# What do you listen to when you work out? Suggestions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989 "2005-05-29T15:15:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/1 "2005-05-29T15:15:55Z")
I just got this cool new mp3 player and I’m looking for suggestions for songs to download to it. I got it to listen to when I work out so maybe some high energy type of music. Any suggestions? What do all of you listen when you work out? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/2 "2005-05-29T15:36:34Z")
what else but [the Rocky theme? (.swf)](http://www.ebaumsworld.com/rockyisback.html) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/3 "2005-05-29T15:55:18Z")
I’m weird. My “working out” generally consists of distance running (5-8mi), so I don’t go for short attention span pop-tunes. (Don’t like ‘em, anyway.) So…Miles Davis (obviously not Kind of Blue…Bitches Brew, Big Fun, ESP, that sort o’ thang), Charlie Parker, some Dave Brubeck, Lalo Schfirin (a particular favorite). If it’s cloudy or raining Enya seems appropriate (though I don’t listen to her much otherwise.) John Lee Hooker has gotten a few spins, and I’ve played Cream a few times as well, but usually it’s the list above. I can’t stand the electronica crap that passes for work-out music that most people like, and hip-hop has just never done anything for me. Yeah, like I said…I’m weird. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/4 "2005-05-29T16:14:12Z")
On the other hand, I like electronic crap when I run. Particularly Trance stuff - Dave Ralph, Sandra Collins, the Tranceport collections, that sort of thing. On a really good day, the music takes me out of my head. I’ll suddenly realize I’m flying along, faster than normal, and feel like I’m hardly working at all. Euphoria. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/5 "2005-05-29T16:18:17Z")
I’ve recently started running, and I wanted some music with a real driving beat to keep me going. I found some great stuff by Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy at iTunes (though you do have to convert them to mp3 format). My current playlist is: Paris Texas (Blade Trinity soundtrack): Bombs Away (Danny Saber Remix) Fatboy Slim: 10th & Crenshaw Give the Po’ Man a Break Jin Go Lo Ba Wonderful Night Rockefeller Skank Renegade Master (Fatboy Slim Old Skool Mix) The Prodigy: Get Up Get Off We Gonna Rock What Evil Lurks Smack My Bitch Up [I still have to burn this to a CD and rip it to get it out of the bizarre unfriendly Real format, which is the only place I could find it for download] My favorite is Renegade Master - no matter how lazy and uninterested in exercising I feel, it always gets me revved up. As you may have gathered, they do include strong language, but I don’t care as long as the music’s good. ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/6 "2005-05-29T21:18:30Z")
pink soundtrack for moulin rouge disco music (okay, so I’m lame) ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/7 "2005-05-29T21:25:40Z")
Here’s my list: it’s a mix of up-tempo techno, rap, pop & rock Take me Away-4 strings Body Movin’-Beastie Boys (Fatboy Slim remix) Busy Child-Crystal Method Insane in the Brain-Cypress Hill Growing on Me-The Darkness Feel Good Inc-Gorillaz Welcome to the Jungle-Guns & Roses All Nite-Janet Jackson U Can’t Touch This-MC Hammer (yeah, yeah, I know) Beat It-Michael Jackson Ruiner-NIN Beware-Punjabi MC with Jay-Z For Nancy-Pete Yorn Spitfire-Prodigy This Must be the Place-Talking Heads Africa-Toto Those last two are my cool-down songs ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/8 "2005-05-29T23:09:11Z")
These are some great work-out albums that spring to mind. Sorry… I’m not so good with individual tracks. If you’re interested, [www.allmusic.com](http://www.allmusic.com) will point you in the direction of each album’s better songs. Wire: Pink Flag - Grinding guitar and steady beats Kraftwerk: Computerwelt - Insanely predictable/minimalist. Just don’t hold me responsible if you actually turn into a robot. Soft Cell: Non Stop Erotic Cabaret - More in the Tainted Love vein. Guns ‘N’ Roses: Appetite For Destruction - Gives you tonnes of energy, if nothing else. The Clash: The Clash - More classic punk. Pepe Deluxe: Supersound - A lot of it sounds like it should be used in a porno. 'nuff said. Ultravox: Vienna – More rocking than a lot of early 80s synthesiser stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/9 "2005-05-30T03:28:42Z")
I have 1500 workout songs on my iPod Mini, but I’ve found some of my favorites to be Louis Prima, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Missy Eliot and Rage Against the Machine 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/10 "2005-05-30T05:20:32Z")
Any ska, particularly more punk-laced 3rd wave Soundtracks to movies like Grosse Point Blank or the aforementioned Moulin Rouge Ozomatli Squirrel Nut Zippers Manu Chao Pogues or more recent groups that have a similar sound like Drop Kick Murphys Artists I like for mellower or slower days include Butterfly Boucher and Wyclef Jean. I have this one CD of ska artists from the area where I grew up in Northern CA and I end up not even noticing how much I’m sweating or how tired I am because the music keeps me going. It’s a Raj Records compilation (This is Raj and This is Ska). ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/11 "2005-05-30T09:45:10Z")
Depends on what you mean by “workout”. If it’s cardio, anything that has a nice beat you can move to will do. If you mean weights, nothing beats heavy/death metal. Look up Sevendust, Iron Maiden, Godsmack, System of a Down, Cannibal Corpse, Hatebreed, and Disturbed. Especially Disturbed. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/12 "2005-05-30T13:56:01Z")
My favourite workout album is Sonic Jihad by Snake River Conspiracy. It’s loud, crude, raucous, angry and funny, and I can really work up a good sweat to it. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-listen-to-when-you-work-out-suggestions/305989/13 "2005-05-31T13:01:22Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Depends on what you mean by “workout”. If it’s cardio, anything that has a nice beat you can move to will do. If you mean weights, nothing beats heavy/death metal. Look up Sevendust, Iron Maiden, Godsmack, System of a Down, Cannibal Corpse, Hatebreed, and Disturbed. Especially Disturbed. Yep, pretty much what he said.