Hello all, Karly here. In the midst of a hectic academic, social and personal schedule, carving out time for physical (and mental) fitness is vital. But, after a long day of classes and student clubs, the motivation to bust a move in the gym is sorely lacking. So here are my five favorite jams to jump-start any workout.
1. “Space Jam” by the Quad City DJs – What can I say? I’m a ’90s kid, and next to “The Lion King,” Space Jam” was THE movie. Written and performed by Jacksonville, Fla. natives, this theme song went on to be nominated for “Best Dance Recording” at the 1996 Grammys. This track is perfect for a warm up/stretch routine before you get down to business. With lyrics like: “Everybody get up, it’s time to jam now,” you can’t help but be invigorated.
2. “B.O.B.” by Outkast – When it comes to cardio, for me it’s all about the snare. This single from the Grammy award-winning Atlanta duo makes it impossible not to move. Also, recent studies have shown that the best tunes for cardio training should be at or above 150 beats per minute, so if this track is too funky for you, you can check the bpm of your favorite track at bpmdatabase.com.
3. “Till I Collapse” by Eminem – If the head nodding beat of this track doesn’t get you, the inspiring lyrics surely will: “Cause sometimes you just feel tired, you feel weak, and like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength get that motivation to not give up. And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.”
4. “Daydreaming” by Radiohead – Maintaining a work(school)-life balance can be mentally taxing. I remedy this with bi-weekly meditation and daily yoga sequences to settle my thoughts and steady my mind. For this type of workout, slow and soothing music with few/no lyrics or in a language that you do not understand is cited as most useful because you don’t get distracted by the words. This Radiohead single is my favorite because I can use the piano melody as a metronome to keep time for different poses.
5. “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers – I like to cool down with tracks that inspire positivity and productivity. So, after an intense sweat session this 1977 feel good classic helps me transition to whatever is up next on my agenda with a smile. Even if it’s been a crappy day!
