The 10 Best Exercises for People Who Hate Exercise

While virtually everyone knows that they should exercise to stay strong and healthy, there’s a big gap for many people between knowing they should work out and actually wanting to do it. In fact, a 2021 poll found that 50% of respondents don’t enjoy exercise, while 34% said they would hand wash all their dishes for the rest of their lives if it meant never having to exercise ever again!

The biggest reason folks hate working out? They get bored with traditional exercise. That’s why we’re sharing the best forms of exercise for people who hate exercise—plus, how to make the most out of these workouts. 

Let’s dive in!

Reasons why people hate exercise

We just mentioned the top one, but here are some of the most popular reasons why people hate exercise:

1. Boredom and difficulty staying focused

Cardio is by far the most popular form of exercise, with exercise machines like the elliptical and the treadmill high on many people’s lists because they’re easy to do. The problem is that it’s very easy to get bored while using these machines and lose the focus required to get the most out of your workout, particularly when you have to log a ton of time on them in order to get your desired results. 

 2. Too much repetition and too large of a learning curve

These two reasons go hand in hand. By nature, exercise is something you need to do on a regular basis to get the benefits, so many people will find one or two workouts that they can do and then do them over and over again. The problem here is that this gets repetitive fast (leading to the aforementioned boredom). But lots of people don’t have the time or resources to learn other workouts, so they get stuck.

3. Risk of injury

The possibility of injury is always looming over even the most experienced exercisers. For some, the risk is just too high. 

4. Too big a time commitment

This is one of the most difficult aspects of exercise—it takes time, and some people simply struggle to find time in their busy days to work out. 

The benefit of embracing alternative activities if you hate exercise

All that said, here’s the good news: Traditional exercise (think cardio machines, weights, mats, and the like) is not the only way to get the perks of working out. There are plenty of ways to move your body, engage your muscles, and rev up your heart rate that don’t fall into that mold—and can eliminate some or all of the qualms and hesitancies people have regarding exercise. 

By embracing alternative activities, you can reap the benefits like stronger bones, joints, and muscles, a fitter heart and lungs, better balance and flexibility, and brighter moods without ever setting foot in a gym.

10 best exercises for people who hate exercise

Looking for some inspiration to kickstart your fitness routine? Here are our favorites: 

• Walking

• Dancing

• Hiking

• Team sports

• Mindful movement

• Gardening and yard work

• Martial arts and self defense

• Rowing

• Swimming and water aerobics

• Playing outside

1. Walking

Walking uses your entire body, it’s a movement you do every day that’s essential to aging well, and you can do it with friends or while chatting with a loved one.

2. Dancing

Sure, dance fitness classes are great, but you don’t even need to do that. An impromptu dance party in your kitchen is enough to get your body moving in a beneficial way.

3. Hiking

Hiking is incredibly good for you. Not only are you getting the physical perks, but you are also reaping the mood-boosting benefits of spending time outside.

4. Team sports

If you look for it, chances are you can find a recreational basketball or softball league in your area that offers some light competition and team fun alongside the physical movement.

5. Mindful movement

If yoga isn’t for you, pop in your headphones and listen to a mindfulness meditation while emptying the dishwasher or tidying up your house. Exercise for the day? Check.

6. Gardening and yard work

Ask the folks who spend significant time in their garden or working on their lawn and they will tell you that they are getting some serious exercise thanks to all the digging, bending, lifting, squatting and more.

7. Martial arts and self defense

Practical, empowering, artistic, and mentally and physically challenging, taking a class in martial arts or another form of self-defense is a top-notch alternative exercise.

8. Rowing

Rowing machines are an excellent way to get in a high-powered workout in an incredibly short amount of time. In fact, each rowing stroke works 86% of your body’s muscles, meaning you can torch calories in just 20 minutes of working out. 

9. Swimming and water aerobics

Injury risk plummets drastically the second you step into the pool, making water-based activities like swimming and water aerobics excellent options if you’re worried about hurting yourself with exercise. 

10. Playing outside

Remember when you were a kid and you would go toss a ball or frisbee around or ride your bike? Nothing is stopping you from doing it now—or from getting the physical benefits.!

Tips for working out when you hate exercise

Now that we’ve given you 10 fun and engaging ideas for forms of exercise for people who hate exercise, keep these tips in mind when you try one:

• Every little bit counts. You don’t have to do something for 30 or 60 minutes straight for it to count as exercise. Five minute chunks add up fast! 

• Grab your friends. All forms of exercise are more fun when you’re doing them with friends. 

• Have fun. This is the most important tip we have. If you’re having fun, you’re going to want to do the thing over and over again and that’s where you get the benefits.

What are you waiting for?

Getting the perks of working out when traditional exercise isn’t for you is as simple as finding the activities you enjoy and making an effort to incorporate them into your life on a regular basis. Exercise doesn’t look the same for everyone, but everyone can achieve the same results in their own way. Consider trying one of these alternative activities to put yourself on the path toward better health and well-being today.

Interested in trying out a rowing machine? Consider investing in a rowing machine like Hydrow. Indoor rowers offer an immersive and efficient total-body workout, featuring the best of cardio and strength in one. 

Hydrow rowing machines also come with an extensive library of workout content led by our team of world-class Athletes and filmed in gorgeous locations around the world. Our rowing, yoga, Pilates, and circuit training workouts will transport you to stunning global destinations and keep you motivated to come back again and again. 

Learn more about the benefits of rowing and a Hydrow rowing machine today!