A fitness center at your apartment community is a huge convenience, and fortunately many on-site facilities have a variety of equipment. That’s why we’ve rounded up exercise tips for five kinds of workouts.
No matter what you do at the gym, we’ve got pointers that will help you get stronger and maybe even lose a few pounds. (Click the links for more info.)
For Weight Machine Workouts
To determine whether you’re using enough weight, see if you can perform 30 reps with it. If you can, you probably need to increase the weight a bit. (Just don’t up it more than 5% at a time.)
For Free Weight Workouts
Align your body correctly and move smoothly through each exercise, focusing on form rather than weight. Poor form can cause injuries and slow gains.
For TRX Workouts
To make an exercise a little more challenging, adjust your stance. Stepping toward or away from your base point will alter the difficulty.
For Treadmill Workouts
Choose a post-run snack that’s packed with protein and filling carbs, and doesn’t exceed 150 calories. Yes, this is technically a post-workout tip, but it will help ensure that you don’t sabotage your efforts in the gym. Related: 8 Foods Every Runner Needs In Their Diet
For Cardio Workouts
Music has been shown to improve performance, increase motivation, and keep distractions at bay. Working out to tunes with quick beats —120 to 140 beats per minute— is recommended. Related: The Ultimate Workout Playlist
For 30 U.S. apartment communities with fitness centers on site, check out this list:
Midwest
Albany Station, New Albany, OH
College Park Apartments, Columbus, OH
Commons on Kinnear, Columbus, OH
Franklin River Apartments, Southfield, MI
Level 27, Oxford, OH
South Duff, Ames, IA
The Lodge on the Trail, West Lafayette, IN
The Orion, St. Louis, MO
The Reserve on West 31st, Lawrence, KS
Village at Bluegrass, Mt. Pleasant, MI
South 
100 Midtown, Atlanta, GA
Cayce Cove, Cayce, SC
Crescent Westshore, Tampa, FL
Hilltop Club, Bowling Green, KY
Isles of Gateway, St. Petersburg, FL
Marina Shores Apartment Homes, Virginia Beach, VA
Park on Clairmont, Atlanta, GA
Southern Pine Apartment Homes, Virginia Beach, VA
Spectra Apartments, Fort Myers, FL
Springhouse Apartment Homes, Newport News, VA
The Clarion Apartments, Decatur, GA
The Commons at Tallahassee, Tallahassee, FL
The Connection, Huntsville, TX
The Landing, Greenville, NC
The Lofts, Morgantown, WV
The Pavilion on 62nd, Gainesville, FL
The Reserve at Athens, Athens, GA
The Retreat at Trinity, Trinity, FL
West
Arbour Commons, Westminster, CO
Trails at Timberline, Fort Collins, CO
Gateway Lakes Apartments (Grove City, OH) and Worthington Meadows (Worthington, OH) don’t have a gym, but residents get a complimentary membership to nearby Buckeye Fitness and exclusive access to an on-site tennis court, respectively.