What’s on your Workout Playlist?

Music can be an amazing motivator.  With the variety of great music available, plus the accessibility of music on our phones or tiny MP3 players, there’s really no excuse not to have an amazing workout playlist!  Our Wellness office thought it would be fun to put together our personal “Top 10 Workout Playlist” songs to share with you.  Here’s our lists, in no particular orders, with a few comments as well.  (We tried to keep it as family friendly as possible.)

Kelsey  (Kelsey’s list features uptempo grooves with strong, driving beats)

• Hey Ya — Outkast   A fun song to get you moving
• Crazy — Gnarls Barkley
• Sweet Home Alabama — Lynyrd Skynyrd     the rock anthem of the South winds up on the Kalispell girl’s list…go figure
• Smooth Criminal — Michael Jackson     one of the best dance videos of all time is also a fun workout song
• Somebody Told Me — The Killers
• Yeah! —  Usher     more groove
• Stronger —  Kanye West     “that that don’t kill me, will only make me stronger”
  
• Crazy In Love —  Beyonce’ Feat. Jay-Z     workout to this song, and you’ll have legs like Beyonce
• Black Horse and the Cherry Tree —  KT Tunstall     this song has an infectious loop that will stick in your head…sometimes too long
• Are You Gonna Be My Girl —  Jet     these Aussie rockers lay down an amazing bass line that drives this one

Neal (Neal show’s that he is the oldest member of the Wellness Team with his refusal to let go of the best workout songs from the 80s and 90s)

• Immigrant Song — Led Zepplin     if Neal feels like lifting heavy, he puts on this track and turns it up to eleven
• Where the Streets Have No Name — U2     maybe the best song of all-time, it made Cristin’s list as well
• The Pretender — Foo Fighters     best spin class song ever…do your intervals during the chorus
• Runnin’ Down a Dream — Tom Petty     fun song in the gym, or on the road
• Rebel Yell — Billy Idol     love 80s rock?  going for a run?  Put on Rebel Yell and set your feet to the rhythm…you’ll be fast
• Going the Distance — Cake    Neal ran college Cross-Country in the 90s, so this one automatically makes his list
• Sharp Dressed Man — ZZ Top     this one is Neal’s sentimental choice, as its beat was the beat he ran to in Junior High
• Break the Same — Mutemath     finally, a modern song!  If Neal wants to punish himself in a workout, Break the Same is playing
• Applause — Lady Gaga     Neal lives for the Applause
• Houdini — Foster the People     “Focus on your ability/Then they can’t get what they want to steal”

Cristin  (Cristin’s mix are basically songs with good beats and driving guitars, that she enjoys running along to)

• Warehouse – Dave Matthews Band           dramatic intro builds into a long jam
• We Found Love – Rhianna     another song that builds in intensity with a catchy dance mix
• Thrash Unreal – Against Me!     need to get rid of some angst?  Just yell along to this track…that’s what Cristin does
• Safe & Sound – Capital Cities     just a fun, feel-good song that leaves you feeling safe and sound
• Pyro – Kings of Leon      you can get lost in this song, which is a good thing to do on a long run
• Intro — The xx     this is the one Cristin plays when she’s in the tunnel, smoke billowing, crowd roaring as they anticipate her running out onto the field
• Broken Jaw – Foster the People    “Yeah, Yeah!”  Feel free to fist-pump along to the intro 
• Good Life – OneRepublic     Cristin’s happy song
• U2 – Where the Streets Have No Name     again, maybe the best song of all-time, period
• Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap     so, basically any song with a guitar intro utilizing an echo or chorus effect, Cristin likes.  Hey, there’s nothing wrong with that 

Finally, Cristin’s husband Ethan said no review of the best workout songs would be complete without the ultimate workout song of all-time:  Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor. Good call E!

Alright, we shared with you, now we’d love it if you shared with us!  Send us your favorite workout playlist songs to wellness@montana.edu with the subject line: Playlist, and we’ll give you an entry into our 4th Quarter and Yearly prize drawing.  You don’t have to put together 10, share one or as many as you’d like!  Plus, if we get a good list, we’ll share the MUS Top Workout songs according to You!  Speaking of workout playlists and prizes, our Montana Moves third quarter drawing winner scored an Ipod Shuffle!  Abbey Keene of MSU Sports and Recreation won our quarterly drawing for her participation in July’s COTM.  Here’s Abbey’s submission, and a pic with her new Shuffle.  Remember to send your Playlist, and participate in our Challenges of the Month, and you could be our next big winner!