If you live in a flat, a terraced house or a semi-detached, you have to be considerate of your neighbours. After all, you share walls with these people, you do not want to get into their bad books. Most of us try our best to keep the noise down and hope that they will do the same in return. If you are doing a cardio workout, however, things can get loud.
In this post, we are going to give you 7 cardio exercises that can be done quietly and some tips on how to silence (or at least quieten) your workouts.
Stationary bike
A stationary bike is a very quiet piece of fitness equipment because it does not have a running motor, plus it is designed to be low impact so there is no noisy slamming of bodyweight. Calorie for calories, a stationary bike is roughly equivalent to a treadmill for its fat-burning ability, but it will be much quieter to use. If you plan to join an online spin class, check out our next trip.
Home workout videos
A lot of people exercise in video tutorials or through online classes, which are meant to be energetic and inevitably loud. Working out in headphones or while wearing earbuds is not practical or comfortable, so there is no good alternative to playing them out loud. If you have a good electronics system, there should be adjustable controls that allow you to turn down the bass. If you do this, it will reduce the noise that travels through the walls.
The reason for this is low-frequencies penetrate walls more easily than high-frequencies because high-frequencies lose energy faster. By turning down the bass, you can enjoy a moderate volume video without worry.
Cross-trainer
A cross-trainer is another excellent option for a quiet cardio workout for reasons similar to those given in relation to stationary bikes. An advantage that it has over a spin bike is that the cross-trainer includes an upper body workout, as well as lower body and core.
No-jump jumping jacks
This modified version of a jumping jack is not only a great way to keep things quiet but also doubles as a low-impact alternative for anyone who wants to avoid putting strain on their knees. Rather than jumping your feet out, step them out quickly. On your first jump, step your right foot out before your left, then on the next jump begin with your left. To add a little extra resistance to this move, hold some light free weights in your hands (0.5-2kg). This might seem easy at first, but the weights really make a difference!
Yoga mats
When choosing a space to work out at home, remember two things: soft flooring makes less sound when your feet hit it and soft floorings are more difficult for noise frequencies to travel through because they are usually denser. If you have hard floors, a thick yoga mat can provide an extra layer to absorb the sound of your feet hitting the ground.
Related Guides
- Reehut Exercise Mat Review
- Sportstech ESX500 Review – A Smart Exercise Bike on a Budget?
- Fitness Feels: Can your home gym make you happier?
- What is iFit and How Does It Work?
- JTX Tri-Fit Trainer Review: A Good Home Elliptical?
Burpees
With a few modifications, a burpee can be a silent and effective exercise. First of all, make sure you put down a yoga mat, as mentioned in the previous point. The initial jump can be replaced with a long reach up towards the ceiling with a controlled fast calf stretch, like going on your tiptoes. Squeeze your glutes at the top. After the modified jump, once you have come down and have both hands on the floor, walk back your feet instead of leaping. Then, walk them forward when you are coming back up. Repeat.
Yoga or Pilates
Do not be fooled by the slow movements or the gentle background music, yoga can provide a decent calorie-burning session and, together with Pilates, is one of the quietest exercises out there. Hatha yoga is the yoga most of us are familiar with, it involves all types of stretching and is great for building core strength. During a 30-minute session of Hatha yoga, a 125lb person burns around 120 calories, a 155lb person burns around 144, and a 185lb person burns around 168.
Pilates is roughly similar, although it is more fitness-focused than yogic practices and is better for building strength (including core strength) and muscle tone. While neither yoga nor Pilates is technically cardio exercise, we think that their calorie burn and their calm and quiet nature make them the perfect option for someone who wants to work out quietly.
