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Cardiovascular health is important but it can be hard to train in an apartment. What are some cardio exercise equipment options you can use in your apartment?
Your cardiovascular system is the circulatory system inside of your body and includes the heart and blood vessels. These transport many types of important nutrients, oxygen, and waste throughout your body.
When doing certain types of training you engage this system more than usual which can strengthen it if you don’t overdo it and give your body enough rest afterward.
When talking about cardio you may imagine people running a 5k race on a track, swimming lines in the pool, or doing a noisy exercise like jumpings jacks.
These exercise examples are not ideal for an apartment where you likely do not have a lot of space and want to do a quiet workout so that you don’t disturb your neighbors.
Luckily there are also equipment options that allow you to get in a good cardio workout in small spaces without making a lot of noise.
Especially if having enough space is an issue, it may be smart to triple-check the dimensions of the equipment before making the investment.
Also keep in mind that even though there are upsides, like with any exercise there is always a certain injury risk. You may want to talk to your primary care provider before starting a new workout routine.
1. Mini stepper
Mini steppers are a device with two pedals that go down slowly if you put pressure on them. This enables a movement session that would be similar to climbing stairs with low steps.
This makes it so the benefits of a mini stepper session are similar to using some of the more intense cardio machines on this list but to a smaller extent.
That means that mini steppers can help you burn calories, improve cardiovascular health, improve balance and coordination, improve lung health, engage your leg muscles, etc.
Even among the apartment cardio equipment options, mini steppers stand out for their compactness, easy storage, and silent usage.
In addition to that, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to use while doing other activities like talking to friends or family or watching tv.
One downside or potential downside of mini steppers is that they can be more challenging when it comes to balance. The pedals are on the small side so you want to put your feet on them exactly right and not swing back, forth, and sideways too much.
You will also not get the most intense cardio workout ever. If you are more experienced with this type of training using a mini stepper may feel more like a slow walk in the park.
2. Foldable exercise bike
The stationary bike is a very popular piece of cardio exercise equipment that can be used quietly. By getting a foldable model both using and storing it in your apartment becomes a lot more convenient.
To do your cardio workout you simply set up the bike, take place on it, and start pedaling. They often come with training programs but you can also make your own plan.
Cycling on an exercise bike can offer a variety of benefits that include improving your cardiovascular health, engaging your leg muscles, burning calories, etc.
A more unique benefit of the stationary bike is that it is a cardio exercise equipment option where you do not need to use that much balance. If this is a concern for you, a stationary bike may be a good choice.
You can also easily do other activities like talking to family friends and watching tv while using a stationary bike. Besides that, a stationary bike is a relatively inexpensive piece of cardio equipment.
A potential downside of stationary bikes is that if you like to engage a variety of muscles during your cardio workout, this option is rather lacking. You won’t engage your upper body and your legs do not go through a full range of motion.
Check foldable exercise bike prices
3. Step aerobics stepper
Step aerobics is a type of workout where you do sequences of steps with extra movement on and off a raised platform named a stepper, usually with music in the background.
Many people consider this exercise as a fun way to get in some extra movement. In terms of being able to store the equipment in an apartment, the stepper is definitely a good choice too.
Stepping on and off the platform generally does not make that much noise but to be completely certain you can get an exercise mat.
Step aerobics offers you a variety of benefits like burning a lot of calories, training your leg muscles, improving balance and coordination, improving cardiovascular health, etc.
Something more unique to this apartment cardio equipment option and the accompanying workout is that is generally considered a fun workout. Especially compared to for example going through 30 minutes of the exact same motion on an elliptical machine.
A step aerobics fitness equipment kit is also relatively cheap compared to the bigger cardio machines or a long term gym subscription.
Check step aerobics equipment prices
4. Foldable rowing machine
A rowing machine is a gym machine that simulates the movement of rowing a boat. This machine is a great cardio exercise equipment option if you are interested in a bit more upper body muscle focus while still training your cardiovascular health.
Similar to many of the other options on this list rowing can help you burn a lot of calories, strengthen your muscles, improve cardiovascular health, etc. All in the comfort of your own home or in the gym.
