Workout classes blast their sound systems for a reason, folks. Music enhances your training sessions.
Your favorite tunes are capable of subconsciously encouraging you to train harder and distracting you from pain. From the New York Times in 2010:
Multiple experiments have found that music increases a person’s subjective sense of motivation during a workout, and also concretely affects his or her performance.
I have a deep passion for all kinds of music. From Coltrane to Biggie, from Prince to John Lee Hooker, I love all genres. When I’m working out, however, I want something to draw out my physicality and push me hard – Mozart, though inspiring in other ways, isn’t going to cut it. With this information in mind, I figured I’d throw you my top 10 favorite workout artists with the hopes that they will help you develop a soundtrack for your goal achievement.
10. Guns n Roses - Suggested track: “You’re Crazy”
Sometimes it’s helpful to visualize that one SOB that wronged you and take some energy out on him or her, especially if you think they’re crazy.
9. NWA - Suggested track - “Approach to Danger”
The title says enough. There is a steady buildup to Eazy’s verse, then boom - you feel the danger and it’s time to hit your next set.
8. Skrillex - Suggested track - “Right In“
You can’t help but want to run really, really fast with this banging in your headphones. Must play loud for full effect.
7. DMX - Suggested Track - “Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood”
I feel like a hungry, vicious dog when I listen. Dark Man X was once a beast. Now, not so much.
6. Hopsin - Suggested track - “Pans in the Kitchen”
Does he rip off Eminem stylistically and lyrically? Absolutely. But he’s talented, and in this case, his similarities to the cleverest rapper ever are helpful to the cause. The beat of this track hits with a nice, steady pace for a weight training session.
5. Metallica - Suggested track - “Motorbreath”
Fast drums, fast guitar, gritty grimy voice of James, eat metal, spit nails, repeat.
4. Ice Cube - Suggested track - “No Vaseline”
“Oh yeah, it ain’t over motherfuckers…” Revenge can be a great motivator.
3. System of a Down - Suggested track - “Chop Suey”
If the chorus doesn’t make you want to tear the walls down in your gym, you don’t have a pulse.
2. Eminem - Suggested track - “Not Afraid”
Let me be clear, this is NOT my favorite Em track, but I appreciate the message of change. I understand using the energy of another’s pain to drive you to be great. Eminem is clearly giving us his anguish to burn as fuel.
1. (Tie) Rage Against the Machine and Tupac
Suggested track for Rage - “Testify”
The band’s passion, their courage this track’s energy inspires full force, 100% effort. I dare you to blast this track and not be ready to train.
Suggested track for Pac - “Hit em Up”
“We keep on coming, while we running for your jewels, steady gunning, keep on busting at them fools, you know the rules” Pac had a way to make you feel invincible, ride or die.
Now, what are y’all listening to? Leave your comments below,
Kap
Mike B. says
Sink the pink by ACDC always gets me going.
Jeff Brannon says
Fort Minor - Remember the Name- great way to start a workout.
I know you said Not Afraid isn’t your favorite Eminem but cmon! No Eminem song comes close to ’till I Collapse or Lose Yourself for training!
Soldier is a good one too
Soldier was my walkup song in 2008 with Milwaukee. Love it, Adam.
Thanks, Zach. Isn’t it amazing how music touches us all differently? That’s what makes art interesting, in my opinion. There is no set definition of beauty. Take it easy, brother.
Love me some N.W.A …bulls on parade by rage is a go to for me.
Shannon says
Public Enemy, Eminem, and The Front Bottoms.
PE! So close to making my list, Shannon.
Mark Hebscher says
Wicked Rain-Los Lobos; 21st Century Schizoid Man-King Crimson; Excentrifigal Force-Frank Zappa.
Enrique Perez says
Collapse-Rise Against and Sail-Awolnation are my top two.
Nice, Enrique. Thanks for sharing.
EAL says
We have many if the same artists but different tracks recent tracks. Interestingly, there are no female artists on your list. Does this say more about your own personal style and what speaks to you or the music industry? Where my ladies at?
I know it’s slower, but one that gets me going on my long runs is Cake: going the distance. Now I have Ice Cube’s : put your back into it cycling through my mind…great for squats. Thanks a lot! Lol.
