Cardio on a second floor apartment...

SYS15
SYS15 Posts: 17 Member
in Getting Started
So, I live in an area that is not good for running (big busy streets, not safe back streets)
I work from 8am-5:30pm every day, with an hour worth of commute daily. I come home to dinner, relaxing for about 10-15 minutes, and then starting on homework (senior year in University right now, can't slack off. Recently got into an honour society and I'm trying to stay in it)

Now with that... that leaves me about 1 1/2 hours left of my day before needing to sleep. I don't have time to drive out to a gym or anything... but I also live in a second floor apartment so I'd feel bad doing jumping jacks at around 8-9pm. Get my ordeal?

What do you have for suggestions? I can easily do strength workouts up in my apartment with the equipment I have but no cardio.
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Replies

  • Daphnerose86
    Daphnerose86 Posts: 77 Member
    Have you thought about getting a stationary bike? (Not sure how big the apartment is.) There is also something called a bike trainer where you mount your actual bicycle on it and it turns it into a stationary bike providing resistance and letting you ride inside. It's a cheaper alternative- assuming you already have a bicycle.

    Have you thought about doing yoga? It's not exactly cardio but it is a fully body work out and you don't have to jump around at all. They even have night time yoga where it will help you relax and get ready for bed as opposed to being wired after a run or ride.

    Youtube has amazing work out videos too. I bet you could find a cardio one that doesn't do a whole lot of jumping as well. Good luck with your last year of school and your weight loss! :)
  • tammyc226
    tammyc226 Posts: 158 Member
    You can try Leslie Sanson Walk Aerobics DVDs. No jumping just a lot of walking, but not much room needed. They can be quite a challenge
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,202 Member
    Hula Hoop! It's cheap and surprisingly high intensity (once you can get it to stay up, LOL)
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member

    I don't have time to drive out to a gym or anything... but I also live in a second floor apartment so I'd feel bad doing jumping jacks at around 8-9pm.
    What do you have for suggestions? I can easily do strength workouts up in my apartment with the equipment I have but no cardio.

    I also live on the second floor. For my home workouts (mostly 30 Day Shred or other Jillian Michaels Videos) I use a mat for high knees, jumping jacks, etc and wear Nike free shoes. They really dampen the noise. Jump lunges I do on the wood floor.I asked my neighbor, if she hears me. She said no and I live in a badly sound proofed Apartment. On the JM circuits you rarely jump more than 30-60 seconds at a time and the workout takes about 30-60min. They are very efficient too.
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member

    I don't have time to drive out to a gym or anything... but I also live in a second floor apartment so I'd feel bad doing jumping jacks at around 8-9pm.
    What do you have for suggestions? I can easily do strength workouts up in my apartment with the equipment I have but no cardio.

    I also live on the second floor. For my home workouts (mostly 30 Day Shred or other Jillian Michaels Videos) I use a mat for high knees, jumping jacks, etc and wear Nike free shoes. They really dampen the noise. Jump lunges I do on the wood floor.I asked my neighbor, if she hears me. She said no and I live in a badly sound proofed Apartment. On the JM circuits you rarely jump more than 30-60 seconds at a time and the workout takes about 30-60min. They are very efficient too.
    Do you have a gym at your university?
  • silvaxx
    silvaxx Posts: 4
    Check out www.fitnessblender.com they have a few low impact and even appartment no noise/jumping cardio full length videos.Click search workouts and select cardio and low impact, i have tried these myself before on days where i need to rest my joints and you can do them barre foot with no noise at all and they still have you sweating.
  • Running_down_a_dream
    Running_down_a_dream Posts: 20 Member
    Aerobics or zumba is what I would do Possibly using resistance bands.
  • IvyLuci
    IvyLuci Posts: 117 Member
    Whatever you decide to do, if you switch exercise and homework i.e. if you exercise earlier in the day, it is less likely that your neighbours will notice it and/or complain, since there is more background noise during that time - everyone is coming home, making dinner, etc. as opposed to later in the day when people are preparing to go to sleep.
  • KayBallin
    KayBallin Posts: 111 Member
    Do you have a gym at your school? I have an hour and a half commute to work so I have to get to the gym at 4:30 am. There's always time, you just have to make it fit.

    For home workouts, 30 day shred is pretty good and you don't really jump around a lot.

    Good luck.
  • SYS15
    SYS15 Posts: 17 Member
    That won't be possible in my apartment. I literally cannot walk without having the floor squeak.

    I don't have time to drive out to a gym or anything... but I also live in a second floor apartment so I'd feel bad doing jumping jacks at around 8-9pm.
    What do you have for suggestions? I can easily do strength workouts up in my apartment with the equipment I have but no cardio.

