Objective To understand exercise rehabilitation and its influencing factors in patients with chronic heart failure, and to provide reference for targeted intervention. Methods Twenty-two patients with chronic heart failure received semi-structured interview, then data were analyzed by using thematic analysis based on the Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model. Results Three themes of capability, motivation and opportunity were identified containing ten subthemes: perception of poor physical function and fitness, shortage of exercise rehabilitation knowledge, health beliefs and awareness of exercise value, feelings of exercise, experience of exercise rehabilitation, exercise self-efficacy, exercise habit, exercise prescription and guidance, conditions for exercise, and social environment. Conclusion There are several factors affecting exercise rehabilitation in patients with chronic heart failure. Health professionals should formulate personalized exercise rehabilitation protocol, strengthen exercise motivation, pay attention to feedbacks of exercise outcomes, and establish a diversified social support system to enhance patient′s compliance with exercise rehabilitation and to achieve maximum benefits of exercise.