An article I just came across on Web MD perfectly describes many people’s main exercise dilemma: What to do if you find yoga too mellow, spinning exhausting, and swimming too cold and wet? Well, according to the article’s author, Gina Shaw, you’re not a dilettante or a slacker, you just need to discover your “workout personality.”

First, you need to decide if you’re “owl or lark,” meaning: Do you do your best workouts at 5am or 7pm? If you’re an owl (night person) trying to do a lark (morning person) activity, it will be very hard to stick with it.

Second, consider whether you’re a social exerciser or a solo one. Do you need to be surrounded by others to keep you chatting and moving? Or is exercise your “you” time? Third, are you goal-oriented, or inward-focused? This could be your first clue as to whether to hit the track or the yoga studio. But, “Of course, people don’t fit neatly into boxes,” Shaw says. “Just because you love running solo doesn’t mean you’ll hate a Pilates class, and just because you enjoy the reflective, slow movement of tai chi doesn’t mean you’ll be jangled and jostled by a fast-paced kickboxing class.”

To find out more specifically what your workout type is (and what exercises would be great for you), take this quiz at the end of the story from the American Institute for Cancer Research to find out if you’re a Self-motivator, Team Player or Spontaneous.

Image: WebMD