Friday, March 16, 2012

Rocking the Elliptical

It's been raining here a lot lately. Okay, it's the Pacific Northwest, and it's March, so, duh! But I'm not talking the gentle, constant mist punctuated with the occasional showery downpour. No. it's been gale-force knocking-power-out winds, sheets of deluge, cold to the point of ice pellets. It's so soggy outside my chickens are screaming for little umbrellas. The cat has given me the middle claw repeatedly when I've suggested she pop outside and kill a sparrow or two, just to get her out of her funk.

And, as you all know, I'm a soccer mom, so that means hypothermic toes and fingers on the sidelines.

It also means that my quest for balance, healthy exercise, the eating of salads and so forth? In the toilet. Except for that heart rate-boosting 45 minutes a day at the gym where I don my ridiculously over sized purple Plattan headphones, and take my Spotify-fueled iPhone to the Elliptical. (Okay, I just realized that there are four words in that last sentence that didn't exist 10 years ago. Scary.)

Here's the problem though. I listen to the same damn music all the time and I'm getting really bored. I'm reaching out, guys. I need a new playlist! Can y'all give me your top workout songs? Extra credit if you have like max heart rate ones AND mellow cool down ones. I know, I'm asking a lot...


10 comments:

  1. This is not my year (or decade) for exercise. It's also a year where I'm obsessed with podcasts. So I can't provide *any* useful music information. However, I LOVE the look of those headphones!...

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  2. Anonymous9:55 AM

    A friend of mine back from my marathon days (at least try and stifle the laughter, ahem) has become an Ironwoman. She happened to post her playlist:
    http://hollybell-ironmanaz.blogspot.com/2012/01/2011-season-wrap-up-ironman-training.html

    My favorite workout song is Matchbox 20-"How Far We've Come", great for sprints.
    -Lyra

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  3. Yuvi--yeah, the Urban Ears/Plattan folks have saved my ass, er, ears. Those ridiculous iPod Ear Bud things never stay put so I'm spastically messing with my sound system instead of sweating.

    Lyra--you are my hero! That's a terrific playlist, and it even has the cool down tunes. Wow! But, to hell with marathons. Have another cigarette!

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  4. Last week, this was my play list. It makes absolutely no sense. Do with it what you will.

    Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
    Got to Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
    Spit of Love - Bonnie Raitt
    Temptation Eyes - The Grass Roots
    The Warrior - Scandal
    Party Train - The Gap Band
    Erotic City - Prince
    California Girls - Katy Perry
    Animal - Neon Trees
    Drivin' With Your Eyes Closed - Don Henley
    Jammin' Me - Tom Petty
    Kodachrome - Paul Simon

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  5. Better Now - Collective Soul
    Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye
    Get Some - Lykke Li
    Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
    Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
    Need You Tonight - INXS
    Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind

    And for slowing down:

    Walking After You - Foo Fighters
    Half of You - Cat Power
    Alice - Cocteau Twins
    Slow Life - Grizzly Bear
    Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
    Scarborough Fair - Hayley Westenra

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  6. Holy Playlist!! Thanks guys! I am on it.

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  7. You asked for it....

    Brown Sugar, Rolling Stones
    Coma Girl, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
    Fight Like a Brave, Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Flagpole Sitta, Harvey Danger
    Get Me Bodied, Beyonce
    Hang Fire, Rolling Stones
    I Turn My Camera On, Spoon
    It's the End of the World as We Know It, REM
    Jerk It, Thunderheist
    Let the Day Begin, The Call
    Oh My God, Ida Maria
    Scatmambo, Scatman John
    She Drives me Crazy, Fine Young Cannibals
    Shut Up and Let Me Go, The Ting Tings
    Stand, Sly and the Family Stone
    Start Me Up, Rolling Stones
    Whip It, Devo

    and....last but definitely not least in this subset of my favorite workout songs....

    Who Let The Dogs Out, Baha Men.

    As John Donne wrote: "When I have done, I have not done, for there is more." These are my favorite high energy tunes. For lower energy workouts I tend to listen to classical music, and I'm fortunate in that I never get tired of Handel's Messiah.

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  8. Love it, Sara, thank you!!

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  9. This post and the comments are full of win!

    Now I have no excuse for not spending more time on the elliptical.

    One more song - Ring of Fire by Social Distortion.

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  10. Haha. Lisa, that's awesome.

    Thanks to all y'all, I have 6 new playlists.

    As the ultimate hybrid, here's a bit of pump up for a rainy day:

    IF YOU'RE WONDERING - Weezer
    HOLD ON - Alabama Shakes
    THE DISTANCE - Cake
    YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT - Stones
    THE REAL SLIM SHADY - Eminem
    SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY - Fine Young Canibals
    REAL FINE LOVE - John Hiatt
    PUMPED UP KICKS - DJ Hipsters
    DREAMS - The Cranberries
    MR. ROCK & ROLL - Amy Mcdonald
    SHORT SKIRT & A LONG JACKET - Cake

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