Speaking Part 2 · Activities & habitsIn the May–Aug 2026 forecast
Describe an Exercise Routine You Follow
In short
“Describe an Exercise Routine You Follow” is a common IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card. You get 1 minute to prepare and should speak for 1–2 minutes, covering all four points below. This page gives you a Band 9 model answer, an idea map so you can make it your own, the Part 3 follow-up questions with answers, and the vocabulary examiners reward.
The task card
Describe an Exercise Routine You Follow. You should say:
- •What the routine is
- •When and where you do it
- •How you started following it
- •And explain how it makes you feel
Band 9 model answer
Right, so the exercise routine I'd like to describe is one I've been following for the best part of two years now, and honestly it's become one of the fixed points of my whole week. It's a fairly simple mix of running and bodyweight training — nothing fancy, no expensive gym membership, just me, a pair of trainers and a bit of floor space at home.
In terms of what it actually involves, I get up at around six on three mornings a week and go for a run — usually about five kilometres round a park near my flat. Then on the days in between, I'll do a short strength session at home: press-ups, squats, planks, that sort of thing. The whole thing only takes about forty minutes, which is short enough that I can't really talk myself out of it, and I love the fact that I've finished before the rest of the house has even woken up. I keep Sundays completely free for a longer, more relaxed run whenever I feel like it, but I never force it.
The thing is, I didn't used to be like this at all — quite the opposite, in fact. I first started because I'd been feeling completely run-down. I was sitting at a desk all day, sleeping badly, and I distinctly remember climbing one flight of stairs and being genuinely out of breath, which was a bit of a wake-up call. A friend of mine suggested we sign up for a 5K race together, and even though I absolutely dreaded it at the start, having someone to be accountable to is what got me out of the door on those freezing cold mornings.
But if I'm honest, the main reason I've kept it up all this time has very little to do with looking fit or losing weight — it's what it does for my head. There's just something about being outside first thing, when everything's quiet and the air's still fresh, that clears my mind before the day gets its hands on me. I've noticed I'm far more level-headed and patient on the days I've exercised, and if I skip it for a week or so I get noticeably more irritable and restless. It's turned into a kind of moving meditation, if that doesn't sound too grand — it's the one slice of the day that belongs completely to me, with no phone, no emails, nothing at all.
So, all in all, it's a pretty modest little routine, but it's one I'd really struggle to give up now. It keeps me healthy, it keeps me sane, and it's honestly living proof that you don't need much to stay in shape — just a bit of consistency and a decent pair of shoes.
Make it your own: three angles
A simple home or running routine
Easy to describe in detail and lets you focus on discipline and habit rather than technical jargon.
A gym or class-based routine
Good for a social angle and specific vocabulary, but keep the focus on how it fits your life, not the equipment.
A wellbeing-driven routine like yoga or walking
Lets you talk about mental health and balance, which gives you rich evaluative language for the final bullet.
What the examiner is listening for
Answer the first three bullets briskly, then spend most of your long turn on how the routine makes you feel — that final bullet is where the evaluative language lives. Mix your tenses deliberately: present simple for the habit, past for how you started, and use one vivid detail (the cold mornings, the quiet park) to sound authentic rather than rehearsed.
Part 1 warm-up questions
- Do you do any kind of exercise regularly?
- Did you play any sports when you were younger?
- Do you prefer exercising indoors or outdoors?
- Is it easy to stay fit where you live?
Part 3 follow-up questions & answers
Why do you think some people find it hard to exercise regularly?
I think the biggest problem is simply finding the time — most people are so busy with work and family that exercise is the first thing to get dropped. On top of that, results come slowly, so it's easy to lose motivation and talk yourself out of it. In my experience, the people who stick with it are usually the ones who build it into a fixed routine rather than relying on willpower alone.
Should schools do more to encourage children to be physically active?
Absolutely, I think schools have a huge role to play. If children learn to enjoy being active early on, it tends to stay with them for life, whereas forcing them through competitive sports they hate can put them off completely. I'd like to see schools offer a wider variety of activities, like dance or hiking, so that every child can find something they actually look forward to.
Do people in your country exercise as much as they used to?
Honestly, I'd say it's a mixed picture. On one hand, jobs have become far more sedentary, so people move less in their daily lives than previous generations did. On the other, there's been a real boom in gyms and running clubs among younger people, so I think the gap between the active and the inactive has actually widened.
Is it better to exercise alone or with other people?
It really depends on your personality, I think. Exercising with others gives you accountability and makes it more social, which is exactly what got me started in the first place. That said, I personally value my solo morning runs because they're a chance to clear my head, so ideally I'd say a mix of both is best.
How has technology changed the way people exercise?
It's changed things enormously, mostly for the better. Fitness apps and smartwatches let people track their progress and set goals, which can be really motivating. The one downside is that some people become a bit obsessed with the numbers and forget that exercise is supposed to be enjoyable, not just another set of statistics to optimise.
Do you think gyms will still be popular in the future?
I suspect traditional gyms will survive but shrink a little, to be honest. Home workouts and online classes exploded in popularity and proved you don't really need a building full of machines. Even so, a lot of people go to the gym for the atmosphere and the community, and that's something a screen at home just can't replace.
Whose responsibility is it to keep a nation healthy — individuals or the government?
I'd say it has to be shared. Individuals obviously have to make their own choices about diet and exercise, but governments shape the environment those choices are made in. If there are safe parks, cycle lanes and affordable sports facilities, being active becomes the easy option, so I don't think you can pin it entirely on personal willpower.
Useful vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| to stay in shape | to remain physically fit and healthy |
| a couch potato | a lazy person who spends a lot of time sitting and doing little exercise |
| to work up a sweat | to exercise hard enough to start perspiring |
| a wake-up call | an event that makes you realise you need to change something |
| to talk yourself out of something | to persuade yourself not to do something you intended to do |
| run-down | tired and in poor physical condition |
| to keep something up | to continue doing something over a period of time |
| a sedentary lifestyle | a way of living that involves very little physical activity |
| to build up stamina | to gradually increase your physical endurance |
| to clear your head | to calm your mind and stop worrying about things |
More cue cards
Describe a Way You Relax
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