The song that helps you make it those last few minutes on the treadmill?
March 16, 2013 3:10 PM   Subscribe

Salt n' Pepa's Push It always does it for me, but it's getting old. What song gets your blood pumping every time?
posted by cherrybounce to Grab Bag (59 answers total) 123 users marked this as a favorite
 
Pump Up The Jam
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 3:13 PM on March 16, 2013 [3 favorites]


Outkast - B.O.B.
posted by mynameisluka at 3:13 PM on March 16, 2013 [7 favorites]


Don't Stop Me Now, Queen
posted by AlliKat75 at 3:14 PM on March 16, 2013 [8 favorites]


Eminem's 'Til I Collapse or Lose Yourself work well, or Cake's Going the Distance (the words are just about perfect)
posted by AgentRocket at 3:18 PM on March 16, 2013 [2 favorites]


House of Pain-Jump Around

(I once watched a lover knock out 100 pushups to this song, first thing in the morning, popping up to shadow box between sets of 10. I am not a morning person, and watching this alternately awed and baffled me.)
posted by mollymayhem at 3:18 PM on March 16, 2013 [3 favorites]


Matt & Kim - Don't Slow Down
posted by Syllables at 3:25 PM on March 16, 2013


The Spike mix of Let's Get it Started from the Black Eyed Peas. (sorry for the audio quality)
posted by clerestory at 3:26 PM on March 16, 2013


LCD Soundsystem - Us v. Them
posted by Beardman at 3:32 PM on March 16, 2013


House on Fire by Assemblage 23
posted by paris moon at 3:35 PM on March 16, 2013


Everclear - Santa Monica. It moves.
posted by zardoz at 3:37 PM on March 16, 2013 [2 favorites]


Janelle Monae - Faster.
posted by mskyle at 3:37 PM on March 16, 2013 [2 favorites]


Rachael Yamagata - Faster
posted by Yma at 3:38 PM on March 16, 2013


I've never been able to kick the habit of needing a strong workout-ending song, and I've got a long list of ones I go through. Depending how I'm feeling and what my pace is I usually alternate between grungy stuff like Caterpillar March by Kyuss, Spread Your Love by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Romantic Rights (Phone Lovers Remix) by Death From Above 1979, or happier, lighter electronica stuff like Get Mama A House by Teddybears.
posted by ZaphodB at 3:38 PM on March 16, 2013


Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida
Hey Ya - Outkast
posted by something something at 3:42 PM on March 16, 2013


Krazy by Pitbull. The lyrics are terrible, even by Pitbull standards, but it makes me move a bit faster on the treadmill, no fail.
posted by Fig at 3:42 PM on March 16, 2013


Rearviewmirror, Pearl Jam.
posted by Etrigan at 3:47 PM on March 16, 2013


Rocket by Goldfrapp
posted by munchingzombie at 3:56 PM on March 16, 2013


Mama Said Knock You Out, LL Cool J.
posted by sldownard at 3:57 PM on March 16, 2013


Thousand - Moby (It holds the Guinness World Record for fastest tempo in beats-per-minute of any released single, but it's a great workout song because it slowly revs up throughout the song, with a few breaks throughout).
posted by theuninvitedguest at 3:59 PM on March 16, 2013


Burn It Down, AWOLNATION.
posted by shiny blue object at 4:02 PM on March 16, 2013


Queen's Don't Stop Me Now does it for me. There are also several rap songs with an energy that fuels me, although the lyrics aren't particularly motivating and might even be considered offensive. My latest favorite is Kanye West's Monster.

