The main reason that I’ve been able to workout so consistently for the past three years is that I prioritize convenience. My gym is free, open 24 hours a day, and just a few short steps from my bed. Translation: I workout exclusively from home. Do I plan to venture out and sign up for a gym membership in the future? Probably. I’ve done so in the past. But right now, exercising at home works perfectly for me. You want to know someone who it may not work so perfectly for – my downstairs neighbors. That’s if I didn’t take proactive steps to ensure that I was being a considerate neighbor.
In my last two apartment complexes, I’ve lived on the second floor or higher. This means that I had downstairs neighbors who would be subjected to intermittent thumps produced by jumping jacks, burpees, or high knees (depending on my workout of the day). There is nothing worse than a loud upstairs neighbor. As someone who’s also lived on the 1st floor of an apartment complex, believe me I know.
Being active is very important to me. However, it shouldn’t come at the expense of my neighbor’s peace. Below I share some tips I’ve learned along the way about how you can get your at home sweat session in without your downstairs neighbors plotting to slash your tires.
The first thing I recommend is reaching out to them – preferably with a note left at their door. In the note, leave your contact information so they can get back in touch with you. Depending on your comfort level, I’d say to leave your phone number and email since some people may have a preference for one mode of communication over another (e.g. someone who is more introverted may prefer email).
In the note you send, start off by introducing yourself if you’re not already acquainted. From there you can explain the situation.
Unsure of what to say? Check out a sample letter I drafted below,
Hi,
My name is Jane and I’m your upstairs neighbor. I like to maintain an active lifestyle, and the most convenient way for me to do that at the moment is by working out at home. Not all, but some of my workouts involve high impact moves, which means there may be noise transmitted to lower levels. As much as I enjoy working out at home, I do want to make sure that I’m being a courteous neighbor. I’m bringing this to your attention to be proactive in the hopes that we can reach an agreement that works for us both. In doing so, I have a couple of questions, particularly regarding my workouts that involve high impact moves.
Are there days or times that are better for me to do these work outs?
Conversely, are there specific days and/or times that you’d really prefer I don’t do these types of workouts?
*Are there spaces in your apartment that you use less frequently, that would not be as bothersome for me to workout over?
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate it. You can get in touch with me by cell phone at 123-456-7890 or by email at janedoe@gmail.com to let me know your thoughts. Have a great day!
Jane
*This question seems a bit more personal to me so ask this depending on your comfort level.
Keep in mind that this is the beginning of the conversation. There may likely need to be some compromise on your part, and perhaps theirs. By initiating this conversation, hopefully you can keep things amicable.
Many of the bad experiences I’ve heard about in these types of situations happen when the exerciser seems to be uncaring of his or her neighbors. Sending this letter can be really helpful because your neighbors will likely appreciate the fact that you reached out to them, and are taking their feelings into consideration.
Additional options for you:
Look for specific places in your apartment that a) have reduced sound transfer or b) that don’t overlap with theirs. For any loud workouts or loud moves try to confine them to these spaces. My apartment is carpeted but close to the entrance there’s a section that’s tiled and underneath it’s concrete so it makes much less noise when I jump. Consequently, I move to this space when I’m doing these moves. If you’re unsure about where there isn’t overlap between your apartment and theirs try checking with your apartment complex to get this information.
Look into interlocking floor mats. I haven’t personally used these, but I’ve heard from others that they help muffle (not necessarily eliminate) sound transmission. They may be a worthwhile investment if you’re committed to at home workouts and have downstairs neighbors.
Incorporate low impact, high intensity workouts into your workout regimen. You don’t have to sacrifice workout intensity by opting for low impact or less noisy workouts – trust me! I have plenty of workouts in my collection for which I know my quads will be shaking (and there isn’t a single plyometric move involved). Examples of challenging but quieter workouts include:
- Barre
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Strength training (incorporating hand weights)
- Resistance training (e.g. bodyweight only exercises or exercises that use things like resistance bands)
To this last point, I’ll be starting a series next month where I review fitness DVDs for several factors including whether “they’re apartment friendly” based on their noisiness factor. Stay tuned.
Do you have other tips that you’ve used to workout at home without disturbing your downstairs neighbors? Tell me about them below!
I hope you have a wonderful week:)
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