Let’s get ready to rumbleeee!
I know you can hear the synth beatsfrom this 90s classicblaring in your head right now (you’re welcome).
“Get Ready” instantly takes me back to the days when fitness was synonymous with Jock Jams. I despised doing suicides in gym class, but whenever the cool PE teacher threw on “Whoomp (There It Is)“, I somehow had no problem sprinting for my life in a pair of oversized gym shorts, clutching my waistband to avoid being pantsed by Jessica M*.
*Jessica’s name has been changed, but gurl, you know who you are.
The truth is, we all have our own version of Jock Jams — after all, music has a universal ability to move usandto get us moving. Scientifically speaking,music has serious motivation and performance benefits, and I bet you’ve felt the difference when your song comes on and suddenly you’re kicking higher, squatting lower, and running farther.
As an ACE-certified group fitness trainer, I’ve learned that this music-body connection can be measured and implemented during exercise to maximize results.
While every person has their own musical preference (don’t ask me why “Betty Davis Eyes” hypes me up SO much), there’s a specific tempo/beats-per-minute (BPM) formula that is guaranteed to harness the beast inside and help you get the most out of your workout.
Unsurprisingly, the optimized number of BPMs varies based on the type of exercise you’re doing. Here’s a rough guide that can help you stack your playlists based on your workout of the day:
Without digging into upbeats, downbeats, meters, and measures, just know that these general guidelines will help you match tempo to output. (And if you’re wondering how the heck to calculate BPM,read thisor check outthis handy site).
Below, I curated myultimate workout mix, designed for sustainedplyometricsandcardio. All the tracks are between roughly 100 to 180 BPMs to get your heart rate up, and they are some of my personal favorites that consistently light my fitness fire (full disclosure, this mix is about to take you on ajourney).
Here’s hoping it turns up the volume on your next workout, too!
Max Output Workout Mix
31 songs, 1 hr 56 min
