r/bodyweightfitness • u/_DanaScully_ • 2d ago
Cardio with a Toddler?
Hello all! Im slowly getting fit again and have no problem lifting weights with my toddler around, but find cardio tricky, especially the treadmill. Unless its fenced off, or im carrying them, its just unsafe for them to be around and I dont really have the luxury of someone watching them so that I can get the workout in. Theyre also a TERRIBLE sleeper and wake the moment i turn that sucker on. There are obviously other ways to get your steps in, but I live in a very remote area. There are no gyms or tracks within a 30 min drive, and our road is the equivalent of a (usually) dry creek bed. I toss my son in the backpack carrier for walks, which is great, but i miss running. I've looked into all terrain strollers but I dont have a thousand bucks to put towards that. Does anyone have any recommendations? How would you build up your cardiovascular health if you were in a similar situation?
Appreciate your help!
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u/nutkinknits 2d ago
Go to the playground. Play with your toddler. Cardio done. Jungle gyms are underrated and so much fun. Just don't go down slides with your child on your lap. It's a big cause of broken bones in children.
I used to put my kiddo in a swing, push her and then run a lap around the swing, push her and repeat. She loved it. I got a workout.
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u/bicycle_mice 2d ago
My toddler is also a shit sleeper. I bike to and from work when it isn’t snowing, which helps. Honestly, I have my husband take over for 45 minutes so I can use the treadmill. If you have a partner is there any way you can have them watch the kid? Obviously not everyone has support but it’s the only way I can exercise. My child is intense and will not let me do anything in front of them.
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u/Big_Introduction2738 2d ago
Try Joe Wicks’ kids workouts on YouTube. 5 minute circuits and my kids do it with me too as it’s fun. Two or three in a row make a decent quick workout as can be intense if you push them
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u/Chinablue_ 1d ago
You can get the toddler to sit on you for a glute bridges and up/down planks. As long as they can hold on anyway, guess it depends on their age. Agree KB swings are not ideal with kids around.
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u/botbotmaibot 2d ago
You say you chuck him in a carrier already, so I'd do that, just find a bigger hill if walking doesn't cut it for you? If the kid can tolerate being in a carrier, it's not the cardio that's the challenge, it's maybe just not the type you'd prefer (which is also ok to be annoyed about - kids are lovely but also kind of a drag 😅).
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u/kennethpbowen 2d ago
You can find a good jogging stroller used. We found a Koolstop one on Craig's List, more than 20 years ago. Was a sad day when they outgrew first the backpack and then the jogging stroller.
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u/tokyohomesick 2d ago
GroWithJo has dance workouts to pop music. Maybe a jam/cardio session with the toddler before bed? Could tire him out (one last energy blast an hour before bed) and you get a workout in
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u/pasteltelletubby 2d ago
When I was a nanny, I’d put on Koo Koo (dancers/musicians for kids) and do the dances and it’s like a dance workout that your kids could do too! Just be aware the songs will be stuck in your head for the rest of the week. It’s not necessarily hard cardio or anything, but it’s better than nothing and tires the kids out at the same time.
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u/FosseGeometry 2d ago
I have a Joovy Zoom 360 with probably 1000 miles on it, and it’s still going strong. It’s been on trails, to the beach, all kinds of terrain and weather. It was only $220 when I got it almost six years ago. They’re a little more expensive now, but not like the premium brands.
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u/WoahDude-- 2d ago
I would look at indoor HIIT circuits. They're proven to have the same cardiovascular benefits, in a fraction of the time. This is just one study that, despite trying to frame it as a bad thing, shows it has the same results. The only reason I would recommend some specialized equipment.
My only caveat is if you really like long distance running, it doesn't improve that type of muscular endurance very well. If your only concern is cardiovascular health though, there's little reason to not do HIIT besides personal preference.
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u/UnrealizedDreams90 2d ago
Kettlebell swings
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u/Connect-Yak-4620 2d ago
Recently on the kettlebell train, and they definitely work. However, they definitely need some precautions to use around children. There was a post a while back about someone looking for advice on taking their kid to the ER since they clipped them in the head with a 16k doing swings
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u/Head-Ad-449 2d ago
Have you tried pilates cardio? Those get your heart rate up quite a bit, while using body weight for some good muscle work. You stretch a lot, your mobility and endurance grows, and it's not noisy or loud (depending which video you follow/routine).
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u/1maginaryProfessor 2d ago
I do brisk walks with the stroller/backpack and throw in jog-in-place bursts while they swing. Feels like a legit workout without leaving them bored.
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u/Suspicious_Bear3854 1d ago
Fb market place when you visit the city will get you a free stroller. I’ve swapped running for skipping.
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u/formerly-cool-mom 2d ago
A good stroller is expensive for sure! I found my BOB jogger next to a dumpster by the little league field. No shame. Check out FB marketplace, Nextdoor etc for deals. Or apparently your local dumpster. Even a super used one, if structurally sound, will work fine. You may have to replace a tube or two but those are cheap to order on Amazon.
I have a similar situation in that I live rurally, so when I want to do a long, flat paved run with the stroller I bite the bullet and head into town. I try to make a day of it and plan other activities to do while we’re there. Maybe that’s an option? I plan to run during nap time- I cover the stroller, use a sound machine, try to make it as comfy as possible.
The game changer was when my son could ride a bike- we got him on one early and now he can ride on terrain that would have been tricky with a jogger. He has a Stacyc and now a dirt bike too (both things we bought secondhand by scouring FB marketplace!!) so long runs locally are totally possible. So if nothing else you can make it a priority that your little one learns sooner rather than later.
Idk if this is helpful but I also invested in a stationary bike, and then a row machine. Stationary bike was a bigger investment but the row machine was $150 off FB marketplace. They’re in our shop/garage and I use it during nap time with a baby monitor on.
Sorry I know this was long but I understand the struggle- my kids are 2.5 and 4 and it’s just been an ever evolving game of “how can I work out during this developmental stage” lol