CARDIO in my house!!

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NatashaAlexandra
NatashaAlexandra Posts: 70 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so - I've been experimenting with quite a few workout DVD's and have found the same thing with most of them...
I live in a Victorian house which is split into two apartments, I live on the top floor apartment and as it's quite an old building, the floor isn't as strong as it used to be! So I'm finding sometimes when I'm doing a cardio part of a workout (for example jumping jacks or butt kicks on a Jillian Michaels DVD) I'm having to tone it down a bit and do a version with less movement.
The floor makes a creaking sound whenever I do them properly and it's REALLY worrying!!!

I used to go running outside, but I'm at university just now and the only free time I have is in the evening so I'd rather do a workout that combined strength and cardio! (plus if I went running in my town in the evening, I would see everyone I know.. it's a very small town..)

Does anybody have any ideas of what I can do? I bought an exercise bike but I get bored after 20 mins and feel it doesn't work anything above the legs.

I'm currently 140 pounds at 5'8 and I really want to lose 10-12 pounds and tone up.. should I maybe just stick to strength workouts just now and leave cardio? or will I not lose any weight this way? I'm clueless! :embarassed:

Replies

  • emilyds
    emilyds Posts: 88
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    Most Universities have a rec center/gym that is free for students to use. Could you go there?
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
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    Have you talked to your neighbor? Maybe he/she isn't bothered by it. I would start there and see if you can come to an agreement. Otherwise, you could join a gym.
  • NatashaAlexandra
    NatashaAlexandra Posts: 70 Member
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    Most Universities have a rec center/gym that is free for students to use. Could you go there?

    Yes we do have a gym that I can use maybe one day a week because my university is 2 hours from my home and I commute in and out so times are strict for my trains I never usually have free time! :(
  • NatashaAlexandra
    NatashaAlexandra Posts: 70 Member
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    Have you talked to your neighbor? Maybe he/she isn't bothered by it. I would start there and see if you can come to an agreement. Otherwise, you could join a gym.

    It's not the neighbor I'm worried about!! Breaking the floorboards/damaging the floor is what's worrying me hah!!
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
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    Have you talked to your neighbor? Maybe he/she isn't bothered by it. I would start there and see if you can come to an agreement. Otherwise, you could join a gym.

    It's not the neighbor I'm worried about!! Breaking the floorboards/damaging the floor is what's worrying me hah!!


    Ohhhh, okay, gotcha. In that case, you could put some mats down to cushion the floor so the impact isn't so forceful. I highly doubt you will break through the floor though - those old houses were built to last!
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
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    You can get a good heavy lifting session in two times a week (at the university) and just go running on your other days. That way you still get your cardio and strength in. Just make sure you are doing compoud lifts and a full body routine.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    You're not going to break the floors.

    Your refrigerator puts way more weight/stress on the floor joists than you do. It's probably the subfloor creaking anyways, not the actual joists. You're fine, don't worry about it.
  • dsckrc
    dsckrc Posts: 194 Member
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    try step aerobics. it's constant movement without lots of jumping and it burns a ton of calories.
  • jparks341
    jparks341 Posts: 216 Member
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    Oh yes houses are built to withstand a lot of abuse. You have nothing to worry about. I use my stationary bike with music and setting goals to reach, either hitting so many miles in so many minutes or trying to maintain a set speed for a lenght of time. Or ride while watching a movie. You can throw in a couple of hand weight to do curls, shoulder press and etc to work the arms while riding.
  • areufnkiddingme
    areufnkiddingme Posts: 99 Member
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    you're a 140 lbs at 5'8 and want to be lighter? Girl I don't think you want to lose weight, you want to tone up! You should keep up some moderate cardio just for heart health, but at your weight and height, you will see much better results to give you the look you want by lifting weights.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    try step aerobics. it's constant movement without lots of jumping and it burns a ton of calories.


    ^This!

    You can get a fairly inexpensive step at Wal-Mart - Gold's Gym brand. Try Cathe Basic Step for a beginner DVD - she cues really well.

    Lots of videos at collagevideo.com
    http://www.collagevideo.com/exercise-videos/step-bench-exercise-videos-33&wtshow=yes

    Otherwise look for aerobic videos that are specifically "low impact" .... you might try kickboxing.

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