Barriers to Exercise

Barriers to Exercise Explained

Many of your clients will be aware of the risks that accompany physical inactivity—a sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of many noncommunicable diseases,^[1] whereas being physically active lowers your risk of many chronic diseases and can improve your mental health.^{[2, 3]}

Sustaining higher levels of physical activity can however be challenging, particularly when potential obstacles have not been addressed in advance. Without proper planning, it will be easy for your clients to slip back into old patterns of behaviour once the initial bout of motivation that comes with starting a new fitness regime wears off. Failure to plan for potential obstacles is planning to fail at the first hurdle.

There have been several research papers which have explored common barriers to exercise. In a study looking at barriers to physical activity among 894 Australian adults, Erin Hoare and colleagues (2017) found that lack of time was the most commonly reported obstacle.^[4] Other barriers included: lack of enjoyment in taking part in physical activity, lack of money, lack of confidence, and nobody to exercise with. Only a small number of participants identified environmental factors such as weather or gym accessibility as a significant barrier to engaging in physical activity.

Another study looking at a group of medical students and nurses found that many people perceived exercise as being too tiring and did not fit in with their busy schedules.^[5] The examples used in this handout were derived from these studies but with the addition of other frequently reported barriers to exercise given to personal trainers.

When discussing barriers to exercise, it is important to take a collaborative approach with your clients. Once you have identified the barriers that are particularly daunting to that individual, help them to strategise ways to overcome it. Try and prompt them to find an answer themselves rather than imposing your own view of how to solve their problems.

Think about obstacles to physical activity in terms of: (1) physical (e.g., time, money, location, weather), (2) social (e.g., the influence of family and friends), and (3) psychological (e.g., lack of body confidence or self-esteem) factors. Remember that any exercise is better than none and so set realistic targets that your clients can reasonably expect to achieve.

How to Approach Your Client’s Barriers to Exercise

The purpose of this handout is to prompt a discussion around what has previously prevented your client from engaging in physical activity. Once your client has identified areas in their life which are currently stopping them from achieving their physical activity goals, you can begin to collaborate on ways to overcome each one. To start with, show your client this list of barriers to exercise and ask a series of questions:

“Here is a list of common barriers to commencing physical activity. Do any of these resonate with you? Which one most stands out to you? Are there any other barriers to physical activity which are not listed here which you think are particularly important to you?”

Spend most of the time exploring the barrier that your client highlights as being particularly important. Remember that some barriers which are reported as being physical constraints, such as lack of time, may in fact be psychological (e.g., not valuing exercise enough to schedule it in). It is good practice to return to your client’s barriers to exercise after your initial consultation, especially if you notice a drop in their activity levels or their motivation to train.