Self-Determination　Theory　helps　explain　why　individuals　may　use　pornography　to　cope　with　stress,　negative　emotions,　or　boredom,　potentially　leading　to　problematic　use.　This　study　also　examined　whether　regular　physical　exercise　mitigates　this.　A　total　of　600　Chinese　adult　pornography　users　(Mage　=　32.31,　39.83%　women)　were　recruited.　Findings　revealed　that　coping　motivations　of　pornography　use　worked　as　a　mediator　between　basic　psychological　need　frustration　and　problematic　pornography　use.　Crucially,　regular　exercise　significantly　moderated　these　links:　exercisers　showed　a　weaker　connection　from　needs　frustration　to　coping　motivations　but　a　stronger　connection　from　coping　motivations　to　problematic　use.　Network　analysis　further　clarified　the　specific　roles　of　relatedness　frustration　and　boredom　avoidance　in　the　first　pathway,　and　stress　reduction　motivation　in　the　second.　While　exercise　demonstrates　protective　potential　by　attenuating　the　impact　of　need　frustration　on　coping　motivations,　this　cross-sectional　study　design　precludes　causal　inferences.　©　2025　Taylor　&　Francis　Group,　LLC.