WA R M U P
THE TRACK: ‘Just Like Fire’, P!nk.DR KARAGEORGHIS SAYS: ‘You
should be gradually increasing
the beats per minute (BPM)
throughout your workout. This
has a slow rhythm to ease you
in at 82 BPM, but has uplifting
lyrics that will inspire you
towards more activity.’TRANSLATION: All good warm
ups should start with dynamic
stretching (leg swings, neck
flexes, etc), so if, like us, you’ve
been playing Eric Prydz ‘Call
On Me’ for the past nine months,
you’ve been doing it all wrong.HATE IT? TRY: ‘Fancy’, Iggy Azalea
featuring Charli XCX
(95 BPM).
HITTING THETREADMILL
THE TRACK: ‘Runnin’
(Lose It All)’, Naughty
Boy featuring Beyoncé.DR KARAGEORGHIS SAYS:
‘We should all try to
match our runs to the
beat of our music. This
has a BPM of 140 and
allows you to take a
stride per beat. The
lyrics also provide
a motivational and
inspiring mental image.’TRANSLATION: The lyrics
consistently repeat the
word run. So what do we
do? We run. And run and
run and run.HATE IT? TRY:
‘Ran’, Future Islands
(145 BPM).AB WORK
THE TRACK: ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling!’,
Justin Timberlake.DR KARAGEORGHIS SAYS: ‘You can slow down
a bit when it comes to the BPM and choose
something with feelgood lyrics.’TRANSLATION: You just kind
of have to keep on with the
crunches. Our only worry?
When it comes to the
plank, there is a way to
stop the feeling...HATE IT? TRY:
‘Adventure of a
Lifetime’, Coldplay
(112 BPM).WHAT YOU DO in the gym is hard. It’s
also not natural. Think of it – cycling on a
stationary bike to nowhere while a woman
in small Lycra pants with a stomach like a
bag of onions shouts at you. Think of those
leg presses and tricep dips you do while
trying to maintain the bare minimum of
human dignity. It’s tough on the gym floor,
which is why not just any old playlist is going
to cut it. No, what you need is a playlist that
corresponds with what your brain (and body)
needs for maximum motivation.
Thankfully, someone has spent the past
25 years researching this firstworld issue.
His name is Dr Costas Karageorghis, sports
psychologist at Brunel University, and he has
basically analysed every chart hit of our time
to find the ultimate fitness songs. These are
his favourites. Prepare to smash that PB.‘I GOT
THIS
FEELING’
body