If you turn up the resistance, a rowing machine can also help you engage your back and bicep muscles a nice amount. Resistance training beginners may even be able to build some amount of muscle this way.
Storing a foldable rowing machine may not be a problem but using it does require a decent amount of space. Make sure the machine you intend to use fits in your apartment.
Using a rowing machine can also be a bit noisy depending on what model you use.
Check foldable rowing machine prices
5. Under desk pedaler
A pedal exerciser for under your desk is exactly what it sounds like. Two pedals with resistance that you can “cycle” while sitting in front of your desk, on the couch watching television, or any similar place in your apartment. An under the desk pedaler is compact to use, silent, and easy to store.
This piece of cardio exercise equipment is not an option in the sense that it can replace an intense cardio workout. Instead, it is a way to slowly but surely get your heart beating a little faster throughout the day or when doing activities like watching tv.
The downside is that you improve cardiovascular health, strengthen your legs, burn calories, etc. to a lower extent compared to the other options on this list.
The upside is that you can combine this piece of equipment with your daily tasks if you sit down a lot. An under the desk pedal exerciser is often also a lot cheaper compared to the bigger cardio machines on the list.
Check under desk pedal exerciser prices
6. Compact elliptical trainer
The elliptical trainer is a relatively popular cardio gym machine. Using this machine may look a bit complicated at first but this cardio exercise equipment is actually very beginner-friendly.
You simply select your desired resistance, put your feet on the pads and hands on the handles. After that, you move forward with your feet and back and forth with your hands at your desired intensity. It sounds and is simple but it can definitely help you strengthen your cardiovascular system.
When looking at elliptical trainers in the gym you may conclude that this is not the right exercise equipment for small apartments. However, there are also elliptical trainer models that are made for specifically this situation.
Some of the benefits of using an elliptical trainer include improving your cardiovascular health, burning a lot of calories, engaging a variety of muscles, improving balance and coordination, being relatively knee-friendly, etc.
Something more unique to the elliptical trainer is that it engages both your upper and lower body muscles. Muscles like your glutes (butt) will also be able to go through a relatively big range of motion. You can also turn up the resistance to increase your chances of building some muscle during your cardio workout.
Another benefit, especially for a small apartment with thin walls, is that using an elliptical trainer is relatively quiet.
One potential downside is that an elliptical trainer does generally have a higher price tag compared to for example an exercise bike.
Check compact elliptical trainer prices
7. Mini trampoline
This last piece of apartment exercise equipment is not the most popular but a mini trampoline can definitely help you get in a good cardio workout.
To challenge your cardiovascular system the most you just want to jump on it, for example in a steady-state cardio way or as another example in high-intensity interval training style.
Even so, you can also use a mini-trampoline to make certain bodyweight exercise more challenging in terms of balance.
If you use the trampoline for cardio workouts it can help you burn more calories, strengthen your lungs, engage muscles, strengthen your cardiovascular system, increase balance and coordination, etc.
There are mini trampoline models that allow you to fold the equipment. This makes it more convenient for storing in a small apartment.
In general, using a mini trampoline is also not that noisy since the springs catch all the tension, not the floor. Mini trampolines are also very average in price.
FAQ
How do you do cardio in an apartment?
There are cardio exercises like high knees, butt kicks, jumping jacks, etc. that don’t require a lot of room. However, in most apartments you likely also want a quiet workout. For this apartment cardio equipment like a stepper, foldable exercise bike, mini trampoline, etc. can be helpful.
Can you have exercise equipment in an apartment?
The main attention points of working out in an apartment include compact to use, compact to store, and silent to use. There are definitely pieces of exercise equipment like a foldable rowing machine, mini stepper, step aerobics step, etc. that can help you with this.
What are 4 examples of cardio equipment?
4 random examples of cardio equipment include an exercise bike, a mini trampoline, a rowing machine, and a step aerobics stepper.
What equipment do you need for cardio?
In theory, you do not need any equipment to get in a cardio workout. In practice, cardio equipment can make your workout more fun and quiet.
