3 Spotify Playlists to Boost Your Workouts

Whether you’re running a marathon or hitting a set on the bench press, the right song can take your workout to the next level, pushing you to hit that all-important goal you’re aiming for.

Sure, we’re all different, and you could prefer to go jogging with Mozart in your headphones, but some songs just stand out above all the rest.

So, today, I’m going in search of those songs, as I put together 3 separate spotify playlists tailored to the following workouts: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Running and Weightlifting. I’ll be trying my best to avoid leaning into my own personal taste, so expect a mix of genres and perhaps some artists you would never see coming…

HIIT

If you’ve ever tried High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), you’ll know that the right music can really help you keep up the intensity and train to your maximum potential.

With that being said, most HIIT classes you may go to, will usually have upbeat, high-tempo music to keep you moving. Of course, there’s no right or wrong when it comes to the playlist that’s perfect for you. But I’ll be sticking to what I know, so in this playlist expect a lot of high tempo, feel-good music from pop to EDM.

At the same time, there is the ‘interval’ aspect to HIIT. In which you’ll be resting between exercises and sets or just working at a slower pace, so songs that maintain a good tempo through the chorus but perhaps have a slower verse or bridge here and there, can be ideal for HIIT sessions. Good examples of this would be ‘Where Have You Been’ by Sherman de Vries and 'Bad Guy' by Billie Eilish, both of which have slower verses that ease into a faster, more intense and heavy-hitting chorus, moving between the two tempos throughout the song.

In this playlist you'll find the likes of Calvin Harris, The Weeknd, David Guetta, Tiesto and even Jessie J, plus much more. Feel free to turn on the playlist radio or smart shuffle for more variety and a longer playlist (but if you're doing more than 1hr 20 mins of HIIT you're not human).

HIIT Playlist (1hr 20)

Running

If you’re anything like me, a good run can really turn into your own personal concert. Of course you want to be listening to tunes you enjoy, but sometimes the best running songs are ones that keep your pace consistent. Like any DJ will tell you, it’s all about beats per minute (BPM).

The bpm measures the pace of a song and if you can match the bpm to how fast you run, or how much time falls between each step, you’re onto a winner. Of course, the ideal bpm varies for each person due to our preferred running pace, but a general rule of thumb is that 120bpm or higher is a good level.

This playlist starts off slow as you warm up, then leads you into a more consistent pace and bpm range for the largest portion of the run, and ends strong for a sprint finish to truly burn those calories.

Eminem sets the tone with his song ‘Till I Collapse’. It has a true bpm of 171, but I’d recommend applying this at half-speed (86bpm), perhaps playing this track while you put your shoes on, stretch and begin with a walk to truly warm up. Use the heavy-hitting beat to get you into the right headspace for your run.

Track 2 and 3 will ease you into a slow jogging pace at 104 bpm and 112 bpm. This should start getting you into gear for the bigger stretch of your run. Track 3 and beyond should hold you to a good rhythm at around 125bpm.

The playlist finishes with some faster tracks to push your limits in the final stretch with songs like ‘Power’ by Kanye West at 154 bpm and ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ by Bonnie Tyler at 149 bpm. Both inspirational classics.

If you’re planning to run for more than the playlist length, or you're just getting bored of the selection, I’d recommend using Spotify’s ‘Smart Shuffle’ tool, which will automatically mix in recommended tracks to the playlist. Or you could even use the playlist radio to find a whole new selection around the same artists and genres.

Running Playlist (48mins)

Weightlifting

Weight training playlists have perhaps the most variety in the world of fitness. Some people like to listen to extreme heavy metal to activate their inner rage and put it into a PB attempt, while others like to listen to music they enjoy that helps to tune out the other noise and focus on their sets.

Well, if you're like me, you want a slight mix of both. Now, my go-to is almost exclusively hip-hop and rap, so if that's your thing you can check my own personal playlist here. It's 18 hours long so there's no shortage of options.

But today I'll do my best to stray from my own tastes, aim for more variety and keeps things interesting to help you stay engaged and switched on during your workout. There's no denying that many rap songs with their inspirational lyrics and heavy drums can be great for hitting a nice set, so you'll still see a few classic verses in there. But again, you won't find any Mozart or love-song ballads, though you should be able to find something you like and skip the ones you don't.

Expect artists like Brockhampton, Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson, Major Lazer, Gorrilaz, M.I.A and much more...

Weightlifting Playlist (2hrs 24)