Workout Songs to Get Your Body Moving!

Choose your tunes wisely!

You walk into the gym, packed with fitness enthusiasts, or pass a few runners in the neighborhood. They ALL have headphones in their ears, jamming! Studies show that music gets us started and keeps us going through the plateau we hit while working out. Skinny Ms. has searched high and low to bring you great motivational workout hits regardless of the exercise you’re doing! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

Cardio
Cardio workouts are fast-paced, requiring music with a fast tempo. Typical cardio workouts involve treadmills, elliptical trainers, or stairmasters. Include your favorite songs in your playlist, keeping in mind that the best choices are tunes that get your heart rate up and provide you with the motivation to keep going. Choose songs for your cardio workout that have at least 120 to 140 beats per minute.

There are many different songs you can incorporate in your cardio workout that have the right number of beats per minute. Some suggestions that will get your heart pumping and your hips moving are:

1. Hips Don’t Lie
Shakira – BPM 130 Amazon/iTunes

2. Fergalicious
Fergie – BPM 144 Amazon/iTunes

3. I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor – BPM 118 Amazon/iTunes

4. I Know You Want Me(Calle Ocho)
Pitbull – BPM 140 Amazon/iTunes

Weight Lifting

Many weight lifters listen to hard rock when lifting. There’s something about the intensity of heavy rock that seems to help weight lifters and body builders pump iron. Hard rock gets the blood pumping, especially music with powerful bass and a thundering beat. Some awesome songs for an intense weight lifting workout include:

1. Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J – 102 BPM Amazon/iTunes

2. Eye of the Tiger
Survivor – 109 BPM Amazon/iTunes

3. Another One Bites The Dust (Digital Remaster)
Queen – 110 BPM Amazon/iTunes

4. Welcome To The Jungle
Guns ‘n’ Roses – 123 BPM Amazon/iTunes

5. Lose Yourself
Eminem – 171 BPM Amazon/iTunes

Walking

Walking exercise programs require music that varies in tempo. Most people change the rate of their walking speed as their heart rate elevates. We tend to work harder without even noticing the extra effort when we’re listening to our favorite tunes. They get us pumped up and keep us from becoming overly exerted too quickly!

To start your warm up look for songs that are about 115 to 118 beat per minute!

1. Eye of the Tiger
Survivor – 109 BPM Amazon/iTunes

2. Start Me Up
Rolling Stones – 113 BPM Amazon/iTunes

3. Shampain
Marina and the Diamonds – 118 BPM Amazon/iTunes

To really get you going, try pushing up to 120 to 140 beats per minute or more for an intense workout! If you are doing interval training (walking interspersed with short bursts of running), try alternating your beat per minute back and forth from 115 to 140 to get you pumped up and to slow you down a bit when you need it!

1. Blow
Ke$ha – 120 BPM Amazon/iTunes

2. Don’t Stop The Music
Rihanna – 122 BPM Amazon/iTunes

3. Sweet Child O’ Mine
Guns N’ Roses – 155 BPM Amazon/iTunes

4. Get Back Up
Toby Mac – 120 BPM Amazon/iTunes

5. Get The Party Started
Pink – 129 BPM Amazon/iTunes

6. FireWork
Katy Perry – 145 BPM Amazon/iTunes

7. No Matter What
Kerrie Roberts – 125 BPM Amazon/iTunes

8. Waka Waka (Official 2010 Fifa World Cup Song)
Shakira – 130 BPM Amazon/iTunes

9. Beat It
Michael Jackson – 150 BPM Amazon/iTunes

10. Light Up the Sky
The Afters – 145 BPM Amazon/iTunes

11. Since U Been Gone
Kelly Clarkson – 160 BPM Amazon/iTunes

12. Walking on Sunshine
Katrina and the Waves– 110 BPM Amazon/iTunes

Now, time to slow it down. Cooling down tunes should be under 100 beats per minute. These songs will inspire you, while helping you to finish your workout on a positive note! Here are a few cool down songs we thought you might like.

1. Dancing Queen
ABBA – 100 BPM Amazon/iTunes

2. Downtown Train
Rod Stewart – 100 BPM Amazon/iTunes

3. My Deliverer
Mandisa – 89 BPM Amazon/iTunes

Whether you’re using iTunes, Pandora, or Spotify, look up these tunes and add them to your playlist for a fun, effective workout!

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