Can I play music in my shared garden?

[LittleGwyneth]

We live in a Victorian mansion block, so pretty well sound proofed. There are about 15 flats, all looking out over a shared garden.

The gyms are closed, and until recently I was really enjoying going to a HIIT class at my local leisure centre. It's really hard going and I was starting to see & feel a real change in my body.

In an attempt to prevent myself from sliding backwards, I want to do my own HIIT class in the shared garden. There isn't enough space inside, and I don't think jumping up and down would be desperately nice for the people below us.

I've made a class up based on what I would be doing in the gym, but my question is whether it would be unreasonable to take a speaker out and play music while I do my 'class'. It would be 25 minutes between 6 and 6.25, and then I'll go out for a run to get a bit of cardio in.

I wouldn't play it super loud, but it's a closed area, so even when the local teenagers play music on their phones, if you've got your windows open you can REALLY hear it.

I could certainly do the class without music, but it would be harder to keep the motivation going and less fun. Using headphones doesn't work because no matter what I use they fall off / out.

I feel like I've written a LOT more here than anyone really needed. Sorry. Basically: can I play music and a medium volume in my shared garden for 25 minutes in the evening three times a week?

Get yourself some earphones then there’s no issue. Plenty of people exercise with either AirPod type ones or wireless over ear earphones. You’ll survive I expect!

Can't you get some sports headphones and one of those sweatbands for your head which you then put over your ears to double the holding them in protection?
You'd look a bit silly, but better than playing music outside.

Just wear headphones as everyone is saying. Why do you need others to hear it too?

Headphones

Or do low impact HITT so you don’t have to “ jump up and down “ and you can do it inside.

On the headphones - my housemate is doing it with me, so idea was that we could both hear it, and because it's HIIT I've got a timer which pauses the music for one second every minute so that you know it's time to move on to the next station.

I've tried headphones which are designed for working out but they just do not stay in my ears. The headband thing is a good suggestion - maybe I'll order one and then do it outloud until it arrives.

Other people tend to play music in the garden on their phones quite often, and there's been lots of 'let's play fire engines' while I'm trying to work in the middle of the day / let's take the kids down there at 7AM so one of the parents can have a lie in, so I don't feel like I would be the only one occasionally being a bit annoying.

Sounds like you have already decided to do it?

Oddly, I think it’s a bit more acceptable as there’s two of you doing it.

Won’t you just feel really self conscious though? You sure there’s no other green space nearby you could go to?

@greyishdays I don't think it's any less cringe in the park - possibly worse as there's a wider audience. I do feel a bit self conscious about it, but I don't think that should stop me.

@Flittingaboutagain I think I'm going to put a message in our co-op Whatsapp group saying that if it's bothering anyone I can stop, but give it a go. I'm going to try the headband headphones too, but that doesn't solve the fact that ideally we both need to be able to hear the music and the timer.

I'd do it - I'd just keep the noise to a minimum. 6pm is a fairly sociable time, avoids people WFH which seems to be the biggest gripes. My only concern would be if you make a mess of the grass (I speak from experience with my private garden and some vigorous burpee-ing last autumn!)

You can 100% get headphones that won't fall out of your ears, and I think it's worth it. We don't know how long this lockdown (or subsequent ones) will go on for, so if you think a nice pair of headphones will enhance your exercise experience, I'd say go for it.

Just get some Bluetooth earphones that hook over your ears - they absolutely stay put.

That's a good idea OP.

Happy training!

@larrythelizard we're not classy enough for real grass - we've got a sort of astroturf thing like they've got in Teletubbies land.

I meant conscious of the noise.

In a park the space is bigger and people can move away if they don’t like it.

I would normally say don't play music outdoors, but as your neighbours make noise in the garden, I can't see why you can't play music on low for 25 mins at 6pm!

Well done for having the motivation to carry on exercising throughout lockdown!

but that doesn't solve the fact that ideally we both need to be able to hear the music and the timer.

Can't you both get bluetooth headphones and both connect to the same phone/computer? There is usually a way to connect two bluetooth speakers to the same device.

@alittleprivacy oo I didn't think you could do that. I will investigate.

Aftershock head phones. Don't move at all.

I voted YABU but it won't let me change my vote... I voted based on morning workout hut for evening workout I think it's okay.

Drip feed 🙄 I still think it’s dickish behaviour

Unsure why you've asked, seems like you've already made your decision

Still headphones.

YANBU. Just hold off until you get some earphones sorted, but to play music like that, knowing that other people will be affected by it, makes you a bit of a dick.

Sorry, that should be YABU