    I also live on the second floor. For my home workouts (mostly 30 Day Shred or other Jillian Michaels Videos) I use a mat for high knees, jumping jacks, etc and wear Nike free shoes. They really dampen the noise. Jump lunges I do on the wood floor.I asked my neighbor, if she hears me. She said no and I live in a badly sound proofed Apartment. On the JM circuits you rarely jump more than 30-60 seconds at a time and the workout takes about 30-60min. They are very efficient too.
  • SYS15
    SYS15 Posts: 17 Member
    Do you have a gym at your school? I have an hour and a half commute to work so I have to get to the gym at 4:30 am. There's always time, you just have to make it fit.

    For home workouts, 30 day shred is pretty good and you don't really jump around a lot.

    Good luck.

    I work 8-5:30 and I'm usually up till 9-10pm doing homework. I'm an online student... hence the schedule. Not to mention since I'm not a campus student I don't have a parking pass and it would cost me a lot to have to do that.
    This is actually why I don't like fitness websites though lol because if I'm waking up at 4 to get to the gym that means I'm getting around 5 hours of sleep a night. with my demands at work and school, I'll lose concentration. Despite what most people feel, I feel like my future academically and financially is more important.
  • SYS15
    SYS15 Posts: 17 Member
    Whatever you decide to do, if you switch exercise and homework i.e. if you exercise earlier in the day, it is less likely that your neighbours will notice it and/or complain, since there is more background noise during that time - everyone is coming home, making dinner, etc. as opposed to later in the day when people are preparing to go to sleep.

    Well... that means I'm waking up at 5-6 am, working at 8 until 5:30, coming home and working on homework until 10. unless I literally sleep RIGHT at 10 I won't be getting enough sleep. I do believe in the whole 8 hours being healthier for you thing. Most nights, I don't get that much. But my choice is to sacrifice homework for working out? Hell no. I'm an honor student with graduation coming up.
  • dannyxtyler
    dannyxtyler Posts: 72 Member
    Stairs! When I'm cooped up at home and just bored of my other workouts, I will walk/run up and down the stairs. Great workout, just be careful. :)
  • SYS15
    SYS15 Posts: 17 Member
    I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO CLARIFY

    THE REASON THERE IS NO JUMPING IS BECAUSE I LIVE IN A CHEAP. OLD APARTMENT. I cannot walk in the house without the walls slightly rattling. My friend who is 130lbs cannot walk in my house without the floors squeaking.
    I am a full time student who spends over 12 grand a year on tuition bills and payments. I'm also a full-time worker that doesn't necessarily have a great job here. I get paid over minimum wage but it's not like I can afford to purchase a bike or treadmill and manage to fit it in a tiny barely 1-bedroom apartment.
    (NOT TO MENTION A TREADMILL... WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE NOISE HERE. AEROBIC VIDEOS.. JUMPING BEING THE MAIN KEY WOULD OBVIOUSLY MAKE NOISE HERE.)
  • SYS15
    SYS15 Posts: 17 Member
    Stairs! When I'm cooped up at home and just bored of my other workouts, I will walk/run up and down the stairs. Great workout, just be careful. :)

    I don't have stairs inside my apartment..
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    Stairs! When I'm cooped up at home and just bored of my other workouts, I will walk/run up and down the stairs. Great workout, just be careful. :)

    I don't have stairs inside my apartment..

    Do you have to be inside of your apartment? Is there a reason why you can not run stairs outside, because I was going to recommend stairs as a form of cardio you are looking for.
  • NoSMGAdded
    NoSMGAdded Posts: 37
    How do you get to the second floor?
  • iheartinsanity
    iheartinsanity Posts: 205 Member
    I'm saying this as nicely as possible...all I can read are excuses in your posts.

    Go running or walking outside, buy a headlamp at REI. I used to live in the back country and believe me I hear you when you talk about a long day at work. It's pitch dark and NO ONE can see you on roads. Get a headlamp, and some mace. I had 3 kiddos in 3 years (no multiples, 3 separate pregnancies in less than a 3 year time span). I got up at 3am to go out running before my ex-husband (then husband) went to work every morning. You just gotta fit it in. I had more time in the evening (but hated to do evening workouts cause I'm an early to bed, and early to rise kinda gal).
  • mz_getskinny
    mz_getskinny Posts: 258 Member
    Is there a decent park close by you could drive to? Or a school with an open track? Maybe just drive to a nicer side of town and walk/jog? I mean you have options. If the problem is that you don't have time to work out, then I would suggest kicking some serious *kitten* on your calories. You will still lose weight without cardio. Just focus on your calories for now and then add in exercise when you can.
  • rivka_m
    rivka_m Posts: 1,007 Member
    Whatever you decide to do, if you switch exercise and homework i.e. if you exercise earlier in the day, it is less likely that your neighbours will notice it and/or complain, since there is more background noise during that time - everyone is coming home, making dinner, etc. as opposed to later in the day when people are preparing to go to sleep.

