40 Favorite Workout Songs

If you look around the fitness center you’ll inevitably see countless exercisers with headphones on listening to their favorite tunes.  Good workout songs can help pump you up and motivate you, even when you’re tired or fatigued.  I know I feel much more focused and driven when I listen to the right music.  A few people have recommended I write about song suggestions so here are 40 songs.  Not necessarily all of my favorites but a good variety for different tastes.  I’d love to start a discussion and have as many people as possible to comment below with their favorite fist pumping, iron blasting, get your body moving tunes.

1. Eminem- Lose Yourself
2. Eminem- ‘Till I Collapse
3. Drowning Pool- Bodies
4. Metallica- Enter Sandman
5. Godsmack- Voodoo
6. AC/DC- Thunderstruck
7. Ozzy Osbourne- Crazy Train
8. Union Turnpike- Oh
9. Trapt- Head Strong
10. The White Stripes- Seven Nation Army
11. The White Stripes- Icky Thump
12. Muse- Uprising
13. Kings of Leon- Sex on Fire
14. Santana- Into the Night
15. Rob Thomas- This is How a Heart Breaks
16. U2- Vertigo
17. Michael Jackson- The Way You Make Me Feel
18. Madonna- Into the Groove
19. Britney Spears- Till the World Ends
20. Pink- Raise your Glass
21. Jennifer Lopez- Let’s Get Loud
22. Katy Perry- Firework
23. Lady GaGa- Poker Face
24. Cher- Believe
25. Adele- Rolling in the Deep
26. Outkast- The Way you Move
27. Sean Paul- Temperature
28. Outkast- Rosa Parks
29. Kanye West- Stronger
30. Drake ft. Rihanna- Take Care
31. Neyo- Closer
32. John Legend- Go
33. ZZ Top- Sharp Dressed Man
34. Van Morrison- Stop Drinking
35. Lynard Skynard- Call me the Breeze
36. The Rolling Stones- Turd on the Run
37. Little Big Town- Little White Church
38. Don Davis & Juno Reactor- Tetsujin (from The Matrix Revolutions)
39. John Powell- Boat Chase (from The Italian Job)
40. Survivor- Eye of the Tiger

 

What are some of your favorite workout songs?

In good health,

Ryan Healy, BS, NSCA-CSCS

Fast or Slow Repetitions

There’s been much debate over the years about whether it’s best to perform strength training repetitions slowly or quickly (aka exercise tempo).  Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.  Lifting explosively works more on power development and lifting slowly facilitates more time under tension for the muscles which is good for muscle growth. 

Based upon my experiences, I think that for most recreational exercisers it’s much better to perform repetitions in a slow controlled manner than it is to perform them with lightning speed.  The people I often see whipping the weights around are sacrificing a lot in terms of their form which puts them at a greater risk for injury.   Slowing down the exercise will mean you’re less likely to compensate with other areas of the body too.  Have you ever seen someone throw their back into a biceps curl so that they can lift the weight?  I do, a lot.  Slower lifting also allows you to take momentum out of the equation so that your muscles can do the most work possible.   Not to mention it allows for more time to think about vital exercise form and the muscles doing the work.

Next time you strength train, check in with your movements and speed.  Are you using momentum or breaking form?  Can you slow it down a bit to really focus on the muscle groups you should be working?

 

In good health,

Ryan Healy, BS, NSCA-CSCS