In partnership with The Fresh Toast

Apartment don’t usually lend a lot of space for working out. Here are a few tips that can help you avoid your neighbor’s wrath.

If you live in an apartment, time spent at home is time spent listening in on your neighbors, whether you want to or not. All of those hours sharing a building translate into hearing more of their steps, their arguments, their furniture moving, and (unfortunately) more. It quickly stops being entertaining.

This year has seen a marked rise in noise complaints, which makes a lot of sense. We’re all at home and kind of sick of being in tune to each other. Now that cases of COVID-19 are rising and lockdown measures are being implemented again, you don’t want to be that neighbor everyone hates for being too loud, even if you’re just harmlessly working out and can’t control the sounds you make when making an effort.

Here are some tips on keeping your workout volume down:

Look into low impact workouts

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Low impact workouts get a bad rep, but they can be pretty intense while producing less noise. They tend to limit jumps and other loud, annoying sounds. A lot of workout videos and classes feature low impact options, which go easier on the joints and are better suited for your apartment.

Get creative with your cardio

We tend to associate cardio with lots of movement, like running and jumping, but this is not true. Any activity that gets your heart-rate up can be considered cardio. Exercises like squats, push ups, and lunges can be considered cardio when done quickly, and can actually be more effective for getting fit and losing weight when compared to running on the treadmill, since these exercises target specific muscles.

The landing is the root of the problem

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Every time you jump and land, the person who lives below you can feel it. But this can be managed. You can do your workouts and jump without landing heavily, as if you were trying to avoid disrupting someone who is occupying your same space. This modification will likely result in a tougher workout, burning more calories and being more of a challenge. Win win.

Buy the right equipment

Medicine balls, yoga mats, and resistance bands are all silent and effective when it comes to burning calories and shaping bodies. They’re also pretty silent and accessible, giving you the chance to train other muscles and try out new things. Now that gyms are closing and people are being more cautious, it’s the perfect opportunity to experiment with new equipment. What do you have to lose?

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