here to learn more about your habits as "The Helper" and what that means for your fitness patterns.
Type 3 (The Achiever)
Type 3 individuals tend to be goal-oriented and driven. You may be motivated by competitive sports, performance-based activities, or fitness challenges that allow you to showcase your skills and achievements. If you're a Type 3, you may love to use habit trackers (try ours if you need one!). You probably like to see workout streaks and try to never miss a week of workouts. You may also be competitive with yourself and others.
Click here to learn more about "The Achiever" and how this applies to your workout tendencies.
Type 4 (The Individualist)
Type 4 individuals often seek unique and personally meaningful experiences. You may be drawn to exercise forms that allow self-expression—think dance, artistic movement, or yoga. You like more intuitive movement where you can feel more connected to yourself. Perhaps you are flowing with our Expecting + Empowered prenatal yoga or going to barre class.
Click here to learn more about "The Individualist" and how it relates to exercising patterns.
Type 5 (The Investigator)
Type 5 individuals typically approach things analytically and enjoy learning a new skill or activity. You may be drawn to exercise forms that engage their minds. This may include activities that require learning new techniques or a detailed training program (like our Elevated + Empowered strength training program). You like to try out new forms of exercise that challenge your skills and enjoy the process of learning.
Click here to learn more about "The Investigator" and their fitness habits.
Type 6 (The Loyalist)
Type 6 individuals value safety and security. You may prefer exercise routines that provide structure, predictability, and stability. Group activities with a trusted instructor or workouts focusing on strength and stability are likely appealing. If you are a current Expecting + Empowered App user, you use it religiously. The E+E workouts are laid out each week, so you know exactly what to do and how to follow it. Our app was MADE for Type 6s like you.
Click here to learn more about "The Loyalist" and their workout habits.
Type 7 (The Enthusiast)
Type 7 individuals are often adventurous and seek novelty. You may enjoy a variety of exercise forms and be more inclined to switch between different activities to keep things exciting and engaging. You may like to have a mixture of cardio, weight training, and yoga. Different forms of exercise keep you engaged, motivated, and energized.
Click here to learn more about "The Enthusiast" and how it relates to fitness.
Type 8 (The Challenger)
Type 8 individuals often enjoy intense, challenging, and physically demanding activities. You may be drawn to high-intensity workouts, strength training, or competitive sports that allow you to push yourself to your full potential. You may lean toward our Expecting + Empowered pregnancy strength training programs and level up to Elevated + Empowered after postpartum. As a Type 8, you may also struggle with taking it slower in postpartum because you're ready to get back to the strength you had pre-baby.
Click here to learn more about "The Challenger" and their exercise habits.
Type 9 (The Peacemaker)
Type 9 individuals value peace and harmony. They may prefer exercises that promote relaxation, stress reduction, and mind-body connection. Think yoga or something that helps you find balance. If you're a Type 9 and already a mom, finding that inner peace and calm from exercise is essential for feeling balance in your life.
Click here to understand more about "The Peacemaker" and how it relates to exercise.
Takeaway
Again, it’s important to note that these Enneagram exercise styles are general tendencies. Individuals of each Enneagram type can have unique preferences and approaches to exercise. The Enneagram test can provide valuable self-awareness and understanding. But, listening to your own body, preferences, and limitations is essential when choosing and engaging in exercise activities.
Does your type align with your workout tendencies?! Let us know!
LINKS TO ENNEAGRAM TESTS AND HELPFUL SOURCES
These are my go-to resources for understanding myself and the people I love. Learning the Enneagram has had a big impact on my marriage and my ability to better connect with others. We all see the world through different lenses—learning about those lenses brings so much more compassion and ease to life. Helping understand ourselves and others makes for a more fulfilling life!
Enneagram Type Description: Once you discover your type, this website is a great reference to understand how you show up when you’re at your best—and when you're not. For me, noticing when I’m feeling angry is a sign I’m out of alignment.
Typology Podcast
My favorite shortcut: listen to the episodes about your number and your partner’s. Guests always share their type, and I always walk away with a new insight.
Audiobook
This one gives a great overview of all the types if you prefer to listen and learn on the go.
Hope your journey with the Enneagram brings you more clarity, connection, and peace. We’re not just physical beings—we’re emotional ones too.Here are some of my favorite resources to take deeper dives on the Enneagram. For me it was so impactful to my marriage and being able to better understand others! We all look at the world through a different lens. Helping understand others makes for a more fulfilling life!
Krystle Howald, PT, DPT