For music to power you through an entire treadmill session, check out the three epic Blood Bros mixes. I love running to those.
posted by Balonious Assault at 4:15 PM on March 16, 2013


Beat it (cover) by Fall Out Boy.
posted by Mimzy at 4:18 PM on March 16, 2013 [1 favorite]


Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
posted by tim_in_oz at 4:19 PM on March 16, 2013


Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty.
posted by mogget at 4:20 PM on March 16, 2013 [1 favorite]


7 Nation Army covered by The Gitch Mob
On the Train by Theatre of Disco
Sexy Results (Mstrkrft Edition)
Battleflag by Pigeonhed and Lo Fidelity Allstars
Lose Control by Missy Elliott
Song 2 by Blur
Gold on the Ceiling by The Black Keys
Grounds for Divorce by Elbow
Arms of a Thief by Iron and Wine
Toxic by Brittany Spears
Me Against the Music by Brittany Spears and Madonna
Temperature by Sean Paul
Stronger by Kanye West
Right Round by Flo Rida and Kesha
Thinking of You by Kesha
Starstrukk by 3Oh!3
Touchin On My by 3Oh!3
posted by wrabbit at 4:20 PM on March 16, 2013 [3 favorites]


Zapp & Roger - More Bounce to the Ounce
posted by dtp at 4:31 PM on March 16, 2013


I'm Shipping Up to Boston
posted by Lucinda at 4:47 PM on March 16, 2013 [1 favorite]




It's slowish in tempo, but one of the sleepers on my treadmill mix is Ben Folds' Jesusland. It's a train song, by which I mean it has the chug and woo-woo of a train, underlaid by sixteenth notes so there's a lot of motion happening there, very dramatic with the strings. And it's essentially about Jesus going for a walk past wig shops and McMansions, never stopping, so there's a throughline of motion from beginning to end.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:59 PM on March 16, 2013


Oh, also on that same mix: Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor by Flight of the Conchords.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:01 PM on March 16, 2013 [1 favorite]


Hey by the Villebillies always gets me through that last mile
posted by tigerjade at 5:04 PM on March 16, 2013


Foo Fighters - No Way Back. Works great for me when I'm rowing as well.
posted by snowysoul at 5:33 PM on March 16, 2013


It's not fast, but Daft Punk did it for me today. How can you not persevere physically to someone telling you:

Work it
Make it
Do it
Makes us

Harder
Better
Faster
Stronger
posted by Gorgik at 5:37 PM on March 16, 2013 [2 favorites]


To go with Salt n' Pepa's "Push It" you should have Garbage's too. (Same title, different song, also great for exercise.)
posted by therewithal at 5:37 PM on March 16, 2013


Go Go Gadget Gospel by Gnarls Barkley
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:40 PM on March 16, 2013 [1 favorite]


For the last 2 1/2 minutes, there is this version of the Wonder Woman theme song by Tricky, John Frusciante and Flea
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:53 PM on March 16, 2013


Run The World (Girls) by Beyonce (non-video version doesn't have that slow start in the first few seconds)

Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani
posted by jorlyfish at 5:56 PM on March 16, 2013 [1 favorite]


I just a few days ago pulled together a shortlist of songs like this from previous metafilters on the question. Here they are:

Daft Punk, Harder Better Faster
LMFAO, Party Rock Anthem
Queen, Don't stop me now
Survivor, Eye of the Tiger
The weather girls, It's Raining Men
(Metafilter's own) Juicy Karkass, Punch 'em in the dick
Europe, The final countdown
Abba, Super Trouper
posted by lollusc at 6:35 PM on March 16, 2013


I use songs that make me think of hot girls I want to hook up with. Sorry, but it's true. I don't work out for "health," I work out to be hot.

And this.

Everyone's musical tastes differ. I'd hardly call "Push It" a motivational song, so not real sure how to answer this question.
posted by AppleTurnover at 7:33 PM on March 16, 2013


I like to end with Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine. It starts out slow, but finishes strong.

Another oddball favorite is Body Rolls by Leslie Hall. I love working out to most of her music, but that one is particularly good.
posted by apricot at 8:18 PM on March 16, 2013


I time my Tabata intervals to Jesu's "Friends Are Evil" and "The Stars That Hang Above You" just so. Um. Also, the climax to Slint's "Good Morning Captain" is pretty damn glorious just when you need it, your legs are about to give out and then!
posted by ifjuly at 9:39 PM on March 16, 2013


Fighter, Christina Aguilera
posted by ainsley at 9:42 PM on March 16, 2013


Move Any Mountain Shamen
Turn Me On - David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj
Main Event - RuPaul
Let's Go - Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo
Do You Wanna Funk - Sylvester
posted by SisterHavana at 10:43 PM on March 16, 2013


Oooh I love upbeat gym songs!

