The Ultimate Workout Mix

Suppose you wake up one day and realise that it’s time to get fit. Rather than jump right into exercise and risk a deadly (or at least painful) injury, you should start with preparation.

No, not stretching. The first step is to create the ultimate workout mix. It’s music that will keep you pumping, running, lifting and sweating. All exercise needs determination and music, but since determination can’t be loaded onto an iPod we’ll stick with music for now.

I was thinking of calling this the Penultimate Workout Mix because I have a fondness for the word “penultimate” and using the word “ultimate” sounded arrogant. However, I figured I would use the word in the sense of it being the last workout list I’ll make.

As you may notice, the quality of a song didn’t enter the equation. All I was looking for is something that would keep me exercising. I also tried to avoid including too many songs from a single artist. I’m sure there are still some essentials that missing – let me know.

The list

eye of the tiger - survivor (could it possibly start with anything else?) pump it - black eyed peas lose yourself - eminem superstylin - groove armada black betty - spiderbait (or ram jam if you’re feeling classic) runnin’ - the pharcyde feel good inc - gorillaz song 2 - blur rockafella skank - fat boy slim hey boy hey girl - the chemical brothers bullet with butterfly wings - smashing pumpkins meds - placebo light surrounding you - evermore joker and the thief - wolfmother lift - shannon noll last night - the strokes american idiot - green day woman - wolfmother thriller - michael jackson alive - pearl jam organ doner - dj shadow fit but you know it - the streets whip it - devo time is running out - muse hollaback girl - gwen stefani smile - lily allen run on - moby block rockin beats - the chemical brothers jump - van halen black dog - led zeppelin blue monday - new order girlfriend - avril lavigne take me out - franz ferdinand straight lines - silverchair freak - silverchair what i’ve done - linkin park black fingernails, red wine - eskimo joe put your hands up for detroit - fedde le grande walkin on sunshine - katrina and the waves superstition - stevie wonder alive and kicking - simple minds boogie wonderland - earth, wind and fire abc - the jackson five na na na na naa - kaiser chiefs firestarter - prodigy breakaway - big pig don’t stop till you get enough - michael jackson you oughta know - alanis morissette born to run - bruce springsteen open your eyes - snow patrol gonna fly now (theme from rocky) - bill conti (time to climb some steps) get the party started - p!nk numb / encore - linkin park danger zone - kenny loggins somebody told me - the killers love is a battlefield - pat benatar running - evermore where the streets have no name - u2 you give love a bad name - bon jovi clocks - coldplay start me up - rolling stones eagle rock - daddy cool celebration - kool and the gang crazy - gnarls barkley l.o.v.e - ashley simpson the way you move - outcast magic carpet ride - steppenwolf let forever be - the chemical brothers funky cold medina - tone loc respect - aretha franklin walkin on the sun - smash mouth creeps - camille jones v fedde le grande a message to you rudy - the specials hit me with your best shot - pat benatar are you gonna go my way - lenny kravitz technologic - daft punk my friend - groove armada breed - nirvana welcome to the jungle - guns and roses life is a highway - tom cochrane and red rider play that funky music - wild cherry aisha - death in vegas blister in the sun - violent femmes ray of light - madonna what you waiting for - gwen stefani no one knows - queens of the stone age sabotage - beastie boys keep holding on - avril lavigne work it - missy elliott nutbush - tina turner the power - snap hit me up - gia farrell shine - shannon noll since u been gone - kelly clarkson toxic - britney spears dead eyes open - severed heads jump around - house of pain let me entertain you - robbie williams won’t get fooled again - the who ymca - the village people beautiful day - u2 spoonman - soundgarden forever young - youth group all the small things - blink 182 basket case - green day give it away - red hot chilli peppers killing in the name - rage against the machine girl - beck longview - green day tubthumping - chumbawamba monkey wrench - foo fighters footloose - kenny loggins dancing with myself - the donnas everything’s wonderful - lily allen hey ya - outcast black night - deep purple read my mind - the killers suddenly i see - kt tunstall no limit - 2 unlimited whole lotta love - led zeppelin bizarre love triangle - new order simply the best - tina turner get your freak on - missy elliot buttons - the pussycat dolls the way i are - timbaland do it again - the chemical brothers mama said knock you out - ll cool j dreams - the cranberries nookie - limp bizkit push it - salt n pepa intergalactic - beastie boys shut up and drive - rihanna sk8tr boi - avril lavigne 3am eternal - the klf i like to move it - real to reel ride on time - black box 100% pure love - crystal waters in da club - 50 cent daddy cool - boney m milk shake - kelis train - goldfrapp get together - madonna rythym is a dancer - snap sweet escape - gwen stefani legs - zz top pump up the volume - marrs wait a minute - pussycat dolls around the world - daft punk fools gold - the stone roses bittersweet symphony - the verve voodoo people - prodigy i like the way - bodyrockers somebody to love - boogie pimps don’t call me baby - madison avenue unbelievable - EMF don’t cha - the pussycat dolls release - timbaland madder - groove armada the distance - cake sweet home alabama - lynyrd skynyrd baba o’riley - the who the race - yellow sunshine of your love - cream i feel love - donna summer promiscuous - nelly furtado flaunt it - tv rock watching you - rogue traders elevation - U2 hot in herre - nelly yeah - usher poison - alice cooper hung up - madonna nothing but a good time - poison speed of sound - coldplay i don’t feel like dancin - scissor sisters are you gonna be my girl - jet i’m a believer - the monkees catch my disease - ben lee mickey - tony basil six days - dj shadow rock lobster - the b52s panama - van halen switch - will smith holding out for a hero - bonnie tyler rock and roll all night - kiss love me or hate me - lady sovereign love stoned - justin timberlake deja vu - beyonce ooh la la - goldfrapp sos - rihanna smack my bitch up - prodigy trick me - kelis galvanize - the chemical brothers dare - gorillaz don’t believe the hype - public enemy mr brightside - the killers the nosebleed section - hilltop hoods get ready for this - 2 unlimited midnight blue - lou gramm can’t get you out of my head - kylie minogue my love - justin timberlake crazy - seal ironic - alanis morissette setting sun - the chemical brothers take me back to your house - basement jaxx smooth criminal - michael jackson right here, right now - fatboy slim need you tonight - inxs come into my world - kylie minogue say it right - nelly furtado burning up - madonna sexyback - justin timberlake born to be wild - steppenwolf highway to hell - acdc let’s get it started - black eyed peas u can’t touch this - mc hammer breathe - prodigy ice ice baby - vanilla ice from paris to berlin - infernal crazy in love - beyonce hot stuff - donna summer tribal dance - 2 unlimited foxy lady - jimi hendrix enter sandman - metallica wild thing - tone loc smoke on the water - deep purple oh yeah - yello

You might be thinking that the list is a little long, but that is why my body looks like it has been chiseled from marble – workout to this entire list every day and you too will look like a Greek God. OK, the only Greek thing my body resembles is souvlaki, but whatever. Honestly, once I got started making the list I couldn’t stop (and it sure beats exercising). I know I could add another 100 songs without much trouble.

Note: this list is now a few years old and is in desperate need of an update. I know what you’re thinking: “No Ke$ha, is this guy kidding??!?!”