All Entries For music

5 Workout Songs I'm Obsessed with Right Now

One of the easiest ways to refresh your workouts is to update the music you listen to while you exercise, whether you use an iPod or still create your own mix CDs. It has been too long since I shared some of my favorite workout songs with you, so I figured the new year was a good time since so many people are fired up and ready to get fit.

There are a few songs that I'm obsessed with lately. And I mean that--I cannot get enough of them! These tunes are so fun and upbeat that I can listen to them on repeat and still get my body moving after weeks on my workout playlist. Some of these hits are new and some are older (circa 1999 for one), but release date doesn't matter to me as much as the fun factor. If it makes me want to move, it goes on my playlist.

Posted 1/6/2010  10:26:05 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 295 comments

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dailySpark Holiday Giveaway Week 5: Tune In to Fitness

Welcome to week 5 of the dailySpark Holiday Giveaway! Music makes exercise more pleasurable. For most of us, a long run, a Spinning class or a Pilates workout wouldn't be complete without a soundtrack.

That's why we're giving away three iPod Nanos! But, wait, there's more…

Posted 12/28/2009  6:11:13 AM By: Stepfanie Romine : 201 comments

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15 Halloween Workout Songs to Burn Off Candy Calories

A few years ago, the night I taught Spinning happened to land on Halloween—not once, but two years in a row. I figured that anyone willing to show up on Halloween night to work out is pretty dedicated (or childless?), but either way, I wanted to make the workout festive and fun. I created a healthy Halloween workout mix for the class, dimmed the lights, and handed out my homemade granola bar treats when the ride was over.

It may be silly to some, but creating your own Halloween-themed workout playlist could motivate you to work out on Halloween (a must if you're going to be dipping into the candy jar that day), and it's one of few ways to have fun that doesn't involve eating candy!

So here is my healthy Halloween playlist: 15 spooky songs to help you to burn off those candy calories—and have fun doing it.

Posted 10/28/2009  7:23:12 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 99 comments

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Play Your Power Song to Go the Extra Mile

Every year or two, I get antsy with my fitness routine. My usual cardio becomes boring. Standard strength training doesn't hold my interest anymore. I get bored with my workouts and so I pick up a new pursuit, like Pilates, kettlebells or outdoor cycling. My latest thing is running. I used to be a competitive runner in high school and stuck with endurance running (6-8 miles several times per week) after graduating. But that got stale after a while and I didn't like exercising by myself all the time. So I took up Spinning, which has been my go-to cardio for almost 10 years now. I still love it, but as I was looking for something new to keep my interest and challenge my body in new ways, I returned to running.

At first, it was just once a week that I'd head outside for a 30-minute run. It wasn't easy, but I liked that about it. After a few weeks, I added another day of running to my week. Now I'm up to three times per week, still around 30 to 35 minutes each time.

Last week, I was ready for the next step: ramping up my running time to 40 minutes straight. I was tired that morning and not feeling entirely motivated to go 5 minutes longer, which also meant waking up earlier (and you may remember that I'm not a morning person). But then something happened that gave me a newfound energy to keep going...

Posted 9/9/2009  11:36:06 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 105 comments

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Turn Up The Intensity By Turning Up The Volume

Can a good song or playlist on your iPod kick your workout into high gear? Does it matter how loud the music plays? I've always felt more motivated when I have fun music to listen to during my workout. Now new research shows it's not only what's playing, but the volume of the music that could affect the quality of your workout- specifically your strength training regime.

Posted 8/25/2009  6:07:57 PM By: Jen Mueller : 124 comments

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Poll: Do You Have a Theme Song?

To me, one of the most defining moments in an inspirational movie comes when the protagonist overcomes adversity and we all leave the theater with that 'ain't life good' feeling. Many of us are quite familiar with theme songs of movies such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but for me they don't define the character as much as they do the whole movie.

If you are old enough to remember the classic movie Rocky, the audience is drawn to Sylvester Stallone's character Rocky Balboa as he runs up the infamous front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art raising his arms above his head as the theme song plays in the background. What a moment! Here is an underdog who beat the odds and rose to the top. And if you haven't seen the movie, I can almost guarantee you have heard the theme song.

A few years ago when I decided to spread my wings and start training for my first half-marathon, I decided I needed a theme song. A song that would get me excited about my training, but also would inspire me to keep going even when the going gets tough. It needed to have a nice cadence and something I would enjoy listening to every time I was running.

