workout tunes

July 6, 2005 6:55 AM

Any tips for good tunes to bring to the gym?

I'm currently doing a basic running program, only about 30 minutes at a time right now, but I like to mix up my music so I'm not listening to the same thing every day. I'm only using a small mp3 player that will hold 30 - 60 minutes of music, so I'm basically looking to make up 4 or 5 different playlists that I can upload before I go to the gym during the day. Atleast until I can get myself a shuffle or something, LOL.

posted by DecemberRaine to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (11 answers total)

Previous discussions here, here, and here.

Try running an ask mefi search before asking your question next time; here are the results to an ask mefi search for "music + exercise."
posted by googly at 7:11 AM on July 6, 2005

Any dance, house or electronic music works fine for me. I tend to avoid chillout or ambient as it doesn't make me work as hard.

Not sure why you're LOL'ing about getting a shuffle. If you can afford a gym membership then you can probably afford a shuffle and it's trivial to configure iTunes to update it with a random selection of certain genres.
posted by ralawrence at 7:11 AM on July 6, 2005

You've got to get some "2 Many DJs" a group out of London. Here's my favorite mix of theirs:

As Heard on Radio Soulwax, Volume 2

There's also a bunch more at their site ( and here's a good review / track list). Each are from 50 to 60 mins so they're great for a workout. They truly keep you going!!
posted by zpousman at 7:13 AM on July 6, 2005

My favorite exercise band has got to be The Thermals, whose two albums More Parts Per Million Fuckin' A are both short and completely explosive. Check out the mp3s on their page, particularly "No Culture Icons."
posted by jacobm at 7:15 AM on July 6, 2005

Response by poster: Well, I already pay for the gym membership with automatic electronic payments, so it's factored into my budget. Finding extra money on top of my budget is slightly more difficult. It'll probably be a couple months before I can come up with an extra $150 or $200 for the iPod ($129 for the 512 and $189 for the 1gig, CAD plus tax).
posted by DecemberRaine at 7:19 AM on July 6, 2005

Digitally Imported's Trance Channel is usually what I use. When I was younger my favourite workout music was Helmet but that got a little grating after a while.
posted by bobo123 at 7:41 AM on July 6, 2005

Basement Jaxx's "Remedy" album will keep you running.
posted by suchatreat at 8:21 AM on July 6, 2005

I run on a treadmill about 4 times per week in a health club that booms out a ton of new music on huge speakers. With all the heavy base spewing forth from the gym's speakers it is difficult to hear my tunes unless I listen to "busy" rock or heavy metal. Even though I like classical music, jazz, and instrumental stuff, it just can't override the club's music. So I tend towards AC/DC, Foo Fighters, Van Halen, and even some Maroon 5. I think you will find heavy metal is empowering also.
posted by jdstef at 9:09 AM on July 6, 2005

Best answer: This is my current playlist I'm using:


Rooster ----Alice In Chains
Alone + Easy Target ----Foo Fighters
The Dark Of The Matinée ----Franz Ferdinand
Argument ---- Fugazi
Obstacle ---- Interpol
Cut You In ---- Jerry Cantrell
Are You Gonna Be My Girl ---- JET
Artificial Red ---- Mad Season
Satin In A Coffin ----Modest Mouse
Bury Me With It ----Modest Mouse
Bad Habit ---- The Offspring
The Ghost Of Tom Joad ----Rage Against The Machine
Track 01 ----Silverchair (from Frogstomp)
Plush ---- Stone Temple Pilots
Vertigo---- U2
posted by vito90 at 9:56 AM on July 6, 2005

I don't go to a gym and never will, but Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now," from Rocky makes me want to exercise.
posted by jonmc at 10:50 AM on July 6, 2005

Best answer: I am so insanely picky about this -- it's gotta be an aggressive song with a quick beat. This is part of the playlist I row to:

My Chemical Romance - Thank You For The Venom
Queens of the Stone Age - Little Sister
Audioslave - Your Time Has Come
Fischerspooner - Never Win
SR-71 - Right Now
Rock-N-Roll Soldiers - Anthem
Recover - Fuck Me For Free
Pax217 - Tonight
The Exies - Can't Relate
Real Big Fish - Beer
Less Than Jake - Automatic
Killradio - Freedom

(and for a little hiphop/rap)
***Talib Kweli - Get By (but all of his stuff is really good for gym)
Robert Randolph - Going In The Right Direction
Jay-Z - Izzo
Nitty - Nasty Girl
50 Cent - Hate It or Love It
The Game - How We Do
Fabolous - Breathe
T.I. - Rubberband Man
The Roots - Seed 2.0
posted by fourstar at 12:03 PM on July 6, 2005