|
You know that scene in High Fidelity where John Cusack is touting the importance of the perfectly crafted mix tape? A tape that has to kick off with a killer track to grab attention, then take it up a notch, then cool it off a notch? Sure, that guy was creating a playlist to woo a girl, but he was on to something. Little did he know, he was also giving us words of wisdom on how to best create a set of tunes for a high-energy workout. Below are the seven main components of any good workout playlist, no matter the musical genre. (In fact, I find that the more eclectic the playlist, the more exciting—and surprising—it can be!) Follow these guidelines to craft a playlist before your next workout, and you’re sure to stay engaged and pumped the entire time. After all, music—especially the right music—can make working out more fun! 1. Warm-Up Song Like John Cusack says, you have to kick off a playlist with a killer track that grabs attention. Choose a song here that inspires and motivates you but has a moderate tempo. During this song you’ll be doing some light static stretching and easy movement to warm you up, and you don’t want to be rushed, so choose a song that’s at least four minutes long. Songs like “Rock with You” by Michael Jackson or “Crazy” by Aerosmith are good candidates for an appropriate warm-up song tempo. However, the best warm-up songs are those that build in intensity and have a super inspirational message. “Proud” by Heather Smalls (best known as The Biggest Loser theme song) is an excellent choice. 2. Get-You-Going Song The second song of a playlist should be as inspiring and as motivating as the warm-up song, only faster paced so that you can naturally get your heart rate from an easy level up to a moderate-paced workout level. Choose a moderate- to fast-paced track with a strong and catchy beat that you naturally want to match your walking/running/elliptical speed to. “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas is one of my favorites, as is “Running Down a Dream” by Tom Petty. 3. Pump-You-Up Songs Playlists that feature songs with varying beat speeds are a perfect way to naturally work some intervals into your workout—maybe without you even noticing—because people naturally pick up their pace when a fast song is playing and slow down their pace when a slow song is on. For this reason, be sure to throw in at least one or two super-fast and high-energy songs into your playlist. You want these songs to be music that is darn-near impossible to sit still to. Some of my go-to favorites include “Hey Ya” by Outkast and “Maniac,” the Flashdance theme, by Michael Sembello. The fast tempo will help you to burn more calories and have a blast while doing it. Continued › |
|
SparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
Fitness Articles › Exercise BasicsHow to Create the Perfect Workout PlaylistBoost Your Exercise Mojo with the Right Music-- By Jennipher Walters, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness InstructorSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
Related Content
Stay in Touch With SparkPeople
About The Author
Jennipher Walters
Jennipher is a certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor, and lifestyle and weight management consultant. She blogs regularly about her own fitness adventures at www.fitbottomedgirls.com. See all of Jenn's articles. |
Research shows that increasing your protein intake may be beneficial to weight loss.
Read More
Bench Press with Barbell
Lifting your legs up during this exercise helps you avoid lower back pain.
Lifting your legs up during this exercise helps you avoid lower back pain.
Get a personalized diet and fitness plan, great newsletters, post to our message boards, and even your own personal SparkPage!
Join Now For Free!
Join Now For Free!
Member Comments
This way, I get a mix of everything from ABBA to the Beach Boys to ZZTop, with a little Mozart and Wynton Marsilis thrown in for variety.
- 1/22/2013 12:55:41 PM
Plus transitioning songs every 2-3 minutes helps to keep the energy high while getting your sweat on. Check it out! - 1/22/2013 1:57:34 AM