When going to the gym to work out, putting in a pair of earphones makes you forget about the strenuous exercise ahead. Running a mile in under eight minutes or staying on the treadmill for one hour is much easier to accomplish when listening to musical masterpieces. Whether you plan on pumping weights or taking a relaxing yoga class, these songs are the perfect escape that will allow you to keep going.
Treadmill: “Till I Collapse” by Eminem
Finding the ideal song to keep you motivated is essential to endure a long treadmill run. Go old school with “Till I Collapse” by Eminem featuring Nate Dogg. This song features memorable lyrics that will have you singing along and an upbeat rhythm that will help keep you at a steady pace. Start your workout with a fast walk and slowly work your way up to a faster pace. When the chorus hits, burst into a sprint and remain at that speed until the chorus ends. After the chorus, resume back to a jog and repeat this running process until the song ends. This exercise will build up your stamina and endurance, resulting in an ultimately longer and more intense workout.
Yoga: “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright
Yoga instills the perfect balance of empowerment and relaxation in any individual. Only one song epitomizes that: “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright. As the song gradually builds up, increase the level of difficulty in your yoga poses. Start with easy positions like the Mountain Pose and Hands to Heart, slowly breathing in and out. Continue with serene poses such as Upward Dog and Downward Dog, slowly progressing to Lunges and Crescent Moons. As the song nears the end, attempt the most difficult positions like Plank, Locust, Warrior and Leg High. After doing these yoga poses regularly, even the most difficult positions will seem as easy as the Mountain Pose.
Elliptical: “Ten Thousand Hours” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Lifting weights: “Swimming Pools” by Kendrick Lamar
Whether you are lifting five pounds or 50, lifting weights is difficult. “Swimming Pools” by Kendrick Lamar is catchy and entertaining, so listening to it will distract you from your aching muscles. The extended version is comprised of different and unique verses by several rappers, including Lamar’s Black Hippy cohorts from his previous group. Every time a new artist sings, change the lifting technique. Start with simple lifting and then move on to weight lifting while stepping on a small bench. As the amount of different artists increases, step on a higher bench. You will simultaneously be working on your arm and leg muscles. The individual rhythms will keep you pumping those heavy weights.