The present study aims to analyze the motivational aspects that influence the practice of physical exercises by older people in a gym in the city of Cabo Frio-RJ, Brazil. The study was observational and cross-sectional and used the IMPRAF-126 questionnaire to verify the factors that encourage older people to practice physical exercise in six domains: stress control, health, sociability, competitiveness, aesthetics, and pleasure. Twenty-one older people with an average of 67.2 ± 5.2 years old were analyzed, including 9 men and 12 women, who practiced resistance training, hydrogymnastic, swimming, and zumba. It was found that most interviewees have relevant motivating factors in the dimensions of health, pleasure and stress control, and the identified factor that least motivates was competitiveness. This can contribute to actions within the academy to improve services that generate motivation in older people.