Apartment exercise equipment

[Onlooker]

Anyone live in an apartment and use exercise equipment? I have some 10 lb weights and use and a pilates tape, but I'd like to find something that combines aerobics and weights in a relatively fun way. Living in apartment, I can't use a treadmill, lest I disturb my downstairs neighbors. I'm not a big fitness buff, but I can get into a routine. Anyone have any ideas? Any success stories out there?

[IrateCitizen]

1. What is your main fitness goal?

Do you want to build muscle? Or do you simply want to keep off unwanted pounds and maintain good muscle tone?

If you're into weight training, I would suggest getting a decent adjustable bench (w/o the weight rack, of course) and some adjustable dumbbells. It's what I use, along with a curl bar for certain exercises, and I can do pretty much all the exercises I want.

Do you have a decent bicycle? You can get an excellent stationary trainer for less than $300 -- all you do is mount your rear wheel on the device and pedal along.

If your primary goals are muscle tone and keeping off pounds, have you thought about doing any exercise tapes with ankle and wrist weights? My wife likes to use her ankle weights for simple leg exercises when she can't get to the gym.

[Onlooker]

2. To guarantee that I get a reasonable workout every day

In nice weather, I do a lot of walking, plus I live on fourth floor walkup, which guarantees some exercise. But, in lousy weather, I tend to just stay indoors and do nothing. It's all part of my goal to have a healthier lifestyle ... without giving up too many vices ;)

[Left Is Write]

3. Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds series

combines aerobic in-home walking with weights. I have several of her programs, and I do recommend them. They can be used by just about anyone at just about any fitness level.

[wildeyed]

4. I am not big into exercise videos,

but I have one I like that combines weights and light aerobics called Boot Camp Workout by Crunch Workout. I like it because it is short :) and about as much workout as you can get in 1/2 hour. You can do low or high impact. High is harder but might irritate the downstairs neighbors, so maybe low is a better choice.

[H3Dakota]

5. Love the Boot Camp video!

I worked out to that one often, it's great! Not too much jumping & such, so it would be quite good for an apartment.

When I lived in an apartment, I used the Boot Camp and Tae-Bo videos to workout with. Other than that, I had my weights for strength training... and I signed up with the local rec center just so I could use their fitness center for my treadmill workouts! They opened early enough 3 days a week that I could get in a running workout before work. Otherwise, I biked or ran outdoors in the parking lot. ;)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

6. A lot of apartment complexes have small gyms

for their tenants to use. The one I live at now has one, and the last apartment complex I lived at had one too. It's really convenient and you don't have to buy any memberships or equipment.

[midnight armadillo]

7. Two suggestions

One, a jumprope, if your ceilings are high enough. A mat could be used under it. Very cheap!

Two, a topic which I have mentioned on DU a few times but no one has taken me up on. Russian kettlebells - it's in many ways doing aerobics with 16-88 lb weights. There's a lot of carryover to other activities, and the workout can vary in intensity from 'light sweat' to 'puke on the floor', depending on your mood. Have you ever swum freestyle in a pool as fast as you could, or done high school wrestling matches? Those are the only two activities I can think of that have a similar level of effort. Once you've mastered the technique (and there are books & videos available), you can safely do this indoors. A single kettlebell is all you need to get started. They have materials specifically for women's training too (titled "From Russia with Tough Love")

Go to www.dragondoor.com, they have an excellent forum. You wanted aerobics and weights...here it is. really. I swear when I started on these I dropped 1" from my waist in a month, with no dietary changes. I will use them again this spring when the weather is nicer - my toddler is too underfoot to use 'em inside.

Here's a picture:

Oh, and it looks like they have a newer website: http://www.russiankettlebells.com

[crispini]

8. Those sound GREAT.

Bookmarking for future reference. I think I'll wait and get a certain amount of exercise via walking, etc. before I go off and start buying stuff...

[seemunkee]

11. Try one of the adjustable kettlebells

I have one from dragondoor and it's great, but I need a larger one and can forsee wanting several different sizes. I'm thinking of getting one of the adjustable bells instead.
http://www.uskettlebells.com/store.html
http://www.detroitbarbell.com/kettlebells.htm

[Poiuyt]

9. I'm afraid if I used kettlebells I'd look like Eugen Sandow

[midnight armadillo]

10. and that would be bad...why?

Sandow was the man. Arthur Saxon was no slouch either: