5 tips for curating epic workout playlists

I always struggle with motivation for going to the gym at this time of year because I am not a fan of leaving my house when it’s cold out. But, since I actually enjoy being healthy, and fitness is a huge part of that, I try to make it a priority to find different ways to stay motivated to workout. And one of those ways is listening to great music when working out.

For a long time, I believed my workout was only as good as my music. When I first started out on my fitness journey, I wouldn’t dream of heading to the gym without double and triple checking that I had my iPod and headphones. These days, I’ve have other things to keep me excited about working out, but music is definitely still a factor. So, today, I wanted to share a few tips I’ve found that make curating motivating workout playlists easier.

1. Tailor them to your workout

Picture this. You’re standing on the treadmill, about to knock out 5K and you’re hoping for a personal best. Then, you turn on your iPod, and Secret by Maroon 5 comes on. Don’t get me wrong. It’s an awesome song and there’s definitely a time and place for it. But, it’s not when you’re trying to get in the zone and run your heart out. It’s much more of a cool down or stretching song. So, when you’re making your workout playlists, have a mind to what you’ll be doing while listening to them.

Related: 5 ways to stay active as it gets colder

2. Have a group playlist

I’m definitely challenged when it comes to finding new songs to add to my playlists. I don’t listen to the radio that often so I’m not always in the know about new songs. Obviously, this makes it kind of hard for me to keep my workout playlists fresh without a lot of work. But, one solution to that is setting up a group playlist. Spotify is one app I know that allows collaborations like that and I’m sure there are some others. Or, if you don’t want to go all millennial and use an app, you can just ask your friends for music recs. Whatever works for you.

Related: 5 types of fitness apps to help you rock your workouts

3. Take a fitness class

Group classes aren’t only a good way to inject some variety into your workout routine. They’re also a great way to discover new to you workout music for your playlist. I found my favourite cool down song ever thanks to a Les Mills Body Attack class I took at GoodLife Fitness more than two years ago. I’ve also discovered some really hype songs for those times I need an extra push to get into the cardio mood. I find the names of songs used in group workouts on the Les Mills website, but I’m sure if you talk to the class instructor, they’ll hook you up with the deets.

Related: Top 5 benefits of group fitness classes

4. Switch it up often

The mark of a great workout playlist is one that changes often. Yes, you want music that compels you to work hard to accomplish your goals. But, while a song can do that for you today, hearing it 6 months in a row would probably get old in a hurry. And instead of getting pumped up by your playlist, you end up bored and uninspired. So do yourself a favour and inject some new blood into your workout playlists every so often.

And if all else fails,

5. Outsource

Let’s be real. We don’t always have time to craft the perfect workout playlist that will get us pumped and ready to exercise. Luckily, there are people in the world who enjoy just that. And, thanks to the internet, finding and using workout playlists that other people have created isn’t that hard. Some great places to start are DJs’ websites, Spotify, Soundcloud and YouTube.

What about you?

• Do prefer working out with or without music?
• What kind of music inspires you to workout?
• What songs are on your workout playlist right now?

Share in the comments below!

 

 

 

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This post was written as part of the GoodLife Fitness Blogger Ambassador Program; however all opinions expressed are my own.