Pumped up to Jams: Creating a Workout Playlist

Maintaining a consistent and rigorous exercise routine is a calculated endeavor that requires discipline and rigor. Although I’ve established a really nice rhythm with regards to working out, I’d be lying if I said it was a cake walk. Getting myself into a fitness groove is honestly one of the hardest ventures I’ve taken on. But all work and no play makes getting jacked a dull affair. I am a proponent of the idea that exercise should be fun. Being creative and feeling inspired is a major part of fitness retention.

I enjoy the way my body feels when it’s put to the test and challenged. I have always been somewhat of an endurance junkie. But I understand that not everyone will be content jumping directly into a hardcore fitness regimen. One thing that I suggest to those asking me for advice on how to retain an exercise routine, is to have a great soundtrack. Listening to music is a full body booster, and can be an excellent motivator to go that extra mile or pump out that additional rep.

Since 2020, I have created hundreds of YouTube music playlists to accompany my exercise sessions. I basically make a playlist a day. The genre of music varies, mostly consisting of loud and high octane stuff, typically including (but not limited to): EDM (electronic dance music), industrial, new wave, goth rock, post-punk and metal. I’ve even worked out while blasting opera arias!

The art curator in me likes to associate larger cultural themes to my workouts. One day I felt inspired to create a playlist of songs that reference physical fitness. So from memory and through a bit of research, I compiled a collection of tracks that contain literal mentions and/or nuanced innuendos to athleticism and fitness culture. Below is an abridged and annotated selection of said playlist.

“Sports” by Sparks

Sparks is a Los Angeles, California-based duo of brothers Ron and Russell Mael. Ron is a virtuoso on the keyboard, while Russell has an incredible vocal range. Because of their talent and fusion of different genres, it’s been nearly impossible to pin them down musically.

I’ve been a fan of Sparks’ music and overall aesthetic for a while, and although some people have astutely made the connection, my facial hair is not inspired by Ron’s (but I appreciate the comparison).

“Sports” is the B-side to the hit single “Cool Places.” Released in 1983, the Cool Places EP was a hit. “Cool Places,” a collaboration between the Mael brothers and Go-Go’s rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin, was the band’s second single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 list.

I suspect that the song’s lyrics are a metaphor for sex. Many of Sparks’ lyrics are witty and poetic, so although a song’s message might seem and sound literal, the intent behind the composition is often much deeper. That said, “Sports” is the epitome of a workout song, through its fast paced beat and verses such as the following:

One more time for a healthy body

One more time for a healthy mind

One more time for no good reason

Keep it up, keep it up, keep it up

Ready get set and workout

“Sports” by Viagra Boys

Baseball
Basketball
Wiener dog
Short shorts, cigarette

Like Sparks’ song of the same name, the Swedish-based Viagra Boys are adept at writing quirky and acerbic songs.

“Sports” seems to be a critique of hypermasculinity and heteronormativity. Writer Sasha Geffen writes in Pitchfork: “What do you do when your identity is on the fritz—when the real, abject experience of being human catches up to you despite your attempts to dude it away? Smoke a joint, eat some meat, scream the name of every single sport you can think of.”

Body politics aside, the song’s mention of various sports and its pulsating tempo make it a very good motivator for engaging in athletic activities.

“Sports Men” by Haruomi Hosono

The late Haruomi Hosono was a founding member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, a band that helped shape the course of electronic music. “Sports Men” is a track from his 1982 solo album, Philharmony.

If you listen to most of these songs, you’ll notice that they typically go beyond the surface of their titles, and explore complex topics of identity. “Sports Men” is a profound expression of how culture shapes our perception about body image. The song is written from the perspective of someone who’s being put down due to their lack of physical strength. They end up comparing themselves to others by yearning for their physical attributes, which is a slippery slope to go down.

I can relate to that yearning, because I’ve been in a similar position. However, it is entirely counterproductive and detrimental to compare yourself to others. No one’s path to mental and physical hygiene is alike. I am proud to say that I’m the fittest I’ve ever been, and I am working on harnessing my physical prowess in order to treat my mental health related issues.

I workout to FEEL big, not look big. The latter just comes with the territory. For me, it’s all about bolstering my emotional energy and mental fortitude. My goal is to be functionally fit and strong, rather than building what Dennis Reynolds (from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) calls "glamour muscles."

“Total Football” by Parquet Courts

“Total Football” is a high octane, dance punk anthem that’s full of societal angst. It’s yet another example of musicians utilizing sports symbolism to address larger cultural issues.

The term total football refers to players on a soccer (aside from the goalkeeper) team understanding the gist of each other's positions, and being able to switch when needed.

Although Parquet Courts uses the term as a metaphor for social justice and liberation via collectivism (a la Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed) than sports, the song does end with a resounding rejection of one particular football legend:

Swapping parts and roles
Is not acting but
Rather
Emancipation
From expectation
Collectivism and autonomy
Are not mutually exclusive
Those who find discomfort
In your goals of liberation
Will be issued

No apology
And fuck Tom Brady!

“Tennis Song” by Lynks

Lynks’ “Tennis Song” is an uptempo, queer romper of a tune that explores lust and heartbreak through the lens of the game of tennis.

A love song about tennis makes total sense, especially since the word “love” is used as a scoring term in the sport (i.e. a lack of scoring in either points, games or sets).

“One For Your Workout” by Get Well Soon

So, starting to hate yourself?
It's a steep route up to the top shelf
Relax, erring and failing's fine
Just fail your best next time
It's not good enough
Never enough for them

“One For Your Workout” is a sardonic song about lofty expectations, using the metaphor of physical training to signify how society quantifies success.

The enduring message is that self-love should be authentic, based on our own experience and goals, rather than societal benchmarks. Love yourself and learn from failure are the most profound practices that I’ve gained from both art and exercise.

“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush

”Running Up That Hill” is not in the least bit a sports song, but it makes the list because it’s an all-around great song that has running in the title and lyrics.

While it’s one of my all-time favorite songs, it’s not even my favorite Kate Bush track (she’s got so many masterpieces in her oeuvre) to workout to. That would be “Wuthering Heights,” which is a staple on many of my fitness playlists.

“The Runner” by Yota

This time you'll discover
They will try and break you
You can go much longer
They will never get that close
They will never get that close
They will never get there

Yota’s retrowave track, “The Runner” is an excellent motivator for endurance training, which is why it’s a mainstay on so many of my playlists.

Quite simply, the tempo and lyrics compel me to move fast and hard. It’s a song about beating the odds, overcoming failure and putting obstacles in the rear-view mirror.

“My Bike” by Sydney Valette

deBonton, the French record label that released Valette’s “My Bike” describes the song as, “a spiritual awakening cut with a panic attack—in a sunny public park.”

That description holds significant relevance, because exercising helps me overcome anxiety and intrusive OCD thoughts (see: “OCD and Exercise” and “Fragments, Ruins and Ruminations”).

Furthermore, my fitness journey began on the exercise bike, so “My Bike” runs the gamut of my exercise experience and the emotional impact of working out.

“Macho Man” by the Village People

Every man wants to be a macho, macho man
To have the kind of body always in demand
Joggin' in the mornings, go man go
Workouts in the health spa, muscles grow

I could have just as easily picked “YMCA,” because in my mind, it’s actually more associated with sports. If you’ve ever gone to a Yankee game, you know that the seventh inning stretch is not a time to take a bathroom or concession break, because it’s when the grounds crew does their interpretive dance to “YMCA” while cleaning the field. So it’s nearly as much a part of New York baseball lore as Babe Ruth…

“Macho Man” is an equally memorable song, and its lyrics are more on par with the theme of sports and/or physical fitness than “YMCA.”

Adding to the song’s relevance, is the fact that my friend has dubbed me “Macho Mensch Adam Zucker,” which will definitely be my ring name if I ever become a professional wrestler.

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I hope that you enjoyed reading, and perhaps even listening along to this post. While this is an abridged list, if you’d like to share any fitness themed tunes that I didn’t mention, please let me know in the comments. As I mentioned, I am constantly creating playlists for my workouts and value your opinions!

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