HuffPost Workouts: Amp it Up Playlist

Every once in a while a workout comes along that feels like moving a mountain. Sometimes it's a new routine or the final push through an exercise plateau, other times it's just an early morning when it feels particularly difficult to get out of bed when the alarm goes off.

In those moments, for me, the best songs are larger-than-life anthems of confidence and self-worth. They work for the same reason the commercials from my favorite Nike ad campaign work:

If we all walked around saying things like "My strong apologizes for making your strong look like cottage cheese," we'd probably lose a lot of friends. But in those solitary fitness moments, when, for whatever reason, your brain is threatening to convince your body to quit, we can all stand to get a little cocky if that's what it takes to reach the finish line. The right amount of confidence can only help your workouts.

I call this my "Amp It Up" (or "I'm The Ish") playlist. While many of the lyrics are admittedly pretty over-the-top, there are relatable messages underneath the grandeur. So go ahead; believe your fast is that fast.

• King Of Anything -- Sara Bareilles
• I'm The Best -- Nicki Minaj
• Replaceable -- Ella Riot
• Get Outta My Way -- Kylie Minogue
• Ragtime Interlude/I'm Really Hot -- Missy Elliott
• Dirt Off Your Shoulder -- Jay-Z
• Took The Night -- Chelley
• I'm The Ish -- DJ Class
• Chelley -- Took The Night
• List Of Demands (Reparations) -- Saul Williams
• Monster -- Kanye West
• The Jump Off -- Lil' Kim
• Pretty Girl Rock -- Keri Hilson
• Diva -- Beyonce

For more music, check out the rest of the HuffPost Workouts series here.

 

Follow Sarah Klein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarklei

Comments

[Luketalks]

12:06 PM on 05/03/2012

This was just an excuse to try and get me to download software. And who knows what else comes along with it. So, I haven't even read her playlist.

[TheChallengedOne]

09:24 AM on 05/03/2012

What a crappy playlist. Listening to that may make me run over a cliff on purpose. Face it, music is a personal choice, find what works for you.

[Tia2008]

11:10 PM on 04/30/2012

Anything up beat and positive works for me when I running, using weights or floor exercise. But I prefer slow beats when I walking -- the slow music puts me in a meditative state and I walk farther.

[AngD]

02:06 PM on 04/28/2012

Old-school hip hop works for me.

[avery t]

11:20 AM on 04/30/2012

I like Country Grammar for running.

[TisKishnsing]

05:19 AM on 04/28/2012

nope... i need trance music...
everybody got different music tastes

[avery t]

11:18 AM on 04/30/2012

I listen to lots of PVD, Tiesto, and Deadmau5.

But on bad days, Eminem and sometimes AC/DC.

I like PVD better than Tiesto, but Tiesto is great at sunset.

[PNK]

06:55 PM on 05/02/2012

I love trance too! Also ambient/chill, and "dark ambient" for some extremism... and always just regular good ol' dance!
Good stuff.

[luckydog1857]

07:17 PM on 04/27/2012

How about targeting the songs for different generations? This list is not in my world!

[Cupik]

06:32 PM on 04/27/2012

Audioslave - still the sh*t for movin' that adz

[avery t]

11:19 AM on 04/30/2012

I used to listen to lots of Audioslave during work-outs too. I overplayed them. I still listen to Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger.

[Sharkcellar]

11:44 AM on 04/27/2012

Meh. Just give me some house and techno.

[HouseofMayhem]

10:51 AM on 04/27/2012

Really? I've never heard of any of these songs.

[Kate Bratskeir]

10:29 AM on 04/27/2012

I feel pumped up just reading these!