Small space, apartment-friendly workouts on YouTube
October 22, 2020 11:05 AM Subscribe
I only have a small, yoga-mat sized space to exercise, and I can't be jumping around too much in my apartment. Can you recommend any good workouts that I could follow on YouTube? Bodyweight, stretching, yoga, cardio... I have found a few good ones by searching apartment-friendly or small space, but I'm wondering if there are any good ones that aren't advertised as such. Thank you!
Two things I've been doing:
OrangeTheory has been posting a daily workout on their YouTube channel. I've been doing them for months and have yet to experience anything that you'd need more than a yoga mat's worth of space for. There are occasional jumping-type exercises however. I'd just substitute for those -- like, don't do a jump squat, take out the jump. Don't do a jumping jack, do a step-out jack. (That's a type of modification they often show, since they're pretty good about welcoming beginner exercisers into their fold.)
Does no jumping include no vigorous stepping? I've been doing this HIIT step workout. You need very little room beyond something to step up on -- could be an actual step, a chair, a low table, etc.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:39 AM on October 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
OrangeTheory has been posting a daily workout on their YouTube channel. I've been doing them for months and have yet to experience anything that you'd need more than a yoga mat's worth of space for. There are occasional jumping-type exercises however. I'd just substitute for those -- like, don't do a jump squat, take out the jump. Don't do a jumping jack, do a step-out jack. (That's a type of modification they often show, since they're pretty good about welcoming beginner exercisers into their fold.)
Does no jumping include no vigorous stepping? I've been doing this HIIT step workout. You need very little room beyond something to step up on -- could be an actual step, a chair, a low table, etc.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:39 AM on October 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Very different from anything you could call "warrior" or "x-fit", but I find the Walk At Home videos very, very soothing - so soothing, in fact, that I pay eight dollars a month to the Leslie Sansone empire. They are very good for small spaces - a few of the movements are a little big for a yoga mat but easy to modify. I too have only a small space.
I also did a bunch of those Joe Wicks PE With Joe ones earlier in the pandemic, and they really don't need much space at all. They are technically for kids but vigorous enough and the reassuring personality of Joe Wicks is very helpful.
posted by Frowner at 11:43 AM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
I also did a bunch of those Joe Wicks PE With Joe ones earlier in the pandemic, and they really don't need much space at all. They are technically for kids but vigorous enough and the reassuring personality of Joe Wicks is very helpful.
posted by Frowner at 11:43 AM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
I've been alternating between two workouts for my similarly small space:
1. Yoga with Adriene - even though very popular (which I'm usually skeptical of), as a Yoga novice, I have found her workouts better other yoga I've found. On her channel, you can find a workout for virtually any objective (improve flexibility, alleviate back pain, ab strength, etc.). https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
I particularly enjoy this "full body flow" workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1H3xO3x_Js
2. Nike Fitness App (Not actual on YouTube, but is video-based and free) - you can find a workout for any objective on here, and can select "no equipment" as a filter. Their "premium" version is currently free, and includes professional trainers doing the workout with you (asynchronous, not the type where they see you). I've really enjoyed 90% of the workouts I've done, and I've learned that you can quickly flip through the workout to see the movements you'll be doing and avoid starting one that ends up using up more space than you have. In general, i've found at least 5-6 I rotate between which do not require more than a yoga mat-sized space.
posted by unid41 at 11:52 AM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
1. Yoga with Adriene - even though very popular (which I'm usually skeptical of), as a Yoga novice, I have found her workouts better other yoga I've found. On her channel, you can find a workout for virtually any objective (improve flexibility, alleviate back pain, ab strength, etc.). https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
I particularly enjoy this "full body flow" workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1H3xO3x_Js
2. Nike Fitness App (Not actual on YouTube, but is video-based and free) - you can find a workout for any objective on here, and can select "no equipment" as a filter. Their "premium" version is currently free, and includes professional trainers doing the workout with you (asynchronous, not the type where they see you). I've really enjoyed 90% of the workouts I've done, and I've learned that you can quickly flip through the workout to see the movements you'll be doing and avoid starting one that ends up using up more space than you have. In general, i've found at least 5-6 I rotate between which do not require more than a yoga mat-sized space.
posted by unid41 at 11:52 AM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
I used to work out with Cynthia Kereluk every morning back during the 1990s. She always included a good warm-up, then some cardio, then some "floor" work - sit-ups, leg lifts, etc, then a cool down. All in a relatively small space. Maybe it looks too old school today, but she always had good warnings about stretching properly, proper body position, etc during her exercises. Plus she often featured two levels of exercise via a split screen - one regular, one "less intense".
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:56 AM on October 22, 2020
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:56 AM on October 22, 2020
Dunno if Pilates fits the bill for you, but my wife and I have been "taking classes" with our new pal Kait. Worth a look. Some of the workouts are quite strenuous! All you need is space enough for a yoga mat.
