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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
For a warm-up 4 milles/hour on the treadmill:
I wont back down (Tom Petty)
Hash Pipe (Weezer)
I love my computer (Bad Religion)
Seven Nation Army (White Stripes)
I turn my camera on (Spoon)
Smells like teen spirit (Nirvana)
American Idiot (Green Day)
Le vent nous portera (Noir Desir)
Train in vain/Stand by me (The Clash)
Chaiyya Chaiyya Bollywood Joint (from soundtrack of a Spike Lee movie)
José F.
BT's Movement in Still Life and Madonna's Ray of Light are what I walk to. The arrangement of the songs helps me walk at different paces to work out even harder.
I have hours of music in my Ipod gym mix. Here's a sample list for a 30 minute cardio routine that both starts and ends a little slower (for your warmup and cooldown).
Gloria--Patty Smith
Miracle Drug--A.C. Newman
Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby--Johnny Cash
The Impostor--Evis Costello
Ban Marriage--The Hidden Cameras
Love Child--The Supremes
Pull Shapes--The Pipettes
I'm a Wheel--Wilco
Me and Mia--Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Blue Letter--Fleetwood Mac
Cat's Blues--Palace
Till the End of the Day--The Kinks
Houses in Motion--Talking Heads
"Gloria"'s particularly good to start things off--you begin slowly, with intensity, and then end by rocking out for a couple of solid minutes. It should get you going.
I always run to Ted Leo's Shake the Sheets album. Despite its ominous name, the song "Heart Problems" in particular keeps me going when I reach my fastest pace. It makes for an exhilarating work out every time.
While I'm not a big fan of most contemporary "dance-rock" (I cannot fathom why everyone raves about LCD Soundsystem), I do think !!!'s Myth Takes is one of the best CDs of the year, and perfect for exercising and other booty-shaking.
My fiance is the workout champ in the relationship, while I'm pretty much the music nut, and she enjoys sifting through our substantial digital music collection to load up her iPod nano when it is gym time. Some recent favs (besides the aforementioned !!! CD):
Caribou's Milk of Human Kindness
R. Kelly's "Bump n Grind"
Ginuwine's "My Pony"
AC Newman / the New Pornographers
ditto on the people who mentioned Can, I'm guessing fellow krautrockers Neu would be good for running to as well.
for crappy music, since there's so much good stuff to choose from. I teach spinning classes 3x/week and make a new mix for each class. Sometimes I hit, sometimes I miss. Recently I played a Latin/Alternative-Punk mix that (shockingly) got raves. After class, five people asked if I would make them a copy. It sounded like this:
The Sons of Cain, Ted Leo + Pharmacists 3:59
Diablo Rojo, Rodrigo y Gabriela 4:56
Won’t be Home No More, Old 97s 4:48
Celos, Marc Anthony 4:45
Brianstorm, Arctic Monkeys 2:50
Cada Beijo, Bebel Gilberto 5:51
Private Idaho, B-52s 3:38
Santa Maria, Gotan Project 5:57
Janie Jones, The Clash 2:06
Perfect Weapon, Communique 3:16
Do You Wanna Dance, Ramones 1:54
I compose music for fun, and exercising always seems to bring out new melodic ideas in my head. Every time I go skiing, or bicycling, or swimming, or whatever, I come home with a new tune or two. But I can't do that when I go to the gym - the stupid techno stuff interferes with the music in my head. I tried earplugs, to no avail - I can still hear it.
I don't care. Your taste is shit anyway. I just wish those exercise classes would turn the volume down a little. OR I bring a bullhorn.
Half the people own iPods or (like me) old cd Walkmans. Taste is so different that there is no way a gym can cater to everyone. My guess is that they play the kind of music they play because the hardcore regulars like it. The big guys and buff gals who do tons of lifting and talk regularly with the staff. I doubt the opinion of anyone else matters to them.
Personally, I listen to opera, and I listen to a lot of cast albums. I particularly like the latter because more recent shows tend to have 7-10 minute opening numbers which are very up tempo, and that pushes me at the start. Usually a couple of "up" numbers of shorter duration follow, after which comes a ballad. That fits my own energy cycle perfectly. But what are the chances that anyone else there at a given time has the same taste? Or the same pattern?
It makes the most sense for people to bring their own music to suit their own needs.
...not because I have one (or want one), but because others at the gym can wear them, listen to whatever they dig listening to while working out, and not bother anyone else. Communication can sometimes suck (you gotta tap on people if you need a spot), but overall it's cool with me. That said, I'd be a happier worker-outer if there was no music played at the gym, period. I love my current gym (Planet Fitness), and I don't even minde their music station (old stuff, new stuff), but I'm there to work out, and don't need music to light a fire under my ass. Hell, I can just look at my ass and the fire lights itself!
I know the idea of a no-music gym will never happen, but a man can dream. My wife, by the way, wants to strangle me on a regular basis because I'm the same way about driving. I love driving, and the sounds coming in the window, and listening to the traffic. Playing music just takes away from the Here and Now of it all.
I've put together the perfect workout playlist on my iPod. The problem is, my gym plays crappy R&B and hip-hip so loud that I have to crank my iPod to hear my music over their crappy music. I've complained a couple of times about the fact the gym music competes with the headphone music, only to have them ask if there's something wrong with my headphones. On the chance there was, I bought new headphones. It's not my headphones. It's the fact that I like my music at a reasonable volume - that is, one that won't cause permanent hearing damage - but at my gym, one must listen to the iPod at a volume that causes ringing in the ears for the rest of the day.
I'd love to switch gyms but the only other affordable gym in my neighborhood seems to have the same loud music policy.
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