The Definitive Nerd Fitness Workout Playlist

Published on 01/28/2010 - 72 comments!

Screen shot 2010-01-27 at 11.41.00 PM

Does music ever make you feel like this?

It does for me, which is great because music happens to be a huge part of my life.  My day job involves producing floating music festivals on cruise ships (watch a spur-the-moment commercial I made on one of our cruises last week), I go to a few concerts a month, I play both guitar and piano, and I have a playlist in my iTunes for practically every occasion: for work, while studying or reading, when at a party, while falling asleep, and most importantly for working out.

I’m convinced that I can lift five to ten pounds more when listening to the right song. Unfortunately, because my gym loves to play Taylor Swift techno remixes all the time (don’t ask), I’ve resorted to bringing my own iPod and loading up my own workout playlist.  Put in the headphones, keep my head down, and take care of business.  I figured today would be a good day for me to highlight what’s on that playlist and ask you what I should add to it.

Steve’s Nerd Fitness Workout Playlist

This is what I listen to when lifting weights.  Feel free to make fun of anything in here you don’t like, as that’s what’s music is all about: making fun of others who listen to things different than you :) .

There you have it – Steve’s proven formula to get pissed off and pumped up: some generic angst-y alt rock and hip hop.  What songs did I leave out?  What am I missing?  Let’s help create a cool list of songs for all readers.  Maybe when I have time I can turn it into an iMix on iTunes or something.  Only time will tell…

Now it’s your turn. What do you listen to when you work out?  Do you need happy music or angry music?

Let’s hear it!

-Steve

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  • carlos
  • http://cnandbolts.wordpress.com/ Crowbeak

    I'm building two playlists. The playlist that motivates me for any kind of cardio activities doesn't do jack for motivating me lift heavy objects.

    Whether or not the cardio is dancing, music I can dance to does a great job of getting me going. This can be actual dance songs, techno, dance remixes, or random anime or video game soundtrack songs that just make me want to dance. They all tend to fall into a certain BPM range.

    My playlist for getting pumped is, right now, half piano music and half metal, with every good version of Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger I can find mixed in. That song can motivate me to do better at anything.

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  • Jeff

    Am I the only one who listens to Black Sabbath? War Pigs and Iron Man are two of my favorite songs to lift to.

  • http://twitter.com/IceGenesis Dawn B.

    I used to work out to the Dracula 2000 sound track a lot

    1. Ultra Mega – Powerman Five Thousand
    2. A Welcome Burden – Disturbed
    3. Bloodline – Araya, Tom
    4. Metro – Crawford, John B.
    5. Head Explode – Wyndorf, Dave
    6. Break You Down – Method
    7. One Step Closer – Linkin Park
    8. Avoid the Light – Pantera
    9. Ostego Undead – Static X
    10. Swan Dive – Benekos, C
    11. Day by Day – Taproot
    12. Malice – Bitton, Gil
    13. Blind World – Flybanger
    14. Sober – Half Cocked
    15. Your Disease – Debaldo, Chris
    (I copied the song list from this cd's amazon listing, so if there's any of the songs missing or anything that's what happened)

    I also used to listen to the Tokyo Drift Soundtrack, I'm pretty sure I was the last person at my college's gym to still be hauling around my cd walkman

  • Brendan

    Open your eyes by Guano Apes and Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue are two of my favourite workout songs.

  • Crtnsl

    jesus built my hotrod by ministry

    actually, anything by ministry

  • Ryan

    PANTERA! Big Time!

  • Mike

    Paranoid and After Forever are in my playlist

  • Mike

    You should totally check out Airbourne. Great songs for working out: There aint no way but the Hard Way, Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women, and Bottom of the Well.

    It’s like AC/DC and Kiss made a baby, and the baby could rock.

  • http://dontlookdown.tumblr.com/ XenonXylophone
  • Laura

    I like the range from general angsty alt rock to latino dance beats but this is always on every play list…

    http://youtu.be/z60P0J3ojpI

  • Laura

    I like the range from general angsty alt rock to latino dance beats but this is always on every play list…

    http://youtu.be/z60P0J3ojpI

  • Laura

    I like the range from general angsty alt rock to latino dance beats but this is always on every play list…

    http://youtu.be/z60P0J3ojpI

  • Laura

    I like the range from general angsty alt rock to latino dance beats but this is always on every play list…

    http://youtu.be/z60P0J3ojpI

  • Laura

    I like the range from general angsty alt rock to latino dance beats but this is always on every play list…

    http://youtu.be/z60P0J3ojpI

  • http://www.facebook.com/mandathebear Amanda Ramirez

    I love to end my work out with the theme some to the Karate Kid “You’re the Best Around” by Joe Esposito.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBktYJsJq-E

  • http://www.facebook.com/mandathebear Amanda Ramirez

    I love to end my work out with the theme some to the Karate Kid “You’re the Best Around” by Joe Esposito.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBktYJsJq-E

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mitch-Stevenson/1071624468 Mitch Stevenson

    I tend to listen to a heavy mix for weights, featuring some ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Rage against the Machine, Disturbed and Cog.

