Some prefer to work their frustrations out in the gym. Others think running outside in the fresh air is therapeutic.
Some make fitness an everyday staple of their life. A few are so lucky that working out is part of their career.
Whether it’s surfing, baseball, yoga or even dancing, sometimes you just need to get your blood pumping and the sweat flowing.
Here are 23 TV characters we’ve seen sweat it out on more than one occasion.
Randall Pearson – This Is Us
Randall is a perfectionist. He puts 100% into his family, his work and his health. His wife has to practically drag him off the treadmill at times. While he played football as a kid, he now prefers to run around his neighborhood.
Mike Lawson – Pitch
Does anyone remember Pitch season 1 episode 7 where the whole team decided to pose nude when naked pictures of Ginny were released? If you saw it, you remember. If you didn’t, feast your eyes on the glorious image above. Mike Lawson, portrayed by everyone’s 90’s crush, Mark Paul Gosselaar, did not disappoint when he stood up for his teammate in said episode.
Jane Chapman – Big Little Lies
Jane Chapman has a complicated past. She is literally and figuratively running from it, and sometimes even toward it, on Big Little Lies season 1. Running helps her get out her frustrations and clear her mind. It also keeps her thin which is important since a figure from her past caused some insecurities about her weight.
Nathan Scott – One Tree Hill
Nathan Scott lived for basketball. His dream was to play collegiately before eventually joining the NBA. Before he met his wife, the sport was all he cared about and he focused all his time and effort on mastering it. When he wasn’t on the court, he was in the gym or practicing on the hoop in his driveway.
Chris Traeger – Parks and Recreation
Chris Traeger is not human. Well, he is but he functions more like a robot. Not only does he eat extremely healthy but he works out constantly and hopes to be the first human to live to be 150 years old. Portrayed by well known actor Rob Lowe, Chris is also very positive and upbeat which one could assume is a result of all the endorphins.
Darius Beck – UnREAL
Darius Beck is a professional football player who takes time off from his career to fall in love on Everlasting. During the course of the show he’s constantly without a shirt, showing off the body he built through hard work on the field and in the gym.
Deran Cody – Animal Kingdom
Deran Cody is sexy. Not just because he’s a bad boy from California, but because he can surf and he looks good doing it. Sure, he’s kind of a jerk and there’s the whole family criminal enterprise thing. But still, I’ll watch him walk along the beach in a wetsuit anyday.
Emily Fields – Pretty Little Liars
Considered the “jock” of her group, Emily is ambitious and competitive. She excels in swimming and is a star on her high school team. Being a teenager is tough, but Emily takes refuge in the water when she gets overwhelmed.
Francis Underwood – House of Cards
Even the President of the United States needs an outlet for his frustrations. Probably more than most since he’s dealing with the problems of millions. Francis is no exception. When he gets frustrated with the constant power struggles (that he usually creates and exacerbates) he retreats to his basement where he keeps his old rowing machine.
Jay Kulina – Kingdom
Jay is a passionate guy and that passion is never more apparent than when he’s in the ring. In the ring, he can forget about the rocky relationship with his father and being abandoned by his mother. In the ring, he can unleash his emotions in a relatively safe and healthy way.
Meredith Grey – Grey’s Anatomy
Ok so Meredith doesn’t like working up a sweat per se but she definitely knows it’s necessary at times; whether its jogging with Cristina, playing softball on the hospital team or just turning on some music and dancing it out. Meredith knows there are times when she just needs to distract herself from the stress of being a surgeon.
Kevin Garvey – The Leftovers
Kevin is another character who prefers to get his frustrations out by running. Not only does he worry about keeping his family together, as the chief of police, he is presented with even more stress as he tries to keep his town safe.
Noah Solloway – The Affair
Noah could have been a collegiate swimmer. He gave up a scholarship to care for his mother and it changed him forever. Now he swims to forget about the mess he’s made of his life. When problems arise with his ex-wife or his mistress, his kids or his next novel, he dives into a pool to escape them.
Ricky Jerret – Ballers
Ricky is a professional football player on Ballers. Portrayed by Denzel Washington’s son, John David Washington also played professional football in real life which explains his ripped body and natural ability on the field.
Olivia Pope – Scandal
Olivia Pope, portrayed by the beautiful Kerry Washington, has a lot on her plate; so much that she doesn’t have time to hit the gym. Still, when she can find some spare time, she’ll don her most stylish workout clothes and go for a run through the streets of Washington D.C.
Scott McCall – Teen Wolf
Scott developed superb athletic abilities when he was bitten and turned into a werewolf. Over night he transformed from a normal kid with asthma to a star lacross player.
Trey Pucker – Broad City
Trey lives for fitness and not just because he works as a trainer at Soulstice. While he is passionate about his job, Trey is extremely health conscious and enjoys fitness in general.
Yoga Jones – Orange Is The New Black
There’s not much to do when you’re locked up in a woman’s prison. Yoga Jones spends her time the best way she knows how — teaching yoga. This helps her remain calm and act as a peacemaker among the inmates.
Ginny Baker – Pitch
Ginny is the role model for female athletes everywhere. As the first female pitcher in the MLB, she has to work twice as hard as the males and she definitely puts in the time.
Josh Wilson – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Josh Wilson is not just the voice of reason on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, he’s also #fitnessgoals. He eats well, works out regularly and even uses his time off to train his boyfriend, Darryl.
Antonio Dawson – Chicago Fire/PD
The ring has been Antonio’s outlet since he was a kid. He had a difficult childhood but boxing saved him. As an adult, he runs his own gym and moonlights as a trainer when he’s not on duty.
Kevin Pearson – This Is Us
It’s a good thing Kevin likes to work out because as an actor, it’s basically an unofficial requirement. When he’s not starring on TV shows or acting on stage, he likes to run around his brother’s neighborhood. He does it so often that he knows all his neighbors by name and everything that’s going on with them.
Brian “Smash” Williams – Friday Night Lights
Smash may not be your favorite Friday Night Lights football player. You may prefer Tim Riggins or Vince Howard, but Smash loved the game more than most. When it came to working up a sweat, Smash was happy to do it, and he puts his heart and soul into every minute.