Working out in back garden - neighbours complaining.

[LuciferKitty]

I had a baby a few months ago and trying to shift the baby weight which I have gained.

The last few mornings around 10:30am I have been going into our back garden to do a workout on apple fitness+. I have been wearing my headphones as quite frankly my neighbours don't need to hear the cheesy "come on, push it harder" motivation chat from the fitness instructor.

This morning after my workout (I do HIIT - 20 minutes), the neighbour next door came to the door and asked if I could work out inside as they are trying to relax in their back garden in peace and watch their fish. I was a bit taken aback. My DH heard this and came to the door and politely said that I'm not making lots of noise, it's day light and we are entitled to work out in our garden. He pointed out what will they think when our daughter is older and playing in the garden? The neighbour responded "that's different" and apparently my panting noises are a bit "erotic sounding". At this point we said to the neighbour that again, I'm not making excessive noise and that I'm simply working out. His response? "Well join a gym then"

I'm actually really annoyed. We have CCTV outside the property so I checked to hear how loud I am when working out and honestly hardly any noise, mostly just heavy breathing which the camera struggled to pick up. It's not like I'm making noises like Monica from friends when she gets her massage.

I also have a gym in the garage so why would I join a gym? We live in a detached house so no risk of noise to adjoining walls etc. there's not that much floor space to do the workouts inside the garage. Before baby I didn't do the HIIT.

The reason for me working out in the back garden is my DH is working from home and my baby is napping so I don't want to be creating noise inside to wake up baby or disturb DH working. If baby wakes up the monitor pings a notification to my phone so I will know if she is awake and will stop workout to tend to baby.

Neighbour only moved in about 6 months ago and never had any issues since.

Who is BU? Me or the neighbour?

Just tell them if they don’t like it they can go inside.

Even if you were being noisy it’s not like it’s all day, it’s an hour max.

My old neighbours used to have all of their friends around, play loud music and do the ‘come on you’ve got this brother’, ‘5 more come on’ whilst lifting weights.
It never bothered me as it’s their garden and they’re not doing any harm.

I’d like to think this is a fake thread but since more people have been WFH and thinking no one else should make any noise then I can definitely see it being true unfortunately.

Don’t be rude just be blunt - you’re not going to stop exercising in your garden and if they don’t like it they can go inside.

I reckon watching fish is the last thing your pervy ndn is thinking about..
Creep.

Either you're barely making any noise or you're making enough noise to have to work out outside because it would wake baby/disturb DH.
There is a big difference in noise from exercising on the creaking floor and on the grass. Also the upside down houses are really bad for this, I used to live at one - you lie in the bedroom and feel like someone stomping on your head just because they’ve done a few steps in the living room upstairs.

He is batshit OP, ignore. He would be 10 times already in our house with this approach: we were talking outside, had lunch, DH and DD were in the paddling pool and played ball. All these since 10 am this morning. It’s just normal life.
Advise him to buy headphones for his fish if it’s so disturbing for her so she’s scared to move and he had nothing to watch.

People are so weird about noise in gardens. Some seem to think that there should be no noise at all.

As long as the noise isn't excessive (which you say it's not) and it's not early/late then enjoy your garden and your workout,

The wife's probably told the husband to say something as she's jealous her husband might find you attractive and she's jealous she's not as young as she use to be.

The wife's probably told the husband to say something as she's jealous her husband might find you attractive and she's jealous she's not as young as she use to be.

WTF?

Because no man could ever just be a dick by himself right? 🙄

I thought you were going to say you had music audible to the neighbours but as you are wearing headphones, I think they’re being unreasonable for such short periods of time! If it’s HIIT you won’t be doing it all morning are you!

Not read the full thread but I did workouts in the garden right through the first lockdown as the weather was nice. If you not blasting the neighbours with music/a podcast/instructions for the workout, I can't see the issue. People really are precious!

If they say anything else, say you are allowed QUIET enjoyment of your garden and that's what you are doing.

This is nearly as bad as Mr Very Important Lawyer in His Very Important Office doing Very Important Work!

You're doing nothing wrong; perfectly entitled to use your garden to exercise.

I'd have laughed at them and shut the door in their faces.

I'd ask if they have always been obsessed with sex or if it's a recent development as it can be an early sign of dementia and suggest seeing a doctor. Hopefully that would shut them down.

Weirdos. Of course you’re doing nothing wrong and should continue to your hearts content!

I'd be putting music on for the 20 minute workout from now on, and when he complains I'd be telling him he'd made me feel uncomfortable with his odd comment about breathing in my own garden sounding erotic, so I was covering that sound with music for both our sakes. Then I'd ignore him forever more.

Well I think this calls for a sponsored zumbathon in your garden with your friends.

Even if you're grunting, huffing and puffing, you're entitled to use your garden for your work outs. They're bonkers, ignore.

I hate people playing music in gardens, but I actually agree with this. Not because it will make the neighbour more comfortable (it will probably annoy them more) but because it may make you feel more comfortable if his comments about your breathing make you feel subconsciously self conscious.

I was about to say leave the headphones in the house and let them listen to your workout to drown out you "erotic noises"😂😂
they are being crazy ignore them

Even if you are a bit noisy during the workout, for 20 minutes a day they can sigh and go inside until you're finished. I doubt the fish will mind going unchaperoned for 20 minutes or so.

The problem is that if this happened to me, I'd feel self-conscious about it from now on. Music it is!

Well done on the intensity of your workout though

Your neighbours are weird if puffing is associated with erotic behaviou

Ignore them they’re absolute wallies.

Monica from friends 🤣🤣🤣 . They are prob unhealthy and over weight and old ! . I would be really creeped out if "erotic sounds " was mentioned . Tell them to get stuffed.

Don't consider playing music - definitely do it! Nice hip hop tracks maybe, there's good Hip Hop Tabata classes on Pop Sugar .

Your male neighbour said you sound a bit erotic. Bleugh.
I don't think I could carry on if I knew my neighbour was thinking that.

It's all very well all these posts suggesting making it louder or just living your own life, but in reality, if you knew your neighbour was thinking erotic things about you, what you really do? Of course you have every right to exercise in your garden while he watches his fish, but I know it would put my right off.

Oh yes!

They're being sleazy old pervs thinking that. I'd tell them that even probably wouldn't