8 At-Home Exercise Tips for Apartment Renters

Since the pandemic began a few years ago, many renters have wondered how to get good exercise while working from home.  The trick is not having a gym full of equipment and the delicate balance of not disturbing your neighbors. Cincy Rents is one of the largest property management companies in the city and we’ve got some tips for covering yourself when it comes to home workouts for apartment dwellers.

1. Check for “Quiet Hours.”  Some leases, especially for larger apartment complexes, have designated quiet hours when all tenants are asked to reduce their noise. Regardless of your equipment, that is probably a time to avoid your workout.  If you live in a duplex or multi-family home, then it might be wise to discuss with your neighbors first.  Even if there aren’t official “quiet hours” there are probably some times that your neighbors would appreciate quiet.
2. Create a Dedicated Space. If you’re watching online videos that teach you what to do, make sure you know all the exercises that you’ll be doing in advance.  Accidents happen in small spaces when you scramble to find space for the next exercise.  The only thing noisier than working out at home is knocking over lamps and furniture when you work out. Be sure to map out your space before the workout begins.  If your building has a communal basement or parking lot then you may even want to check with your landlord and neighbors to see if they’d mind you setting up a workout space there.
3. Find a Good Floor Mat. Whether you’re doing at-home yoga or other types of training, a floor mat can reduce the noise for your downstairs neighbor.  Even if you live in a carpeted apartment, it provides an extra layer of noise protection. These are relatively affordable and easy to pack up.  Unlike a treadmill or exercise bike, you can move this around the room or put it away all together when you have people coming over.
4. Invest in Resistance Bands. Not only are dumbells heavy, but they also take up a lot of space, and dropping them can be noisy.  Resistance bands are cheaper, more versatile, provide easier storage, and they are the quietest option for building muscle. Alternatively…
5. Find Bodyweight Resistance Exercises. A quick internet search will show you some incredible results that people have accomplished by only using bodyweight resistance workouts. Crunches, sit-ups, push-ups, planks, lateral raises, the list goes on. You can save yourself money and precious apartment space if you find workouts that don’t require any equipment.
6. Use Ear Buds or Headphones.  Whenever possible, use headphones. Most of us like to listen to music, watch tv, or watch a personal trainer on our phone or tv while we work out. This is great, but sometimes the noise of your breathing or workout can cause you to raise the tv volume a bit higher than you normally would.  Connecting wireless headphones to your phone or laptop can let you hear as loud as you need, while not disturbing anyone else.
7. Check Your Feet. Many at-home workouts don’t require any footwear at all, but you may be in the habit of lacing up before a workout.  If you don’t need shoes, you can reduce your noise level by just going barefoot or wearing socks.  If you do need to wear shoes, you may want to consider the weight and style of the shoe as some will be noisier than others.
8. Find the Appropriate Workout.  Many HIIT programs will require lots of jumping and hard/fast movements. Typically these come with a lot of noise.  There are many at-home workouts designed for apartment dwellers and focus on giving you a high-intensity workout without the noise.  Do some Google research before committing to a program.

We hope this was a helpful introduction! Exercise is important for your mental and physical health, but so is living in a harmonious community.  By following these tips we hope that you’ll have a good relationship with your landlord, neighbors, and your health!