Thursday, January 28, 2010

The power of tunes

Those who know me are well aware that I'm not an early adopter of technology or trends. Still, it might surprise even some of them to hear that I only recently discovered the joys of working out while connected to an iPod.

I was probably so late to the party because I don't like to be plugged in and tuned out; in other words, I like to be fully aware of my surroundings at all times. I'll never understand why people think it's OK to ski or ride a bike, for example, while listening to an iPod. It's simply not safe, in my opinion.

But at the gym, what harm could come of it? Besides, I was tired of listening to some of the drama being played out there, as well as the obnoxious grunts and the sound of dumbbells slamming to the floor. (Note to dumbbell-tossers: If you have to throw them to the floor when you're done with your set, they're probably too heavy for you.)

So last week I finally plugged myself in and was amazed at the difference it made in my gym experience. Not only could I no longer hear the aforementioned annoyances, but I felt stronger. I was lifting more, and tiring less quickly. It was like an auditory injection of steroids. (Note to the metaphor-impaired: Let me state for the record that I am unequivocally opposed to the use of performance-enhancing substances, including all those dubious over-the-counter supplements that so many gyms hawk.)

Afterward, I decided to put together a playlist of "power tunes," favorite songs that I thought might give me a boost while working out. I'll share my list here, and feel free to share yours, too, if you have one. Or, you can register your opinion on the subject of music-enhanced workouts with the new poll you'll find at left.

My list is admittedly a bit dated, because my favorite genre is classic rock. And I should note that there is one favorite song missing from my list, AC/DC's "Who Made Who." That's because AC/DC is not available on iTunes, and I lost my AC/DC "Live" CD to a rental car in Las Vegas a few years ago. (Note to rental car guys: I've had your stupid car for a week. Do you think you could spare more than 30 seconds to allow me to retrieve my belongings from it before you shove me aside and drive off?)

Without further ado, here's my power playlist:

"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen
"Houses of the Holy," Led Zeppelin
"Lessons," Rush
"I'm the Only One," Melissa Etheridge
"Lawyers, Guns and Money," Warren Zevon
"Back in the Saddle," Aerosmith
"Cream," Prince
"Jealous Again," The Black Crowes
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," Iron Butterfly
"Until it Sleeps," Metallica
"Pretend We're Dead," L7
"Beast of Burden," The Rolling Stones
"Won't Get Fooled Again," The Who
"It Can Happen," Yes
"Sweet Child O' Mine," Guns N' Roses

2 comments:

  1. Great playlist. Regarding AC/DC not being available on iTunes, if you have the cd you can load it yourself with an iTunes account on your PC.

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