How to Eliminate Noise Complaints From Cross Fitness Gyms

Noise complaints seem to come with the territory when you run a gym. Gyms are large spaces with high ceilings, a design which naturally amplifies sound. Add in the sounds of operating gym machinery, conversations between athletes and coaches, and the thud of dropped weights, and you have a recipe for a loud environment.

These noise problems are amplified in XFit gyms. Cross fitness involves frequent dropping of heavy weights. When an athlete is holding a few hundred pounds of weight above his head, then drops it, the entire gym will know - as will all of your business' neighbors. This can result in some problems.

Noise complaints are common in and around xfit gyms. You may receive complaints from athletes who would like a more enjoyable space. If the issue continues, athletes may seek out a different gym with a quieter atmosphere.

But athletes aren't the only ones who may complain. If your gym isn't a freestanding building, then businesses in the surrounding spaces will certainly hear the noise your business is generating. Complaints from business owners may put your rental, lease, and even your entire business into jeopardy.

Correcting Noise Complaints

Once you've received noise complaints, it's up to you to find a way to solve the problem. And if you've received multiple noise complaints from surrounding businesses, you may be working on a tight time frame to find a solution and keep your business open.

When you're renting a space within a building, there's only so much you can do. Your first action should be to assess where the majority of the noise is being generated - it's likely your free weight lifting area. Next, assess whether this area shares a wall with a business that is complaining, and if relocating the area may help. Maybe there's another room or another corner of the gym that could be better converted to your weight area.

Just moving the location of your weight area probably won't solve the issue entirely. But that's where noise reducing lifting mats and specially made cross fitness flooring comes in.

Investing in soundproof gym floor materials can help to deaden the sound of dropped weights and other impacts that may be disturbing others. These specialty materials can help to create a quiet xfit gym floor, which your athletes and anyone else in the vicinity of your gym will surely appreciate.

Cross Fitness Flooring Options

Many xfit gym owners invest in rubber flooring for their gyms, Rubber offers many benefits, including:
- Excellent shock absorption to help protect your subfloor
- Superior durability and long lifespans
- Thermal insulation from a cold concrete subfloor
- Affordability
- Non-slip surfaces to keep athletes safe
- Strong enough to be used underneath heavy equipment

Since rubber flooring is available in tiles, mats, and rolls, it's a versatile option that many gym owners take advantage of.

But your average rubber flooring only offers some sound dampening properties. Rubber flooring isn't specifically made to reduce the noise in a CrossFit gym, and you may find that it just doesn't do enough for your weight lifting space. Increasing the thickness of your rubber flooring may help, but there's another, more practical option.



Our Sterling Athletic Sound Rubber Tiles are manufactured to provide superior sound reduction. These tiles are performance-engineered to control vibrations, minimize low-frequency impact noise, and reduce the transmission of audible structure-borne sound.

This all amounts to a quiet CrossFit gym floor. Since these tiles provide both sound reduction and shock insulation, people in adjoining spaces will not only hear less from your gym, but they'll feel less of the impact from each dropped weight. When you consider what it feels like when 200 or more pounds are dropped onto the floor, you can imagine the significant difference that these tiles will make in your gym.

This hybrid fitness flooring offers additional benefits, too. The cross fitness mat offers the durability that you need in any serious gym. You can drop free weights directly onto the xfit flooring, and the flooring is easy to clean.

Installing Sterling Athletic Sound Rubber Tiles is easy. The tiles have interlocking edges which create tight seams for a high-performance surface. They're backed by a limited lifetime warranty, and make a popular addition to weight rooms, gym floors, professional sports facilities, and even university locker rooms.

Installing these hybrid fitness mat options in your weight room can make a significant difference in your gym - but don't just take our word for it.

Case Studies

Zach Luke, owner of Zero Machine CrossFit in Phoenix, Arizona, found his business in jeopardy when noise complaints began to come in. The gym, which is located in a strip mall, naturally generated a lot of noise and vibrations, and local businesses didn't appreciate the noise. Luke found himself at risk of losing his lease unless he came up with a solution.

Luke researched and tested many different flooring options, even working with an acoustical engineer to analyze different cross fitness mat options to try to find a solution.

He did find the perfect product in our Sterling Athletic Sound Tiles. He ordered a few tiles to test them, and was amazed at the difference that they made. Luke tested the tiles by dropping barbells and then added kettlebells to the mix. Luke's landlord and property manager were present for the testing, and were amazed at how the tiles virtually eliminated the sound. Luke installed Sterling Athletic Sound Tiles in his 2,500-square-foot lifting area, and noise complaints have been reduced to zero.



Dale Collison, owner of CrossFit Duluth in Duluth, Minnesota, ran into a similar problem with noise complaints. When his gym moved into a larger space, Collison found that the new facility wouldn't give him a lease until he agreed to purchase soundproof flooring.

Collison began to reach sound deadening gym mats, and came across the Sterling Athletic Sound Rubber Tiles. He ordered a sample and tested them with his landlord and the owners of two neighboring businesses. According to Collison, the difference between the facility's old floor and the Sterling tiles was ''like day and night.''

Collison installed Sterling Athletic Sound Rubber Tiles in half of his new gym, and athletes have been loving the results, both in terms of the reduced noise and the comfort that the tiles offer.

Thanks to this hybrid fitness flooring, Collison was able to secure a lease, move his gym to the larger facility, and continue to keep up with his growing business.


Adam Gray, owner of CrossFit Goose Creek, in Franklin, Tennessee, knew heading into starting his gym that the typical 3/4 inch stall mat style rubber mats did very little to dampen the noise of dropped weights, so he started with Sterling Sound Tiles from the very beginning and was enjoyed their benefits ever since.

Additional Design Options

If you're looking to truly minimize the sound transference from your gym to outside businesses, you may want to look at additional factors. If your gym has high ceilings, lots of hardwood floors, and large windows, then any sound generated will be naturally amplified.

In some cases, you may be able to install soundproofing panels and acoustical panels throughout your gym to help dampen the sound. Just how much you'll be able to do will depend on your budget and your ability to alter the space, particularly if you're renting. Investing in noise-reducing underlayments may also be an option, but you'll need to remove any existing flooring, and these underlayments usually cannot be used in weight areas.

If you'd like to explore additional soundproofing for your gym, then consult with an acoustical engineer for more detailed information on what your options in your specific space will be.

Hybrid Fitness Flooring: A Wise Investment

Has your gym been receiving noise complaints? Investing in a quiet xfit gym floor is a wise investment for any facility. Not only will you see fewer noise complaints, but you'll likely improve your relationships with other business owners.

There's another benefit to having a quieter gym: It can help to draw in clients. As news of your gym's environment gets around, you may find that you attract clients from other, noisier gyms. Investing in quality flooring shows that you care about your athletes and the gym environment, and it's a great way to invest in your business' future and security, too.

Ready to upgrade the flooring for your cross fitness gym? Our customer service team would be happy to help you. Whether you'd like to order a sample of our Sterling Athletic Sound Tiles or would like a shipping quote, please contact us. We'd be happy to tell you more about our products, and to help you find the perfect option for your hybrid fitness gym, or any other project that you'll be working on.