You know how some music just puts you in the zone? With the right songs, exercise can be more fun and can even feel easier to do. That’s because the rhythm flowing through your headphones can actually rev your energy, boosting your burn by as much as 15 percent while drowning out feelings of fatigue. Want to work out harder and longer? Just add the right tunes.
To build a killer playlist you’ve got to pay attention to both tempo and how each song makes you feel. If you want to move quickly or powerfully, like during cardio or strength training, you’ll want a strong and fast rhythm of more than 120 beats per minute, or BPM. If you’re doing a slower, gentler activity, such as yoga or Pilates, music that keeps your pace slow and relaxed is key. Songs between 60 and 90 BPM should be just right. Whether your preference leans toward classic rock or hip hop, search for songs that remind you of fun memories, have uplifting lyrics, and psyche you up to move (“Crazy in Love”, anyone?). If you have an emotional connection with the music you’re listening to you won’t be as anxious to end a workout. In fact, you may even be inspired to keep going until you hear a particular song.
Try one of the specially crafted playlists below (or mix these in with your go-to favorite tracks), created by three fitness instructors—who also moonlight as DJs! Use these soundtracks to power your strength, cardio, and yoga workouts:
Cardio
Ideal Tempo: 120-145 BPM
DJ: Eunice Kindred, aka DJ Stefa, a Speed Demons, Cardio Express, and Videography instructor at New York’s Crunch Fitness clubs
1. “Ooh La La” by Britney Spears 128 BPM
2. “Wild” by Jessie J featurning Big Sean 129 BPM
3. “Grown Woman” by Beyonce 120 BPM
4. “Sweat” by Major Lazer ft Laidback Luke & Ms Dynamite 130 BPM
5. “Clarity” by Zed featuring Foxes 128 BPM
6. “Crackin” by Bassjackers 128 BPM
7. “I Need Your Love” by Ellie Goulding, Calvin Harris 128 BPM
8. “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke ft TI & Pharell 120 BPM
9. “Hey Now” by Martin Solveig and The Cataracs featuring Kyle 128 BPM
10. “Pour It Up” (Cosmic Dawn Remix) by Rihanna 130 BPM
11. 11. “Right Now” (Disco Fries BFAM Bootleg) by Rihanna, Julian Jordan, & Martin Garrix
128 BPM
Strength Training
Ideal Tempo: 125-140 BPM
DJ: Victor Cabesas, aka DJ Victorious, who teaches Body Sculpt and Kangoo at New York Health and Racquet Clubs
1. “We Found Love” by Rihanna 128 BPM
2. “Marry the Night” by Lady Gaga 128 BPM
3. “Gangnam Style” by Psy 130 BPM
4. ”Danza Kuduro” by Don Omar 130 BPM
5. “You Make Me Feel...” by Cobra Starship ft. Sabi 132 BPM
6. “Dance Again” by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull 128 BPM
7. “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida 128 BPM
8. “Up and Up” by Haddaway 132 BPM
9. “Give Me Everything Tonight” by Pitbull 129 BPM
10. “Scream and Shout” by will.i.am feature Britney Spears 130 BPM
Yoga
Ideal Tempo: 60-90 BPM
DJ: McKenna Rowe, aka Psykick Girl, a yoga instructor and founder of Chakra 5, a mobile yoga studio in Los Angeles
1. “Possibly Maybe” by Bjork (Lucy Mix) 60 BPM
2. “Teardrop’ by Massive Attack 89 BPM
3. “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine 75 BPM
4. "Lovesong" by Adele 60 BPM
5. "Me & Mr. Jones" by Amy Winehouse 89 BPM
6. "Missing" by Beck 90 BPM
7. "Salt Skin" by Ellie Goulding 90 BPM
8. "I'd Like To..." by Corinne Bailey Rae 90 BPM
9. "Nice Dream" by Radiohead 60 BPM
10. "In the Waiting Line" by Zero 7 80 BPM
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Build Your Own Burn Mix: Hone in on song speed. To determine the exact tempo of a song, you’ll need to find the beats per minute, or BPM. Analyze the songs already in your iTunes folder, with the downloadable MixMeister BPM Analyzer or the free “BPM” app for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. For up-tempo workouts search for songs that have a BPM if 120 or above; for slower exercise search for songs in the 60-90 BPM range.
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Select happy tunes. Choose songs that stir up positive emotions, whether through memories, inspiring lyrics, or songs with an upbeat sound.
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Remember a cool-down track. Give your body and mind a chance to unwind. One recent study found that listening to slow music after a workout helped exercisers recover more quickly.
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Revise regularly. After a few workouts add new songs to your playlist to keep it fresh. If you tire of a tune take it out of rotation—research shows that working out to music you don’t like can actually make exercise feel harder. 🕺💃
