Mood Music

Work harder, better, stronger, faster with these top playlists

A great playlist can really boost a workout, and we all have a favourite song that keeps us going when we’re ready to give in. This isn’t imagined: research has shown that listening to music while exercising makes people work harder for longer and even perform better. No one knows this better than our PTs, so we asked one of the team, Myles Hopper, to share his top playlists for warming up, working out and cooling down.

Having the right soundtrack is important when Myles is doing his own training, and absolutely essential when he’s teaching his classes. In fact, Myles will often spend more time preparing the playlist than anything else. “To really engage with your members you need to have a great tracklist – the success of a class can depend on it,” he says. “Exciting, inspiring songs are so important.”

It’s not just the high-energy tracks that matter: the perfect warm-up tunes will really help you prepare for a workout. “If you have a tough session in front of you and have just come from a day in the office, chances are you’re not going to be in the right frame of mind to really work hard in that workout, but music can completely turn that feeling around,” explains Myles.

“Music during a session will take your mind off the exercise and lift your energy levels,” he says. “The right beat will give you the drive and confidence to give that bit extra.” For the cool down, Myles likes to play more relaxed music to “change the atmosphere of the room and allow people to reflect on what they have just achieved”.

It’s always great when a PT like Myles has a brilliant playlist, but what about when you’re exercising solo and haven’t had time to choose your workout tunes? We asked him to share some of his favourite exercise songs, guaranteed to help you through every stage of a workout.

Warm up – “These are my favourite songs to warm up to. They prepare me physically and mentally for the task ahead. For my personal warm-ups I’ll often start on the rowing machine. The strong beat in these songs provides the perfect accompaniment.”

• Fort Minor – Remember the Name
• Eminem – ’Till I Collapse
• 2 Chainz – We Own It
• Kanye West – Power
• Limp Bizkit – Take a Look Around

Full energy – “My playlist tends to consist of high-tempo music during my main session. It helps prepare me mentally to take on the tasks I’ve set myself and keeps me in the right frame of mind if I start flagging. Upbeat songs make people work harder, move faster and push themselves a bit more.”

• Nickelback – Animals
• P.O.D. – Boom
• AC/DC – Back in Black
• Bro Safari & UFO! – Drama
• Dada Life – Born to Rage

Cool down – “Cool downs are all about reducing the heart rate, stretching any tight muscles and mentally reflecting on the session. You need to have the right music for a cool down and I like to use slower tempo songs. The room becomes a lot more relaxed as people realise how good they feel for completing the session.”

• Fat Freddy’s Drop – Wandering Eye
• The Roots – The Seed (2.0)
• Hilltop Hoods – I Love It
• Zion I – Finger Paint
• Imagine Dragons – Radioactive

You can find out more about Myles at www.myleshopper.com