I have a triathlon marathon trainer friend in OC that doesn’t believe in listening to music while training. Thanks for your input!
Good call on Eminem “til I collapse” zach. Another Em one on mine is “Cinderella Man.” I also love Rick Ross “So Sophisticated” & “John” and Jay-Z “Lucifer” & “H.A.M.” Among others. My 4 go to songs when going for max lifts!
In 08 with Milwaukee I think soldier by em was his walk up song..
Brandon says
Pantera cowboys from hell one of my favorites. I listen to alot of reagaton. But looking up your top tens I don’t already know
Brent says
Currently tool’s undertow from front to back
Trey says
Lose yourself, till I collapse-eminem
Sabotage- beastie boys
Boom, lights out, south town- P.O.D.
Shipping up to Boston, state of MAss.-dropkick Murphy’s
Lets go- trick daddy
Power-Kanye
Jump around-HOP
Trey says
Lose yourself, till I collapse-eminem
Sabotage- beastie boys
Boom, lights out, south town- P.O.D.
Shipping up to Boston, state of MAss.-dropkick Murphy’s
Lets go- trick daddy
Power-Kanye
Jump around-HOP
Aaron says
Deftones! Too many songs to choose from, always gets my blood pumping!
Jordan says
I generally like to put Pandora on Dubstep radio. It’s taken a lot of thumbs up and down to get it where I want it for workouts but it’s a good starting place. Lot of Skrillex and other similar artists. More sound, less words.
Cole says
Ace Hood is who I listen to when trying to find motivation, he is a real and inspirational rapper. Also, he just came out with a new mixtape: Starvation III …gets me fired up every time
99 Bottles - Slane
Condor says
“Welcome home…(sanitarium)” - Metallica
It’s just you and the iron against your demons of the day. Go time!
Darren Wood says
Powerman 5000 “when worlds collide”.
Add this one to your playlist.
John says
I’m less a fan of listening to single songs during workouts. I’d rather play a full length album. Doing so really helps me maintain a certain mind frame. My top choices would include but aren’t limited to:
50 Cent - Power of the Dollar (hard to find here’s a link: http://www.audiomack.com/album/dj-arabmixtapes/power-of-the-dollar
Girl Talk - All Day (also hard to find on shelves or iTunes it’s easy to google though)
Audioslave - their self titled album is killer
Nirvana - In Utero
Jay Z - Reasonable Doubt and the Black Album
These few albums always do the trick in the gym.
ShaunMiley says
“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor on REPEAT…haha
My favorites are:
Knights of Bostonia by State Radio
Oppenheimer by Old 97s
How Bad Do You Want It? by Tim McGraw
Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler
I’m That Kind Of Girl by Patty Loveless
Knock Knock by Mac Miller
Come On Eileen by Save Ferris
Goin’ Up by Great Big Sea
Anna Sun by Walk the Moon
And just about anything by Dropkick Murphys
Yeah, it’s a bit of an eclectic mess and very different from your styles, but they are all fun to listen to while working out.
Joel says
Promentory fromThe Last of the Moicans is the only song I run to
Chris says
Rancid,Dropkick Murphys, the Pogues, and some Johnny Cash are on my Marathon-running mix. Powers me through.
“Hungry” by Rob Bailey & The Hustle Standard
Eric says
I recently supplemented my weight training with some boxing lessons.
LL Cool J “Mama Said Knock You Out” has been recently added to my playlist.
Also, any Puppets or earlier Metallica is great.
Tim says
Awesome, same style as me! I love Motorbreath on the playlist and nothing else in the hip genre works like DMX and nothing beats Rage period, end of story. Few new ones you might like since I can tell you have a very similar musical preference: In Flames: Embody the Invisible or Reflect the Storm, Chevelle: Panic Prone, Shameful Metaphors or Send the Pain Below, Nas-One Mic, DMX-Here we go Again, Deftones-Change, Game-My Life, Silversun Pickups-The Royal We or Kissing Families, Marilyn Manson-Tourniquet, Gang Starr-Moment of Truth
-Thanks for the blog and all you do, I recently heard you on sports talk radio in Chicago and discovered this sight and I absolutely love it, right up my alley. Keep up the good work!
Slipknot does the trick every time. I use Slacker radio and just enter them into the search and away I go.