The Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) has implemented an obligation to exercise at work that not only concerns the military officers but the civil workforce at the garrisons are also encouraged to participate. Exercise motivation is a quite popular research area, but there are relatively few opportunities to study adults’ exercise motivation during compulsory circumstances such as those at the SAF. The study objectivises were: 1) to investigate if employees at SAF exercise according to the obligation; 2) which barriers they generally perceive towards exercising; 3) how regular exercisers overcome these barriers and 4) to examine gender, age and employment differences in mentioned factors. After a pilot study a specially designed questionnaire was distributed at a SAF garrison. The respondents (n=286) were divided into the categories: Men (n = 209), Women (n = 77), Civil workforce (n = 119), Officers (n = 167), Young adults (n = 66), Older adults (n = 220), Exercising according to SAF instructions (n = 170) and Not exercising according to SAF instructions (n = 116). Significant differences and correlations were found under each demographical category in relation to reasons not no comply, perceived barriers and strategies used to overcome exercise barriers. The results are connected to, and discussed in relation to Self-Efficacy Theory, Theory of Reasoned Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour and Relapse Prevention Theory. The conclusions suggest that in order to facilitate compliance to the SAF instructions several aspects should be considered and interventions aiming to enhance exercise efficacy could be expected to be generally favourable.