Mixtape Madness #15 - The Workout Mix

According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.

The Workout Mix

Over the past couple of years I have found that I can run faster, maintain an intense workout, and push myself further just by playing the right music. It has reached a point that if I don't have my regular workout tunes playing, I either don't bother or make a half-assed attempt at exercising. So while my playlist includes a unique mashing of genres, you may want to tailor yours to your specific taste to keep you motivated. For this mix, the songs are not in order, but instead grouped into the different workouts I use them for.


STRETCHING: Stretching is a key part of any fitness routine. In the order listed below, they work well as a build up, and if you flip them at the end of your workout, they work pretty well as a cool down too.

• "Sweet Disposition" by the Temper Trap
• "Velvet" by the Big Pink

LIFTING: For lifting exercises, I like songs that have a well-defined, steady beat. More often than not, I end up leaning toward rock for this part of my workout. You'll notice as you listen to the music in this selection that there are clear musical cues to time your lifts to.

• "Hang Me Up To Dry" by the Cold War Kids
• "Everlasting Light" by the Black Keys
• "Hot Tottie" by Usher & Jay-Z
• "Dominoes" by the Big Pink
• "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Metallica

RUNNING: Running is when music affects my workout the most. For almost two years I have used the same songs in the same order to pace my run. Typically the mix looks like this: Song 1, Song 2, Song 3, Song 2 (repeat).

• "Crawl" by Kings of Leon - A steady pace to start with
• "Call on Me" by Eric Prydz - Increased pace, plus there are two options for this song,a 3 minute or 8 minute version depending on your stamina
• "Come With Me" by Special D - When I used to run on treadmills, this song would have me running at 8-12 MPH and is the most intense 3 minutes of my run.  

EXTRA MOTIVATION: Depending on time and ability, your workout may go longer or shorter. Here are a few more tunes I use to keep me motivated throughout an entire workout.

• "Gotta Get Through This" by Daniel Beddingfield - I like to do a one minute plank after each workout and I usually play this song for that.
• "Pony" by Ginuwine - Sometimes it's helpful to remember why you're working out.
• "Tik Tok" by Ke$ha - Actually a great beat for calisthenics.
• "Going Out of My Head" by Fatboy Slim
• "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
• "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns-N-Roses

Unlike most editions of Mixtape Madness, this one just offers suggestions in lieu of a track list. Find the music the motivates you, put it together, and start moving!