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:54 PM on October 22, 2020
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:54 PM on October 22, 2020
I follow these Achieve Fitness folks on instagram and they film all of their on demand workouts on a small yoga mat in their living room, but they do charge a membership fee for most of their classes.
posted by mcgsa at 1:03 PM on October 22, 2020
posted by mcgsa at 1:03 PM on October 22, 2020
Foundation is great for this:
12 Minute Workout
8-Point Plank Tabata (4min)
posted by rhizome at 1:49 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
12 Minute Workout
8-Point Plank Tabata (4min)
posted by rhizome at 1:49 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
I have been doing ballet workouts (not barre but actual ballet) from Ballerinas By Night and Lazy Dancer Tips. They take up very little space until you get to the rond des james or grande battements and I've been able to make it work in the yoga-mat-sized space between my bed and my dresser. Zero jumping.
posted by assenav at 2:36 PM on October 22, 2020
posted by assenav at 2:36 PM on October 22, 2020
I have a fitness platform, just like the ones in those 80's aerobics videos. I store it under my couch. It's not super hard core but if you do it for 30-40 minutes it gets your heart rate up and gets you sweating a bit. It's awesome for zoning out in front of your TV while doing steps!
Before you get one, measure the area where you plan to store it to make sure it fits in all 3 dimensions. Some platforms have adjustable height or removable feet so even a low couch or a narrow space behind a dresser could work.
If you don't mind paying a little more, get one with a rubber or foam pad on top. I got one advertized as non-slip because it had raised plastic dots on top but they don't do anything whatsoever if you are wearing socks, and hurt your feet if you are barefoot, and I wish I paid more for a rubber padded one.
posted by cyberian at 2:49 PM on October 22, 2020
Before you get one, measure the area where you plan to store it to make sure it fits in all 3 dimensions. Some platforms have adjustable height or removable feet so even a low couch or a narrow space behind a dresser could work.
If you don't mind paying a little more, get one with a rubber or foam pad on top. I got one advertized as non-slip because it had raised plastic dots on top but they don't do anything whatsoever if you are wearing socks, and hurt your feet if you are barefoot, and I wish I paid more for a rubber padded one.
posted by cyberian at 2:49 PM on October 22, 2020
Tai chi? I have started considering that myself later in the winter - I will be starting physical therapy soon after an injury, but that's only for six weeks and I'll still be sort of stuck inside when I finish, and was thinking a super-basic tai chi thing would be good to sort of continue the motion and keep up with the mobility.
We did tai chi as part of my acting conservatory training, and it was a pretty compact, slow series of movements from what I can recall. (Imagine some karate exercises but just slowed way down.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:00 PM on October 22, 2020
We did tai chi as part of my acting conservatory training, and it was a pretty compact, slow series of movements from what I can recall. (Imagine some karate exercises but just slowed way down.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:00 PM on October 22, 2020
Fitness Blender has a whole pile of videos to choose from. Looks like some cost a monthly fee but still loads of free ones of all types.
posted by ataco at 8:09 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by ataco at 8:09 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Check out TheWorkout.Today. Free emails with upper body, lower body and core workouts. Also includes links to helpful YouTube videos explaining each workout. This was a great resource for me!
posted by MewThat at 1:50 PM on October 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by MewThat at 1:50 PM on October 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
Fitness Type does a lot of workouts that are small-space, no-equipment friendly.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 3:44 PM on October 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Ms Vegetable at 3:44 PM on October 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
I’m a big fan of Heather Robertson - easy to follow workouts, quiet (no verbal coaching, just music), large variety, calm and no-nonsense yet upbeat, free. She has a number of “apartment friendly” low impact workouts. Helped me preserve my sanity in early COVID times.
posted by nemutdero at 6:45 AM on October 24, 2020
posted by nemutdero at 6:45 AM on October 24, 2020
I also did a bunch of those Joe Wicks PE With Joe ones earlier in the pandemic, and they really don't need much space at all. They are technically for kids but vigorous enough and the reassuring personality of Joe Wicks is very helpful.
Joe Wicks has also made a few 'hotel room workout' videos which are designed to be low noise and suitable for small spaces with no equipment. These might be perfect for someone with the restrictions described in the question and 'hotel room' might also be a useful search modifier. (You can see Mr Wick's career take off between 2016 and 2017 by observing the increasing size of the hotel rooms he books!)
posted by Busy Old Fool at 10:11 AM on October 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
Joe Wicks has also made a few 'hotel room workout' videos which are designed to be low noise and suitable for small spaces with no equipment. These might be perfect for someone with the restrictions described in the question and 'hotel room' might also be a useful search modifier. (You can see Mr Wick's career take off between 2016 and 2017 by observing the increasing size of the hotel rooms he books!)
posted by Busy Old Fool at 10:11 AM on October 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
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posted by tman99 at 11:17 AM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]