- Something Good Can Work (RAC Remix) - Two Door Bicycle Club (Let's make this happen girl!)

- Tall Boy - Har Mar Superstar (check out the awesome video too!)

- 40 Day Dream (Turbotito Remix) - Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes (starts off slow but builds up to the most magnificent happy dance party nightclub high EVA)

- Skinny Love (Das Kapital Rerub) - Bon Hiver (Soulful lyrics, heavy beat combo)

- I Feel it All (Diplo Remix) - Feist (soothing voice + angular rhythm = LOVE)

- Crave You (Adventure Club Dubstep Remix) - Flight Facilites (if you like dubstep)

- Neckbrace - Ratatat (peristent beat and a video full of budgies)

- Frontier Psychiatrist - The Avalanches (that boy needs chemistry)

- Over and Over - Hot Chip (like a monkey with a miniature symbol)

- Key of C (Sunshine edit) - Jim Noir (not electronic but reminds me of ice cream vans and fun)

- Either Deceptacon or Hot Topic - Le Tigre (awesome earworms)

- Brooklyn (Go Hard) - Jay Z & Satigold (B-R-O OK, LYN COME AGAIN)
posted by everydayanewday at 3:33 AM on March 17, 2013 [4 favorites]


If I Was Your Girl - Janet Jackson (keeping with the S'n'P vibe)
posted by pants at 4:31 AM on March 17, 2013


DJ Fresh - Gold Dust
posted by laconic skeuomorph at 5:13 AM on March 17, 2013


Gauge away - The Pixies
posted by piyushnz at 8:49 AM on March 17, 2013


Survival - Muse
posted by Lucinda at 9:57 AM on March 17, 2013


Danza Kuduro by Don Omar
posted by exceptinsects at 10:16 AM on March 17, 2013


Edge of Glory, Lady Gaga
posted by tan_coul at 11:47 AM on March 17, 2013


Barbra Streisand - Duck Sauce
Delirious - David Guetta
I Like How It Feels - Enrique Iglesias and the inevitable Pitbull
Renegade Master - Wildchild
Cotton Eye Joe - Rednex

The Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross version of In the Hall of the Mountain King can also be a fun finish.
posted by gnomeloaf at 12:29 PM on March 17, 2013


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F8PG6X77D0 Yello. Crazy awesome guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZRzVIhBBQg Magical transformation music from Panty and Stocking.
posted by CyborgHag at 1:58 PM on March 17, 2013


Matchbox Twenty, "How Far We've Come"
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:45 PM on March 17, 2013


Seconding Stronger by Kanye.
posted by tillei at 4:03 PM on March 17, 2013


Hey! Just popping in again because I remember going through a phase of working out to 40/50s music, the stuff meant for swing and lindy hopping to - it just unexpectedly worked and it was even a bit more fun to gym out with this stuff, because you're not really supposed to. I liked:

Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman

Ain't got no Home - Clarence 'Frogman' Henry

Just a Gigolo (I ain't got nobody) - Louis Prima

In the Mood - Andrews Sisters

Tonight You Belong to Me
- Patience and Prudence
posted by everydayanewday at 3:07 AM on March 18, 2013 [1 favorite]


The Tough Alliance: 25 Years and Runnin' saw me through the finish line of a half marathon.
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 2:23 PM on March 18, 2013


Pendulum's album In Silico.
posted by talldean at 7:39 AM on March 19, 2013


Lonely Boy by The Black Keys.
posted by getawaysticks at 11:09 AM on March 19, 2013


Ooh! And the Bad Horse song from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog!
posted by exceptinsects at 12:15 AM on March 24, 2013


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