    Well... that means I'm waking up at 5-6 am, working at 8 until 5:30, coming home and working on homework until 10. unless I literally sleep RIGHT at 10 I won't be getting enough sleep. I do believe in the whole 8 hours being healthier for you thing. Most nights, I don't get that much. But my choice is to sacrifice homework for working out? Hell no. I'm an honor student with graduation coming up.

    I believe the poster meant switching when you do them - ie come home, do cardio, then start homework. So the time available for sleep should be the same.

    I second the fitnessblender idea, I am also in a second floor apt and they have a nice apartment workout. Also, do you have a basement or first floor storage/laundry common area? I've done ten minutes worth of jumping jacks, etc in the basement laundry room.
  • erinfk14
    erinfk14 Posts: 1 Member
    I do the stairs in my building at work in the morning and after lunch, and in my apartment building when I don't have time for anything else. They're way harder than one might think...a really good quick workout!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    If you do faster paced yoga videos you will get cardio benefits without any jumping, thumping, or banging. I certainly breathe harder and work up a sweat doing it.
  • hippalottame
    hippalottame Posts: 21
    LOVE my mini rebounder. Get the banded kind that folds. Supposedly burns more than jogging. FUN!!!
  • HellaCarriefornia
    HellaCarriefornia Posts: 102 Member
    Can you walk on your lunch break at work? Otherwise, lay on your back and do "bicycles" in the air at home? That's all I got.
  • Tiranoua
    Tiranoua Posts: 24 Member
    Since you're on the second floor and don't want to make noise through jumping etc I'd suggest doing other forms of cardio which doesn't make so much noise! You could use a hula hoop, do air-bicycles (whatever they're called!), or invest in an elliptical machine (if you have the money!) :)
  • flavia1432
    flavia1432 Posts: 30 Member
    Try throwing punches. Seriously. Feet a little wider then hip width apart and squat - the deeper the better but mind your knees. Fists in front of face, elbows close to the body: throw alternating punches towards a spot on the wall, TV, cat, whatever. Twist your body. Change it up and throw hooks while stepping out to side lunges. Kick to the front, the side but keep your arms punching. This is serious cardio and great for people with knee problems, or for people living on top of neighbors - there is no jumping. :) Let me know what you think.
  • RB4470
    RB4470 Posts: 2
    Hula Hoop! It's cheap and surprisingly high intensity (once you can get it to stay up, LOL)

    I tried Hula Hooping, but i just gave up after a day. Lol
    It's so hard to keep it to stay up.
    As someone suggested earlier, maybe a Yoga Dvd!
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I'm saying this as nicely as possible...all I can read are excuses in your posts.

    Agreed. Say you don't like fitness websites, yet joined one. Got great advice, yet had an excuse each time why you can't do this workout, or that workout. Wrote a very passive aggressive post as well in response to the great suggestions you got.

    I am a graduate student. I work. I go to the gym when I'm exhausted. I do crunches and leg lifts in my living room during commercials. I wake up early to go for walks or to work out sometimes. I pay an arm and a leg to go to school just like you. My schoolwork is important. My job is important. But my health is important too. I make time for this, no excuses.

    If you want it, make it happen.
    But if you are going to tell people off in this thread, and have an excuse every time someone tries to help you, I'd suggest you find what works for you on your own.

    And if noise is such an issue, have a conversation with your neighbors and tell them when you want to work out so they're aware to expect noise.

    Problem solved.
  • mz_getskinny
    mz_getskinny Posts: 258 Member
    I'm saying this as nicely as possible...all I can read are excuses in your posts.

    Agreed. Say you don't like fitness websites, yet joined one. Got great advice, yet had an excuse each time why you can't do this workout, or that workout. Wrote a very passive aggressive post as well in response to the great suggestions you got.

    I am a graduate student. I work. I go to the gym when I'm exhausted. I do crunches and leg lifts in my living room during commercials. I wake up early to go for walks or to work out sometimes. I pay an arm and a leg to go to school just like you. My schoolwork is important. My job is important. But my health is important too. I make time for this, no excuses.

    If you want it, make it happen.
    But if you are going to tell people off in this thread, and have an excuse every time someone tries to help you, I'd suggest you find what works for you on your own.

    And if noise is such an issue, have a conversation with your neighbors and tell them when you want to work out so they're aware to expect noise.

    Problem solved.

    ^^^ Nailed it!

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