Izabel Goulart providing some unbeatable workout inspiration!
Always looking for something new and exciting, I have been searching for new songs to refresh my current workout and running playlists. Most of the lists that I found online, though, were composed of a mix of Top 40 hits—usually with an overrepresentation of Justin Timberlake and Kanye West (yikes!). Not my cup of tea musically, and definitely not very imaginative either. Coldplay also makes their appearance surprisingly often, even though choosing their songs for a running session for me is the equivalent of playing Rage Against the Machine or Sepultura during your yoga meditation.
In short, it looks like some people just choose to throw any songs that they enjoy listening to, independently of their suitability for a workout due to their pace or beat. Personally, I prefer something that powers me through my exercise and that even helps me stay in sync and execute the movements in an dynamic way, rather than just listening to some pleasant musical distraction*. Also, there is no bigger mood-killer than being "in the zone" during a run or a workout—that period of time where you feel like you are performing at your best—and suddenly stumbling into a slower paced song or a tune that feels out of place in relation to the others.
After perusing a good number of playlists, from Shape Magazine to Punk Rope, I decided that I still like mine better. I chose the songs in my lists to help me keep a fast pace while running or doing cardio, but also to fit a certain "mood of the day" (some days I crave metal, others something more mellow), and I even try to add a few songs with powerful lyrics to make them motivating as well.
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Here are some examples of my best, Violetta-tried-and-tested Power Playlists for Working Out:>> Never Ending Running Power—To keep you propelled, running like the wind even on those difficult days:1. Reflektor - Arcade Fire. Great for warming up into a good pace and set the mood: a really cool, catchy song—and it even has Bowie in it! What more do you want?
2. Knights of Cydonia - Muse. One of my ultimate favorite songs for running, the rhythm is perfect for keeping a constant, powerful pace, and the different parts of the song make for some really epic-feeling transitions—even giving some room for a little sprint near the end.3. Out of Control - The Chemical Brothers.4. Hey Boy Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers. I like these two tracks because they have great beats to keep you energized.5. Smack My B*tch Up - The Prodigy. Good song development with a "softer" vocal part in the middle that always makes me feel euphoric.6. All My Life - Foo Fighters. Another song with an empowering build-up resolving into a wonderful rocking guitar climax that will make you work at your hardest without you even noticing!
>> Heavy Metal Lover —For those days where your inner headbanger wants to come out:1. Silent Brigade - RAAR. A great track from an amazing yet obscure Scottish band. Makes you want to jump around and be crazy and cool. You can get it for free here! —along with some other great songs by them, highly recommended!2. Jump In The Fire - Metallica. Nothing like early Metallica to wake your body up and get your blood pumping!3. Hot Rockin' - Judas Priest.4. Shockwave - Black Tide. Before they started sounding like every other new metal band, Black Tide used to make some pretty kick-ass old-school style metal tunes. This is one of them.5. Wasted Years - Iron Maiden. Fierce but melodic guitars and really inspiring lyrics make this track a great workout companion.
6. Highway Star - Deep Purple. Not exactly metal, but a great classic song that will keep you in the zone while giving you a good dose of amazing guitar playing.7. Show Me The Way - Black Tide.
>> Action Hero In Training —Pretend you are Lara Croft, Neo or any of your other favorite kick-ass character, and train in style!1. Smack My B*tch Up - The Prodigy. To get you started into ass-kicking mood, of course!
2. Mombasa - Hans Zimmer. You'll run as fast as DiCaprio escaping from the villains in Inception with this fast paced, vibrant electronic gem.3. The Revolution - BT. Channel Lara Croft with the rebellious feeling of this tune.4. Absurd - Fluke. Just as the previous and the next two tracks, this is part of the Soundtrack for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which seems to be tailor-made for amazingly badass workouts.5. Illuminati - Fatboy Slim. 6. Galaxy Bounce - The Chemical Brothers. The final track out of Miss Croft's adventure flick; this one is great for jumping rope as well.
7. Leave You Far Behind - Lunatic Calm. Get your imaginary PVC trench coat on and join the chase with slow-motion bullets with this track from The Matrix Soundtrack.
8. Dragula - Rob Zombie. Another one from The Matrix, to keep you going strong until the end "Do it baby, do it baby!"
Since I know not everyone is a fan of listening to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest while they run, here are some tips to make your own tailor-made amazing playlists:
Find the right pace for you. This is key for not feeling out of sync during your run or workout. The songs listed above have the perfect pace for a medium-fast pace. My speed, according to Run Keeper is of 10 km/h (about 7 miles/h) on average, but you might find that you need songs that are either faster or slower to adjust to your own speed. When it comes to picking songs, initially I just go through my music library and whenever I find a song that I think might do, I actually make a "rehearsal" and jog in place a bit to see if the pace is right.
Pick songs that empower you. An important part that determines the success of a workout regime is keeping a spirited, strong mental state. I find that picking songs with lyrics or musical sections that inspire you is a great way to boost your motivation when you are struggling and need an extra push.
Order them accordingly. I like placing fun, upbeat songs for the start of my session, I feel it helps to me get me in the right mood. The more steady-paced ones go in the middle. Place the most inspiring or powerful ones on the last third of your list, so they help you muster some extra-motivation to keep going strong. Throw a couple of lighter (but still dynamic) ones at the end to help you start your cooling down but physically and mentally.
Mix, match and experiment. Just take your playlist for a run or workout and see if you like it or if it needs some adjustments. Maybe you will find that a couple of songs don't work quite as expected, maybe you would like to change the order, or perhaps you will discover that it's perfectly sync'd as it is!
Get up and get moving!
* Although I've been know to enjoy TRX sessions with the best of Creedence Clearwater Revival as a musical background.
