Revamp Your Workout Playlist for Summer 2014

Stretching and Listening to Music

You step outside into sweltering heat after a long day of work. You’re immediately sweaty (and that was just the 30 second walk to the car). More than likely, the last thing you want to do is voluntarily increase that sweatiness, right? So you deviate from your plan; driving right past the gym because it’s just “too hot out”.

Wait. one. minute. Rewind, and add in one, mindless action. Put on some music…yes, that’s it. Turn on your favorite song. And make it loud. 9 out of 10 times I bet you’ll be so consumed in your car concert performance that skipping the gym won’t even cross your mind.

Thanks to today’s technology, a wifi connection is all you need to find or create a playlist unique to your music preference. Each month Runhundred.com compiles top workout songs, submitted and then voted on, from members of the worlds fitness community.

Here is July’s “Top 10” list, as per shape.com, to help revitalize your summer workout.

  • “Rude”- Magic (72 BPM)
  • “Am I Wrong”- Nico & Vinz (121 BPM)
  • “Birthday”- Katy Perry (124 BPM)
  • “Water Fountain”- Tune Yards (111 BPM)
  • “The One Thing”- Shakira (84 BPM)
  • “Drink to That All Night”- Jarrod Neimann ft Pitbull (120 BPM)
  • “Boom Clap”- Charli XCX (93 BPM)
  • “Bartender”- Lady Antebellum (101 BPM)
  • “G.U.Y.”- Lady GaGa (100 BPM)
  • “The Illest” (Rell the Soundbender Remix) – Far East Movement ft Riff Raff (80 BPM)

*”BPM” refers to beats per minute. (Example: A runner will usually choose a song with a higher BPM, say 120, which indicates that each foot will hit the ground mid stride about 60 times).

Celebrities have recently been known to share what music energizes them for their workouts. To find the more relatable ones, you’ll have the best luck searching for A-listers who are known for their physiques.

Take Joe Manganiello for instance. Most widely known for his roles in HBO’s True Blood and the film Magic Mike, Joe’s 8 pack abs frequent the screen. But his muscles aren’t just for show; Joe has recently been named one of the fittest men of all time by Men’s Health. So how does this perfect specimen of male musculature (I’m a huge fan) push through his extreme workout routines? With Pandora’s Metallica or Audio Slave stations of course!

Or there’s the beautiful fitness duo of Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn, friends and creators of the female-friendly health series “Tone It Up”. The girls use Spotify to compile their own personal workout playlists for the public to use. Try their new for summer 2014 playlist today by searching “Summer Tone It Up Mix” by Katrina Scott.

Music feeds the soul? Well, I say that it also fuels your fitness. Seriously, have you ever attempted a tough workout in complete silence? I’m willing to bet that’s a resounding “no”. So slip your earbuds in, select shuffle play from your new and improved “pump-up” playlist, and voluntarily commit to increasing your “sweatiness”.