Create a Gym Playlist That Will Make You Want to Work Out

by Autumn Jones

It's no surprise that what you listen to while exercising can influence your workout. Taking the time to create a gym playlist that's customized to your taste, fitness activities and mood will make your sweat session more fun and productive. Sure, there's plenty of music-streaming options out there that have curated songs and stations meant to pump up your adrenaline, but for a lot of people, tailoring a set list to suit both mood and workout routine is the way to go. Before you take another run on the treadmill, create a gym playlist that will get you excited about your next workout.

Consider Your Pace

We live in a wonderful world — one in which you can choose a song to match your workout based on its speed. Using websites such as Song BPM, you can search for a song title and learn how many beats per minute (BPM) that song contains. Marry this technology with your workout and create a gym playlist that amps you up when you need it most. Choose songs with high BPMs to play at peak points in your workout to provide that extra burst of energy.

After you get the hang of using BPMs, you can create a gym playlist that flows with the rhythm of your workout. Opt for slower, more sublime songs during the warm-up and cool-down portions of your routine, and save the heavy-hitting jams for the hard stuff. Additionally, create more than one gym playlist to accompany the activity you're choosing for the day. Having a separately curated list of songs for running on the treadmill, lifting weights and doing yoga will help set the tone and mood for each type of exercise.

Switch It Up

There's no rule that says your gym playlist must consist of music alone. Workouts are a great time to get lost in a story. With tons of audiobooks available across every fiction and nonfiction genre, you can have someone read to you while doing squats and stretching your hammies.

Better yet, if you're already a Planet Fitness member, have someone read to you for free! That's right — from July 18 to November 18, 2018, Planet Fitness members can try out Audible at no cost for two whole months. Audible offers the largest selection of audiobooks anywhere, making it easy to listen anytime, any place!

Go Instrumental

To get deep in your workout zone, try listening to pure tunes — which is to say, songs with no words. These days, instrumental music does not necessarily equal elevator music. You can find instrumental covers of songs in genres from reggae to pop to electronic dance to alternative. Instead of singing along, you can sink deep into your mind-body connection while moving to the music.

Become Bilingual

Looking to brush up on your Italian or learn to speak Spanish? Download a language-learning program or app to your portable device and build your fluency along with your biceps. That way, when you head off on your next vacation, you'll be stronger and smarter.

If you're tired of listening to the same old tunes, thinking outside the box will help you create a gym playlist that works exactly how you want it to.