Every Workout Deserves a Soundtrack
 

Hello All! I've been using FitDay for a while now, but am pretty new to the forums. I joined a small neighborhood gym 2 months ago to combat winter boredom (I have a mostly seasonal job and life just slows down December to early April) and have really enjoyed working out there. I sort of thrive on the structure and routine of my workout and it makes me feel like I'm doing something -- other winter hobbies include knitting and playing video games, just to give you an idea. I've lost a few pounds, started eating healthier, etc.

My problem: As much as I appreciate and enjoy the benefits working out "on purpose" (like at a gym instead of skiing or hiking), the only thing that makes me *not* feel like a hamster on a wheel is listening to music. But my playlist is already getting old! Does anyone have any songs or music genres that get you pumped up? What music makes you tune into what your body is doing and how good it feels to be able to move? Or, alternately, what tunes make you zone out and let that elliptical workout fly by?

Planning for my workout by downloading new music gets me motivated to get my butt in the gym. How 'bout you guys?

Fellow video game addict here too, and I want a new ipod so I can carry a bigger library to the gym :D

I'm definitely a rock n roll type girl, I have Jimmy Eat World, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, U2 as favorites. Recently added Muse and the new Killers cd. I like things with a good pumpin' dance type beat for working out, I keep a few slower songs on there for cooldowns. I could use some new tunes too.

Here's my playlist...
 

I have a lot of the ones Lizzy has; in addition some Breaking Benjamin, Black Eyed Peas, Smashing Pumpkins, Lady Gaga, Counting Crows, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Pink, Finger Eleven, Seether, Alice in Chains, Metro Station, OK Go, for the newer stuff...

...and some older stuff, like Queen, Styx, Pink Floyd, Blue Oyster Cult, Guns N' Roses, Jimi Hendrix.

Basically, I use any combination of three criteria...I like the song, it has a good beat for a workout, and/or the lyrics are really motivating to me.

I'm more of a upbeat pop or techno music kind of gal when it comes to work out soundtracks (especially for cardio). Lady Gaga is a great heart rate inducer lol as is Daft Punk, David Guetta, Basement Jaxx to name a couple. The music gets me in a good, just wanna dance mood... and that gets my energy flowing for a cardio work out.

Rock Fan!
 

Hello,
Thanks for your post... I was wondering if it is time for you to shift to the more Trance Techno... I am STILL not used to listen to it but when I have to go biking for about 1.5 hours I gotta listen to something that helps me with the pedaling! :)
Cheers

Rage Against the Machine is awesome way to get pumped up to go to the gym!

I cannot workout without the headphones on, unless I'm doing some sort of DVD that has music with it. I have an odd assortment of music on my MP3 player, but the best ones for the elliptical all come from Nickleback, Buckwheat Zydeco, Paul Simon (yes, Paul Simon lots of his tunes have a back beat in double time), Stevie Ray Vaughn, Train and this old workout CD I used to listen to when I went for a spin on the roller blades. It has a bunch of old dance tunes from the 80's and 90's on it, all made over into long extended dance versions (monotonous but effective). I've done a little branching out with the music lately, because I also get very tired of the same tunes. My MP3 player holds about 500 songs total, although I don't think I have quite that many on there, and I set it to "shuffle" so it's a little different everyday. Recently I added a little bit of classic music, Flight of the Bumblebee, Mozart Piano Trios, some very upbeat gospel, some Ragtime tunes from the 20's, a little bit of big band swing and believe it or not Polka music (which is actually sort of perfect for the elliptical, if you can take it). Sousa is also pretty good, if you can stand to listen to one march after another.

Another gamer here, too. I'm not sure what types of games you play, but I actually find that uploading mp3s of songs from games helps me on the treadmill! There are some songs from final or boss fights that really pump me up. I love it when they come up on random shuffle.

Hey Everybody! New here, but couldn't help but chime in on this one... I am the same way, music makes it happen for me and I just put together a list of stuff that makes me go! For me it's all about the beat, here's some music that consistently get on my workout playlists:

Blue Orchid White Stripes
Bust A Move Young MC
Daft Punk is Playing at My House LCD Soundsystem
Dare Gorillaz
Dirt Off Your Shoulder Jay-Z
F*** the Police NWA
Get Up Offa that Thing James Brown
Get Your Freak On Missy Elliot
The Hand That Feeds Nine Inch Nails
Humpty Dance Digital Underground
I'm in Miami Bitch LMFAO
Insane In the Brain Cypres Hill
Jane Fonda Mickey Avalon
Love Invincible Michael Franti and Spearhead
Only Nine Inch Nails
Ray of Light Madonna
Seven Nation Army White Stripes
Sexy Bitch David Guetta
Shitlist L7
Super Bon Bon Soul Coughing
Supermassive Black Hole Muse
Stand Up Ludacris
Starstrukk 3Oh!3
What You Waiting For Gwen Stefani
Work It Missy Elliot
You Can Do It Ice Cube

hey, I find anything upbeat gets me going. Fast paced music. Im listening to chase and status drumb and bass at the mo when i run on the treadmill. i cant perform aswell without music. Just when im starting to flag i speed up with the music and it gives me motivation to carry on for x amount of minutes