Posted 8/5/2009  3:01:12 PM By: Nancy Howard : 370 comments

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Pump It Up: 5 Fun Fitness Tracks for Your iPod

As a fitness instructor, I spend a lot of time listening to music, searching for new (and old) songs I can add to my Spinning classes or listen to while I run. I can't emphasize enough how important music is to my workouts—it really motivates me to get started, and to keep going when I'm feeling tired. So I'm going to share with you some of the newest tunes on my workout playlist. Then I want you to tell me what you're listening to!

Posted 8/5/2009  6:58:28 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 220 comments

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What Defines Your Life?


Over the years of our marriage, my husband has commented many times about how amazed he is that there are many songs I can hear and remember when they came out and were popular. It isn't every song by any means, but there are many that define different significant times and events in my life. Last week I realized just how much music defines my life.

Posted 6/29/2009  6:48:43 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 80 comments

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Poll: Does Music Help You Handle Emotional Eating?

We all know that listening to the right music can help us get the most out of our workouts. Not only can the prospect of listening to your favorite music while working out help you get off your butt and actually do it, music with a good tempo can help you keep up the intensity of your workout and have a little fun in the process.

But what about eating problems? Can listening to music help you avoid eating because you’re tired, bored, lonely, or frustrated?

Posted 4/30/2009  12:31:25 PM By: Dean Anderson : 91 comments

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40 Upbeat Songs to Make Your Workout Fly By

I think most exercisers agree that listening to some great music goes a long way when you're working out. It helps increase your energy and motivates you to work harder. In many ways, it even distracts you from the discomfort of exercise so that you'll keep going even when it's tough.

However, not just any music will do. We all have our own tastes and preferences for what we like to listen to when we exercise: pop, dance, techno, rock, metal, hip hop (Coach Jen's favorite), or all of the above. Sometimes, it's not the genre that matters; it's the pace (or beat). Others like inspirational lyrics. Personally, I think the beat matters. It has to match the pace of my workout—something I can't listen to and sit still. At the very least, I want to know (or be familiar with) the song that's playing. When I go to Spinning class, for example, and I encounter music that's too slow for the tempo of the workout, or too obscure for me to "escape" by singing along with the song in my head, I am not a happy exerciser.

Recently, I've been thinking about song length. Most radio hits are around 3 minutes long—you'd have to listen to 10 songs to get through a 30-minute workout—make that 20 for a full hour! I don't know about you, but my mind perceives that as a long time. So I've started to incorporate some longer songs into my playlists. Think of it this way: Would you rather know you have to exercise through 20 songs or 12? I pick 12. So I've gathered some of my favorite 5-minute workout songs to share with you! By selecting any 6-12 of them, you'll have a 30-60 minute workout playlist that's upbeat and motivating. As each song passes, you'll know you've hit a 5-minute milestone in your workout. Stop watching the clock and start working out with these songs!

Posted 4/15/2009  6:56:39 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 188 comments

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Pump It Up: 5 Hot Fitness Tracks for Your iPod

If you're like me, then you need a good soundtrack if you're going to work out. So I'm going to share with you some of the newest tunes on my workout playlist. Then I want to hear from YOU!

Here are five of my new favorite workout songs. Click on each link to listen to a preview (or purchase the mp3) at amazon.com.

Posted 2/18/2009  7:32:44 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 150 comments

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100 Best Workout Songs of 2008: What's Your Favorite?

The January 2009 issue of Fitness magazine recently named their top 100 workout tunes of 2008. I was so excited to see this list, because I'm always looking for new songs to add to my iPod and use in my classes. Find out if your favorites made the list!

Fitness breaks the 100 songs into five categories, which each include 20 of the best songs for Spinning, running, walking, weight training and even yoga. I have to admit that I hadn't heard most of the songs on this list, but here are the ones that I do like from their list:

Posted 1/22/2009  6:30:15 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 207 comments

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Healthy, Homemade Gifts: Mix CD (Workout Playlist)

Songs can make or break a workout. The right song can get you in the "zone" and help ease you past a plateau. The wrong song can make you zone out. (Could someone please tell that to my Spinning instructor, who has been using the same playlist for two months!?)

Do you have an mp3 player or CD collection that's full of upbeat workout songs for cardio or relaxing songs for your yoga practice?

Posted 12/10/2008  3:00:02 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 43 comments

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Workout Music: What's on Your iPod Right Now?

If you're like me, then you need a good soundtrack if you're going to work out. So I'm going to share with you some of the newest tunes on my workout playlist. Then I want to hear from YOU!

Posted 11/12/2008  8:29:59 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 116 comments

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Habits of Fit People: Create a Workout Playlist

You want to be a fit person, right? That's why I'm sharing my own habits for keeping fit and staying healthy in the ongoing Habits of Fit People series.

Here's one that works for me: Create a workout playlist. So why does something like this matter?

Posted 10/24/2008  6:56:18 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 93 comments

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