    For running/riding i take a completely different mix, Daft Punk all the way. Mixing up the Tron Legacy Sound Track with their album Discovery. Nothing makes me feel faster, this song is even called ‘Aerodynamic’

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93-7vRfxNs&ob=av3e   

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mitch-Stevenson/1071624468 Mitch Stevenson

    I tend to listen to a heavy mix for weights, featuring some ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Rage against the Machine, Disturbed and Cog.

    For running/riding i take a completely different mix, Daft Punk all the way. Mixing up the Tron Legacy Sound Track with their album Discovery. Nothing makes me feel faster, this song is even called ‘Aerodynamic’

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93-7vRfxNs&ob=av3e   

  • http://twitter.com/SteviePThatsMe Stephen Parato

    Here’s my all-time favs:

    Bun-B – I Git Down 4 Mine
    Crooked I – Stronger Freestyle
    Crooked I – Hip-Hop Weekly Reloaded 7 (Blood on the Wall)
    DMX – Party Up
    DMX – X Gon’ Give it to Ya
    Eminem – Lose Yourself
    Eminem – Run Rabbit Run
    Eminem featuring Nate Dogg – Til I Collapse
    Eminem featuring Lil Wayne- No Love
    Eminem featuring Obie Trice & DMX – Go To Sleep
    Fabolous – Breathe
    Freddie Gibbs – Let Em Burn
    Fort Minor featuring Styles of Beyond – Remember the Name
    Jadakiss featuring Styles P – Shoot Outs
    Jay-Z featuring M.O.P. – U Don’t Know (Remix)
    Jon Connor – Hustlin is Always an Opiton
    Lil Jon featuring Pastor Troy & Young Buck – Throw it Up (Remix)
    Lil Scrappy – No Problem
    M.O.P. – Monster
    M.O.P. & Snowgoons – Sparta
    Nas & Damian Marley – Strong Will Continue
    Outkast – B.O.B.
    Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. & Busta Rhymes – Victory
    Rick Ross featuring Styles P – BMF
    Roy Jones Jr. – Can’t Be Touched
    Royce Da 5’9″ featuring Eminem – Writer’s Block
    Saigon – Bring Me Down Pt. 2
    T.I. – Yeah Ya Know
    Tech N9ne – The Beast
    Tech N9ne – Riot Maker
    Three 6 Mafia – It’s A Fight
    Trick Daddy featuring Twista & Lil Jon – Let’s Go
    Xzibit featuring Eminem & Nate Dogg – Say My Name
    Young Buck featuring Bun-B, 8 Ball & MJG – Say it to My Face
    8 Ball – Hands in the Air
    8 Ball & MJG – You Don’t Want Drama

  • projectexam

    try http://gym-music.blogspot.com for another good series of workout music (all free, of course!)

    my two cents worth.
     

  • Patty

    This is not a “chick list,” but rather, a list of super excellent workout music as given by someone who happens to be a chick.

    Sbtrkt – Wildfire (ft. Little Dragon)
    Any Girl Talk or Milkman album
    T.I. – Get It
    LMFAO – Champagne Showers, Sorry For Party Rocking, We Came Here To Party
    Beyonce – Countdown, Run The World (Girls)
    Drake – Miss Me (ft. Lil Wayne)
    Lil Wayne – 6 Foot 7 Foot (I mainly like this because he says my name in the first 16 bars, WORD!)
    Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne – Motivation (Diplo remix)
    Justice – Stress, DVNO, Waters of Nazareth

    Just a few of my many favorites.

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  • Kathleen

    Some of my favorite workout songs…..

    Blue Orchid – The White Stripes
    10 A.M. Automatic – The Black Keys
    L.Mansion – Sic Alps

    By the way, I recently stumbled across Nerd Fitness while searching for info on Crossfit workouts and have been hooked ever since. Thanks for all the amazing posts!

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