I used to be so bad at music. My workout playlists were so out of date that I was discovering “top hits” at least a year late – seriously, I started playing Sia’s Chandelier in my fitness classes in 2015 (it was released March 2014).
Thankfully, I’ve gotten much better. Now that I teach three to five nights a week I need to be up to date not only with my workouts, but also with my workout music, because I get bored fast – and I definitely don’t want my participants to get bored.
I’ve developed some trusted methods for finding the best workout songs and I’ve reached out to my fellow instructors and trainers to get their tips on how to build a motivating workout soundtrack.
Tips on finding workout music:
Francarlos Leon is a Bootcamp Instructor in Vancouver. Originally from Venezuela, he joined the military there when he was 12-years-old and pulls a lot of his bootcamp drills from the training. He teaches at a number of locations across Vancouver and is known for his upbeat music and motivating attitude.
Q: What kind of music do use for your workouts?
A: I usually like instrumentals, R&B, house, trap music and trance music.
Q: How do you find new music?
A: I keep my eyes open for new music everywhere I go. I Shazam when I hear something I like and/or use YouTube and the MP3 YouTube converter.
Alex Grant is a Bootcamp Instructor at Wynn Fitness in Mississauga. She’s a former gymnast and used to compete in the U.S. She’s been teaching evening bootcamps alongside a full time job for the past three-and-a-half years.
Q: What kind of music do you use for your workouts?
A: I choose music based on the energy and how it makes me feel. I like to use upbeat music or music that makes me get into the zone. I also choose music that will infuse people with energy because at 7:30p.m. you start to feel the weight of the day. I like to try and lift that weight and make people feel amazing by the end of the class.
Q: How do you find new music?
A: YouTube! I find it important to keep momentum going, so I choose mixes that never stop playing. I usually search for “2016 mix” and go through lots of them to see how they make me feel. I usually find myself also searching “summer mix,” because everyone loves the summer! I also listen to GooglePlay and always ask what people are listening to for more inspiration.
Larissa Cahute is a fitness instructor in Toronto teaching bootcamp, kickboxing and spin, but you already know that! If you need a refresher, check the About Me section.
Q: What kind of music do you use for your workouts?
A: I find anything Top 40 or Greatest Hits to be the most upbeat and motivating. For cardio-based classes I like to use beats-per-minute-based music, but for bootcamps and spin I go with anything loud and upbeat.
Q: How do you find new music?
A: My life has changed since I signed up for Spotify – its curated playlists (under the ‘browse’ tab) are a saviour. I love Today’s Top Hits (under the pop section), because it’s the best way to stay current. The best workout tracks I’ve found, though, are within the ‘workout’ playlists – pretty obvious. My favourite compilations are the “Motivation Mix” and “Workout Remix.” Motivation Mix has great dance, EDM and old favourites (it’s this mix that has me obsessed with Eminem’s ‘Till I Collapse), and Workout Remix is exactly how it sounds. I also use instructormusic.com for my cardio-based workouts. This website has a huge selection of bpm-based music from a variety of genres.
Current favourite track:
Parastoo Badie is an Ottawa-based Personal Wellness Coach. She has a background in rugby and fitness modelling and also founded the My Fabulous Self Campaign, which encourages self love and respect. She’s currently accepting clients at Love to Train in Ottawa.
Q: What kind of music do you use for your workouts?
A: I change it up on my mood and that goes the same for my workouts; it really depends on what I’m doing! If I’m lifting heavy or exercising with high intensity, I prefer something with bass or sass. This includes EDM, rap, 90s throwbacks, dance hits, and some good booty shaking tunes. Before rugby games there’s usually some rock or hardcore anthems like Drowning Pool. I also enjoy nature sounds or calm acoustic tunes when I’m stretching or cooling down after my workout.
Q: How do you find new music?
A: My major resources are Spotify and YouTube. I look up a genre, mood, or artist and just go with it. I rarely listen to the radio or watch TV so I’m not too familiar with the biggest Top 40 hits anymore. I do like the “Release Radar” and “Discover Weekly” playlists as they introduce me to new tunes. But my Favourites library has a really random assortment of playlists including Binaural Beats, Soca, Latin Party Anthems, Adele, Bif Naked, musical soundtracks, belly dancing beats and more. My all time favourite though is 90s Throwbacks!
Claire Symchysn is a certified personal trainer and Isagenix Representative. She has specialities in Stretch Therapy and has her CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 2 and Reiki Level 1. She’s also a past fitness competitor. You can reach her at clairecsyms@hotmail.com.
Q: What kind of music do you use for your workouts?
A: My music totally depends on what kind of workout I’m doing. For example, high intensity circuits would be total upbeat and catchy songs (think artists like Clean Bandit and Diplo). For lifting I go into the badass mentality with some Rick Ross. It helps me lift heavy and feel strong! When I stretch I go into total soul mode and vibe with Celine Dion. I think each different workout has a different goal and I definitely use music to help me hit mine! The energy of the music fuels me, so I always go with the flow and what best energizes me that day!
Q: How do you find new music?
A: I usually grab songs off the radio through the Shazam app and I search new music on YouTube. When I search YouTube I usually search a genre, for example “new reggae 2016,” then click a video and browse the suggestions along the side. I start clicking and get taken down the rabbit hole of YouTube! Another tool I use is going to my favourite radio station sites (Flow 93.5 and Z103.5 usually) to find great hits – new and throwbacks – in their recently played lists. I even go as far as to search out the Rick Dee’s Top 40 countdown. There are usually some great tracks that I may have missed and I update my playlists every three to four weeks with these!
Current favourite track:
CahuteFit 