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How can you do cardio inside without annoying your neighbors?
Is it possible to work up a sweat without leaving home?
Luckily, it is.
Even if you’re a gym person who’s used to doing intense cardio, we bet there’s some moves on this list that will test you.
In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve never been to the gym. I don’t like people around me and I don’t like paying to exercise.
Yet, I live in an apartment building and I manage to workout almost every weekday.
Yep, it’s totally possible.
If your floors are squeaky or you live in an apartment building with whiney neighbors, we’re about to get rid of that excuse for you—once and for all.
How to Use This List for Quiet Workouts
You can use the list of quiet exercises below to create your own DIY quiet workouts. Here’s how:
- Print/save our FREE HITT Workout Planner PDF
- Choose your moves and write them in your workout planner
- Set your timer and go!
Here’s the details of your workout:
- Each HITT workout features 7 moves
- Each move is 45 seconds long
- Rest time between moves is 10 seconds
- Complete 4 rounds for a full 26 minute workout.
- If you do a move on one leg/arm, do the next in the next round.
How to customize your quiet cardio workout:
- For a bigger challenge, go 5 or more rounds.
- For beginners, start low at 2 rounds and work your way up.
- Alternate your quiet exercises over time so your body doesn’t get used to them. If you want, make several lists of different combinations.
- For added intensity, some moves allow you to add weights or simply do them at a quicker pace.
Quiet Cardio Workout: 28 Quiet Exercises to Try
Pick 7 moves off this list to insert into your DIY Workout Planner Printable.
#1 Fast Walking Lunges
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The key is to go fast, but don’t rush it to the point where you knee falls in and you lose your form. You don’t want an injury. For an added challenge, use weights.
#2 Lunge Pulses
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Similar to a walking lunge, only you pulse on one leg.
#3 Reverse Lunges
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Instead of lunging forward, lunge back, alternating between legs. You want to go as fast as you can to break a sweat, but not so fast that your legs are wobbly and your form is compromised.
#4 Side Lunges
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Yet another variation of the lunge. Side lunges are good for stretching, but when done quickly, they can also be a form of cardio. For added intensity, use a weight.
#5 High-Low Plank
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I hate this one because my arms are weak and it feels like intense quiet cardio every time.
#6 Bicycle Crunch
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A great way to work your abs to a sweat.
#7 Mountain Climbers
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Kind of like an inverted bicycle crunch. If your hands are planted into the ground and you use a mat, the noise will be minimal but the sweat will be severe. If you’re a beginner, go slow. If you’re in for a challenge, go as fast as you can. You can also choose to crisscross, opposite knee to opposite elbow.
#8 Plank Walkout with Pushup
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Plank walkouts are like burpees but without the impact that will disturb your neighbors. Although it doesn’t look like much, adding a push up and doing as many as you can within 45 seconds will break quite the sweat. In the example above, avoid the knee jump for sound reasons.
#9 Plank Jacks
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Plank jacks are another annoying move that work. Similar to a jumping jack only on the floor so that your ab muscles are engaged.
#10 Front Kicks
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As fast as you can, kick forward, alternating legs.
#11 Side Kicks
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Side kicks are quiet (as long as you don’t hit anything) but as you build up an intensity, you’ll be panting.
#12 Shoulder Taps
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Shoulder taps are another one that don’t look like much, but you’ll probably be panting by the end. I mean, you’re in plank the whole time, it’s not super easy. For more intensity, go faster.
#13 Fast Squats
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Squats can make you sweat, but doing them fast is a form of cardio. Just remember, go as quick as you can, but not fast enough that it ruins your form and creates and injury. For more intensity, go lower or add weights. You can also use weights to make this more difficult.
#14 Squat Punches
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While sitting in a low, wide squat position, use your fists to alternate punching. Try to keep your form without getting up for a break.
#15 Wall Sit: Quiet Cardio
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Since you’re basically squatting using a wall, you may not think it’s cardio. But try it, get your heart racing and I’m sure you’ll disagree. For added intensity, use a weight.
#16 Squat-Side Kick
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The combo move of the squat and side kick makes it feel like cardio even though it’s part of quiet workouts. Squat and as you come up, kick with one foot. Squat again and kick with the other leg. Repeat.
#17 Kettlebell Swing
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If you have a kettlebell, you can use it to raise your heartrate with some swings.
#18 Boxing Quiet Workouts
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Punching takes a lot out of you and brings on the pace of cardio. If you have equitment, you can punch that. But if you’re looking for a quiet exercise, you probably don’t have a punching bag on hand. Luckily, punching the air works up a sweat too!
#19 Skaters
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Bend down to touch your opposite hand to your opposite toe.
#20 Sliding Burpees
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Can’t do burpees in your apartment? This version will still make your heart race. All you need to do is put a small towel or slider under your feet so that you slide instead of jump for less impact.
#21 Bear Crawl
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Keeping your body in this position while moving will raise your heartrate.
#22 Lunge to Kick
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This move combines lunges and kicking, giving your legs extra strain to power through. It also really tests your balance. Make sure to switch legs the next round.
#23 Swimmers
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Have no pool around you? No problem! Get on the floor and act like your swimming. This is another move that looks easy peasy, but tests so many muscles that you’ll be glad when it’s over.
#24 Tricep Dips
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If you want to work your arms while doing cardio, this is a good one for you!
#25 Russian Twists
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Yet another ab move that, done fast enough, doubles as cardio.
#26 Shoot Throughs
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If you’re uncoordinated like me, this move is a little harder. But it’s worth learning because it always gets my heart jumping.
#27 Donkey Kicks
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Another version of the kick you won’t get bored of but that’s different enough to get your blood pumping. You can use a band for this, as shown above. But if you don’t have one, you can simply stand up and kick backwards at a faster pace to patch the intensity.
#28 Side Plank Switch
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Side planks can be made into cardio if you do them at a quick enough pace when you switch arms. However, if you’re working on your form, remember your form is way more important than your pace. You don’t want any injuries!
Summary: Quiet Cardio Workouts
If you can’t or don’t want to go to the gym, there’s still many ways to do quiet cardio workouts inside your apartment. Use the quiet exercises above and your printable to create your own DIY workouts that won’t upset your neighbors!
