English Verbs for Exercise

Do

exercise: Use this to describe the general act of exercising. (e.g., “I do exercise three times a week.”)

Get

exercise: Implies obtaining physicalactivity. (e.g., “I try to get sufficient exercise.”)

Take

exercise: A more formal way to express participating in physical activity. (e.g., “They take daily walks for exercise.”)

Participate

in exercise/sports: Emphasizes involvement in a structured activity. (e.g., “We participate in various sports.”)

Engage

in exercise/activity: Suggests taking an active role. (e.g., “He engages in intense workouts to build strength.”)

Perform

exercise/exercises: Often used to describe an exercise routine or movements. (e.g., “Can you perform the squats correctly?”)

Practice

exercises: Often used for specific repeated movements. (e.g., “The athlete practices jumping jacks to improve agility.”)

Run

,

jog

,

walk

: These verbs are specific to those activities.

Swim

,

cycle

,

climb

: These verbs describe particular sports or activities. (e.g., “She swims laps daily.”)

Lift

weights/weights: Describes weight training. (e.g., “He lifts heavy weights.”)

Play

sports: Describes participating in various sports (e.g., “She plays soccer/basketball.”)

Train

for a race/competition: Describes the preparations for a sporting event. (e.g.,”She trains rigorously for the marathon.”)

Workout

: Often used to describe a particular exercise session. (e.g., “I have a strenuous workout planned for tomorrow.”)