Building a Home Gym in a Condo or Apartment

You don't need a garage to train seriously at home. Plenty of people build a great gym in a condo or apartment, in a spare room, a den or a corner of the living room. It just takes a different plan: there are neighbours below you, space is tight, and there is an elevator between the lobby and your door. Here is how to set it up.

Start with your building's rules

Read your condo rules or your lease, or ask the building manager, before you buy. Look for:

• rules on exercise equipment, flooring or noise;
• quiet hours, so you know when to save the heavier sessions;
• how deliveries work: loading dock, service elevator, moving hours and whether you need to book;
• any limits on heavy items on upper floors.

Keep the noise down

What your neighbours hear is impact: weights set down hard, jumping, and machines vibrating through the floor. A weight held still makes no sound at all. So:

• Lower weights under control and never drop dumbbells or plates. Set them down on a mat or put them back on the rack.
• Choose rubber-coated weights. Rubber hex dumbbells are quieter to set down than bare iron, and the hex shape stops them rolling. For a barbell or Smith machine, rubber grip plates are much quieter than iron plates.
• Save jumping for the daytime, or swap it for low-impact moves.
• Put cardio machines on a mat to cut the vibration.

Protect the floor

Hardwood, laminate and vinyl dent easily under bench feet and weights set down hard. Two kinds of mat cover most condo gyms:

• Hard floor mats for the lifting zone: dense rubber tiles, 50 × 50 cm and 2 cm thick, 6 per pack. Put them under your bench and dumbbell rack, and anywhere weights get set down.
• Interlocking EVA foam tiles for floor work: 60 × 60 cm and about half an inch thick, 6 per pack covering 23.2 sq ft. They are comfortable for stretching, core work and bodyweight training, and easy to lift and store.

Foam compresses under concentrated weight, so keep loaded benches and racks on the hard mats.

Equipment that suits a condo

Adjustable dumbbells

One pair of NUO Style adjustable dumbbells replaces a whole rack. Twist the handle to change the weight in 5 lb steps, up to 50 or 80 lb per hand depending on the version, and add the matching stand to keep them at a comfortable height. Not sure how heavy to go? See how heavy your dumbbells should be.

A light adjustable bench

Bench X3 and Bench X4 weigh about 10 kg, arrive in compact boxes and are light enough to move out of the way after every workout. Compare them with our other benches in every HAJEX bench compared.

Bands and push-up stands

Resistance bands and push-up stands take up almost no space and add a lot of variety. Our 11-piece resistance band set includes handles and is rated at over 100 lb of resistance, so it covers rows, presses and leg work as well as warm-ups.

Cardio that slides away

The Walking Pad Z1 weighs 44 lb, walks at 0.8 to 6 km/h and slides under a sofa, bed or standing desk when you are done. To jog or run, a folding treadmill is the better choice: see walking pad or folding treadmill.

A Smith machine, if you have the room

If you have a spare room and want to train with a barbell safely on your own, the Smith Machine Z1 is our most condo-friendly machine. It arrives in 4 numbered boxes, none over 63 lb, so each box is light enough for one or two people to carry. It is freestanding with no anchoring needed, one person can assemble it with the tools in the box, and its linear ball bearings give a smooth, quiet bar path. Check your ceiling first: the Z1 is 84.5 in tall. Our guide on measuring for a Smith machine walks you through it.

Our weight-stack machines (X2 to X5) are a different story. They weigh 792 to 1,045 lb and arrive in a wooden crate on a pallet, so they are rarely practical in a condo.

Three condo setups

Getting it into the building

• Standard delivery is to the curb or your building entrance. Carrying items inside, up stairs or in the elevator isn't included unless it is agreed in writing beforehand, so arrange help for heavy orders.
• Book the service elevator if your building requires it, and protect walls and floors with moving blankets.
• Use a dolly for boxes of plates and dumbbells. They are small but heavy.
• Put your unit number and buzzer code in the apartment or suite line of your shipping address, so the driver can reach you.
• Be available between 9 am and 5 pm on delivery day, and make sure the path from the truck is clear and safe.
• Large orders can arrive on a pallet, which usually won't fit in a passenger elevator. If you are not sure how yours will ship, ask us before you order.
• Near Montreal? Our own truck may deliver for a flat fee where your address qualifies (the option shows at checkout), or you can pick up for free at our Anjou warehouse by appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lift heavy in a condo?

Yes, with control. Heavy weights are fine as long as you lower them instead of dropping them, train on hard mats and respect quiet hours. Building rules come first, so check them before you buy big.

Will mats stop all the noise?

No mat stops all noise. Mats reduce impact noise and protect the floor, but the biggest difference comes from setting weights down gently.

What is the quietest cardio for an apartment?

Walking is the gentlest on the floor, and a walking pad on a mat is a popular choice. A belt-driven bike such as our Exercise Bike B1 is another low-impact option.

Can I put a Smith machine on an upper floor?

The Z1 weighs 234 lb shipped, before plates. Check with your building first, especially if you plan to load it heavily.