The #1 Support Needed to Continue Exercising is "Guidance from Experts and Instructors." What Are the Reasons People Can't Keep It Up Despite Having Experience or Motivation?

Approximately half of women who do not exercise say they have "thought about starting" or "have done so in the past"

"I need to exercise," you think, but you just can't seem to get moving. Or perhaps you started once, but before you knew it, you had quit. Many of you have likely had this experience.

Everyone knows that exercise is important for health, but actually establishing it as a habit is not easy. So, what are the underlying reasons why people cannot start or continue exercising?

Therefore, in collaboration with the machine-specialized Pilates studio "the SILK," we conducted a survey on the "reasons for not being able to start or continue exercising" with 182 women who responded in a preliminary survey that they "do not currently exercise on a daily basis."

*When citing the contents of this press release, please follow the instructions below:* - State that the source is "A survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and the SILK." - Include a link to the SILK (https://the-silk.co.jp/). - Include a link to the relevant article (https://the-silk.co.jp/welness-column/sport-support).

"Survey on Reasons for Not Being Able to Start or Continue Exercising" Overview Survey Method: Internet survey Survey Period: February 18 to March 5, 2026 Survey Subjects: Women who responded in a preliminary survey that they "do not currently exercise on a daily basis" Valid Responses: 182 samples Questions: Question 1: Have you ever thought about starting exercise, or have you done so in the past? Question 2: Please tell us the reason you were unable to start exercising. Question 3: Please tell us the reason you were unable to continue exercising. Question 4: Is there any support you think is necessary to start or continue exercising? Question 5: What kind of support do you think would make it easier to continue exercising? Please choose only one that you think is most effective. Question 6: Please tell us the reason why you think that is the most effective. *As a general rule, figures are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not equal 100%.

45.6% responded that they "have thought about starting exercise" or "have done so in the past"

First, we asked if they had ever thought about starting exercise or had done so in the past.

The result showed that "neither" was the most common answer at 54.4%, accounting for about half. On the other hand, 29.1% said they "have done exercise in the past," and 16.5% said they "have thought about starting exercise."

In other words, among women who do not currently exercise, 45.6%—nearly half—have had the motivation or experience to exercise.

We asked for the reasons why they couldn't start or continue, and here are some of their responses.

Reasons for not being able to start exercising: - It was a hassle, and I gave up after three days. (30s, female) - I have no time, I'm bad at exercise, and winter is tough. (50s, female) - I don't know what to do, and I tend to give up after three days. (30s, female) - I have too much to do and get tired, so I can't get around to it. (50s, female) - There are no gyms or facilities nearby. (40s, female)

Reasons for not being able to continue exercising: - I couldn't really feel the effects. (30s, female) - I'm busy every day and don't have time for exercise. (50s, female) - If the weather is bad for a few days, I stop doing it, and once I stop, I quit entirely. (30s, female) - I stopped due to knee pain. (70s, female) - My legs got bad, and I couldn't walk for long periods. I moved, and there are no rivers or parks around, so walking isn't fun anymore. My life is too busy, so I can't find the time. (50s, female) - I was doing it until I was 49 and seeing results, but now I'm 63 and don't see results, so I only do some stretching occasionally. (60s, female)

As for reasons for not starting, while "hassle" and "no time" stood out, environmental reasons such as "not knowing what to do" and "no facilities nearby" were also mentioned.

As for reasons for not continuing, in addition to "no time," reasons different from those for not starting emerged, such as "not feeling the effects" and "injuries or physical ailments."

85.2% responded that there is "no" support they think is necessary to start or continue exercising

Next, we asked if there was any support they thought was necessary to start or continue exercising.

The result showed that the vast majority, 85.2%, answered "no," while only 14.8% answered "yes."

This result suggests that many people may feel that their inability to start or continue exercising is "unavoidable," or they may not even be able to imagine what kind of support could be available.

25.9% responded that "guidance from experts or instructors" is the most effective support

Next, we asked those who answered that there is support "available" what they thought was the most effective support.

The most common answer was "guidance from experts or instructors" at 25.9%. This was followed by "the presence of friends or a community" at 22.2%, and "exercise programs that can be done at home" and "exercise methods that can be done regardless of time or place" tied at 18.5% each.

Behind the support for expert guidance are factors that connect to the earlier comments about "not knowing what to do" and "not being able to continue alone." The peace of mind that comes from being taught the correct way seems to be a key point in lowering the hurdles to exercise.

We asked for the reasons behind each answer, and here are some of them.

Those who answered "guidance from experts or instructors": - Getting accurate guidance is the fastest way. (40s, female) - I won't do it alone, so I want a teacher. (50s, female) - I lose heart when I'm alone. I don't have the confidence to continue unless there is someone nearby to encourage me. (40s, female) - I don't know how to exercise. (60s, female) - Because it provides a sense of security. (50s, female)

Those who answered "the presence of friends or a community": - I used to participate in a diet community, and I was able to keep going by keeping a diary of my weight and what I ate and exchanging comments with friends. (50s, female) - If I had friends, I might feel like I could try harder. (30s, female) - If I wasn't alone, I think I could continue and have fun. (40s, female) - I can vent to friends, and they are the most reassuring. (50s, female) - I feel like I could try harder than if I were doing it alone. (30s, female)

Those who answered "exercise programs that can be done at home": - Because I can't go out. (60s, female) - At home, I can do it whenever I like, and it's easy. (50s, female) - I can continue for a short time every day. (30s, female)

Those who answered "exercise methods that can be done regardless of time or place": - I think I can start with a light heart using spare time and keep it up. (50s, female) - I just don't have time. It's a hassle to go outside. (40s, female) - It would be good if I could do it at home at my favorite time. (40s, female)

From the responses, reasons based on personal experience were provided, such as "I want to learn the correct method efficiently," "I lose heart when I'm alone," and "I had an experience where having friends helped me try harder." What they all have in common is that they are looking for a system that prevents exercise from becoming a "lonely endurance test."

It is clear that many people feel that the presence of others or visualized results can be a source of strength to continue.

Summary

In this survey, it was revealed that about half of the women who do not currently exercise have had exercise experience or motivation in the past. Reasons for not being able to start often include "hassle" and "no time," while reasons for not being able to continue also include "not feeling the effects," "injuries/poor physical condition," and "changes in living environment."

On the other hand, among those who believe they could continue if they had support, the opinion that guidance from experts or instructors is the most effective stood out. If there is an environment where one can be taught the correct form and a menu that suits them, the hurdles to exercise may be significantly lowered.

Why not start by moving your body without overdoing it, within a system where you "don't have to try your best alone"?