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Best Workout Music Resources

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

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We all need something to keep us going during exercise, especially in the gym. The right music can be just the thing for energizing tired muscles for one more mile or one more rep. These websites are some of my favorite places for getting workout music, or music-based workouts that include the guidance of personal trainers.

1. Workout Music

This excellent site offers tons of great music, no matter what your tastes are. They also offer informative articles about finding the right tempo and how to make music work for you. Many of compilations are available in CD or MP3 format and most music is remixed in order the change the tempo of the songs, so they aren't by the original artists.

2. Multitrax Music

Multitrax is well-known in the fitness world for offering great music mixes for everything from kickboxing to spinning. Exercise enthusiasts will also enjoy the mixes because the songs are by the original artists and include all the current and past hits you know and love. The mixes vary in tempo and come in the old-school form of CDs, so you won't be able to downloaded mixes from the website. Still, this is a great resource for both instructors and people who like to exercise to music at a specific tempo.

3. Podrunner

Podrunner
Podrunner is an excellent resource for free exercise music mixes. The mixes range from 130-180 beats per minute and work for for running, jogging, walking, cycling, elliptical training or aerobics. There are steady state workouts and interval mixes to choose from and you can download them directly from the website or subscribe to their podcast to get updates on a regular basis. The music is club-style with a mix of house and tech music for fun, energetic workouts.

4. Motion Traxx

Motion Traxx, headed by Deekron the Fitness DJ, is another great choice for runners or walkers who want workouts at a specific tempo. The workouts, all available for free in podcast form, include fast-paced dance music with different beats per minute for different workouts, including long distance running, interval training and cardio machine workouts. Before each workout, he explains BPMs, the running or walking pace of the workout and average calories burned as well as the distance you'll cover. These workouts are great for moving to the rhythm without having to think about it.

5. Workout Music & Video

This is another site that offers a decent selection of workout music for any type of workout including running, powerwalking, kickboxing, aerobics and more. The music isn't by the original artists, which can be strange at times (it sounds like the same guy sings everything from the Bee Gees to Robert Palmer), so some might be turned off by that. Still, the mixes work for a variety of activities and help give you a baseline tempo to move to.

6. Sean O'Malley's Guided Cardio Workouts

I have to admit, I almost never do a cardio machine workout without one of Sean's Cardio Coach workouts. He offers 8 different volumes, each one a high-intensity interval workout involving sprints, hills and, sometimes, both together. Excellent for getting a great workout and making the time fly on any cardio machine you like.

7. Favorite Workout Songs

Over the years, my readers have chimed in with their favorite workout songs and playlists. Their excellent suggestions are a resource you can come back to again and again whenever you need some new ideas for exercise music.
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