30DS - Will I be a bad neighbour!?

kikiloola

I much prefer working out in the comfort (and privacy!) of my own home, but there's one thing that holds me back... I live in a fourth floor flat and I'm worried my poor downstairs neighbours will think a baby elephant has moved in! Can anyone who's done 30 Day Shred advise me how much jumping / banging around I'd be doing? (I have laminate flooring so nothing to absorb the noise, really).

atla_moves

There are jumping jacks and such, but since it's only for a few minutes each day, do it. Just do it in the middle of the day when most people will be awake.

ZugTheMegasaurus

I haven't done that program, but I'll suggest getting a foam mat to absorb the impact. I got a really cheap one (maybe $10) from Target that's about inch-thick foam (so much thicker than your average yoga mat). It's not only about bugging the neighbors either, but it helps having something to help take some of the impact rather than putting it all on your joints.

lmelangley

And, let your neighbors know in advance. I'm sure they'll take it much more kindly when they know you recognize it might be noisy/bothersome for them, and you're apologetic. Also, they may be able to tell you when the best/worst times would be for them.

schpanks

That's so funny! I have shred it with weights, which I used to do all the time in our last second floor apartment. It was hardwood floors, so I know the girl downstairs wondered what I was doing all the time. When we moved, we moved into a townhouse. I did it upstairs one time and my wife yelled up at me, "What are you doing? You're going to come through the floor!" I guess our floors here move more than our last place. Now I do my jumping around on the ground floor so I don't have to be self conscious. I never worried about it before she brought it up, though!

Jade17694

There's a fair bit of jumping so just try landing lightly on your feet Long as you dont do it at unreasonable hours it will be fine

paulagabay

I think the idea of the foam mat is a good one but be sure it is thick enough that you don't trip on it. I had to remove my rug as I kept tripping on it. The idea of doing it when people are awake is also good. As somebody else said it is only a short time during the day and you are worth it. I don't think it is that noisy from my experience with it. The noisiest part was my grunting and groaning lol.

kikiloola

Thanks guys - helpful information and some good suggestions!

I think I am particularly worried, as when I was a student living in a room above a very good friend of mine, he was VERY clear about exactly how noisy I was when doing Davina exercise DVDs. Enough to wake him from a nap... (oops!)

TheFunBun

Definitely go chat with the neighbor!
We were terrified we were torturing our neighbor with a plyometrics DVD, but when we went down to talk about it we discovered he had never noticed our million jump squats because we happened to work out the same time he walked his dog. ;0

Alliwan

I much prefer working out in the comfort (and privacy!) of my own home, but there's one thing that holds me back... I live in a fourth floor flat and I'm worried my poor downstairs neighbours will think a baby elephant has moved in! Can anyone who's done 30 Day Shred advise me how much jumping / banging around I'd be doing? (I have laminate flooring so nothing to absorb the noise, really).

LOL this is EXACTLY why i havent done 30DS or P90X yet, im so very worried that the down stairs neighbors will think there
s a baby elephant coming thru their roof! I know sound travels, cause we can hear all their arguements, all their kids yelling and cussing at eachother, the tv, the video game, their parents, etc. So i know there will be noise.

Maybe ill use my thicker yoga mat as cushion and just do it in the middle of the day.

cushygal

And, let your neighbors know in advance. I'm sure they'll take it much more kindly when they know you recognize it might be noisy/bothersome for them, and you're apologetic. Also, they may be able to tell you when the best/worst times would be for them.

Agree^^^

ball858

I much prefer working out in the comfort (and privacy!) of my own home, but there's one thing that holds me back... I live in a fourth floor flat and I'm worried my poor downstairs neighbours will think a baby elephant has moved in! Can anyone who's done 30 Day Shred advise me how much jumping / banging around I'd be doing? (I have laminate flooring so nothing to absorb the noise, really).

I have a laminate floor and use my mat when doing the jumping jacks etc... its not too bad then

NotGoddess

This is one of the reasons I moved into a house. No one to bother but my family and well, they can deal with it.
Seriously- I agree with the others that say to talk to the neighbor. You can figure out times when they are out and they'll feel more comfortable letting you know if it's too loud.

kikiloola

NotGoddess I love your ticker! Run awaaaaaay!!!

NotGoddess

NotGoddess I love your ticker! Run awaaaaaay!!!

*laugh* Thanks!

determinedbutlazy

I live in a flat, I do it in the afternoon and I do all the low impact versions of the jumping and plank exercises, to make less noise. Touch wood, I haven't had any complaints yet!