When you’re struggling through a grueling run, sometimes you just need the right beat to push you over the finish line. Or as you lie on a yoga mat, maybe you’re looking for the right note to relax you into that cobra pose. There’s no denying that music plays an integral role in fitness, and now that more people are working out at home, the person in charge of what’s playing as you sweat is most often . . . you.
Ready to give that workout playlist a revamp? Spotify’s new Soundtrack Your Workout quiz is here to help with that. Head to the interactive website, available in English [globally], Spanish [Latin America], Portuguese [Brazil], and Japanese [Japan], for a series of questions about your upcoming workout. How long will it be? What’s the intensity level? What’s your workout mood? Your quiz answers will help generate the perfect playlist for your fitness session. Plus, if you’re looking to mix in motivational, news, or true crime podcasts while you sweat, you can incorporate those, too!
In the last two months, Spotify listeners have created more than 1 million playlists with “workout” in the title, so it’s clear users are on the hunt for new tunes to add to their fitness mixes. If you’re running out of song inspiration as you, well, run, then give Soundtrack Your Workout a try.
Corey Calliet, a fitness trainer who has worked with celebs like Michael B. Jordan, knows just how essential music is to a great sweat session. “Music keeps me moving,” he says, “and it keeps my tempo high, where I need it to be—making Spotify a critical piece to my workouts.” Corey took the Soundtrack Your Workout quiz to find some new music motivation for his next trip to the gym. “I never thought I’d be able to get a customized playlist that fits my workout and my vibe in less time than it takes to grab my water and get out the door.”
Find out more about how Corey stays motivated push-up after push-up, and listen to his Soundtrack Your Workout playlist below.
How do you motivate yourself to work out when you’re not feeling up to it?
Quite honestly, I know I have to hold myself accountable—especially when I have the responsibility to help people feel motivated and inspired. There are days where I don’t feel like it, but I have to remember, ‘What’s the goal at hand?’ I don’t want to let someone down who looks up to me. I want them to think, ‘You know what? If Corey’s doing it, why can’t I?’
What’s your favorite genre of music or podcast to listen to while exercising?
It’s funny. Usually I’m listening to Migos, Young Jeezy, or Future, but I recently started to listen to epic movie soundtracks. It happened on a run one day. I was getting really tired. Then I played a score from a movie, and it slowly started to shift my mindset to being strong—being a Viking, being a gladiator. I really like the soundtrack to movies like The Avengers and Transformers. That music does a lot for your mind. And when the body wants to give up, the mind helps the body get through it.
How does music impact your workouts?
When making a playlist, I want to make sure that the exercise is going with the beat of the song. I will create something so that when you move to a squat, there’s a down beat on it. When you’re doing a jump squat, there’s an upbeat. I want to make sure that the music is vibing with the actual exercise. The timing is everything.
Are there certain genres you stick to?
When I’m trying to have fun, of course, I love my hip-hop. But if I’m trying to cool down, I shift to R&B music. I also started listening to podcasts while I’m just relaxing or chilling. And I like to listen to motivational words, like Les Brown.
How have your workouts—and how you instruct others—changed in the last few months?
I started doing more Instagram Live workouts and online training programs that people can do at home. I’m working on another kettlebell program now. I think people are starting to realize they can get crazy results at home. They don’t have to be at a gym.
But my work has actually become busier. I’m helping people to get through this time without feeling like they’re losing themselves or being set back.
If you could only listen to one song or podcast for an entire workout, which one would you pick?
I love listening to “Lead the Wave” by Takeoff. I like its message about leading the way— everybody follow me.
Check out Corey’s personalized Soundtrack Your Workout playlist below. Ready for your own? Give it a try here.
The perfect workout playlist can be the *one* thing that motivates you to sweat, even on days when simply lacing up your kicks feels like a Herculean effort. But crafting a workout playlist that gets you pumped, keeps you energized, and fits the vibe of your sweat sesh is no easy feat. If you can relate to the struggle, get ready to thank the music gods for Spotify's newest offering: the Soundtrack Your Workout tool.
Instead of scrolling aimlessly through thousands of songs in search of just the right tunes to sweat to, Spotify's Soundtrack Your Workout tool—available in English [globally], Spanish [in Latin America], Portuguese [in Brazil], and Japanese [in Japan]—does all the heavy lifting for you so you can, well, focus on enjoying your own heavy lifting.
Here's how to use the tool: First, visit Spotify's interactive Soundtrack Your Workout page via your web browser and log in to your account. You'll then be prompted to answer seven brief questions about your exercise and music preferences. You'll note how long your workout is [ranging from 15 minutes to two hours], then choose whether you want your mix to include music, podcasts, or both, with an option to include or remove explicit content. [Perfect for those sweat sessions when you're in mixed company—say, with your little ones, or during a socially distant dance workout with the fam.]
You'll then specify what type of workout you'll be crushing: yoga, running, biking, cardio, dance, weightlifting, walking/meditation, and barre/pilates. Next, you'll note who you're working out with, whether it's a solo session, with a workout buddy in person, with friend[s] virtually, or with your kid[s] or pet[s]. Then Spotify will ask about your ~workout vibe~, with options such as "totally zen" and "need motivation", or "pumped up" and "ready to dance". [Need an extra boost? Check out these workout motivation tips that will get you off the couch.]
Finally, you'll pick one or two music genres to feature in your playlist; options include rock, hip-hop, country, pop, indie, K-pop, Latin, and metal.
And voilà! Now you can hit "play" on an expertly curated list and ensure you never again stumble upon a heavy metal banger during a zen yoga session or a moody ballad smack in the middle of your living room dance break.
If this all sounds a bit complicated, trust, it couldn't be easier. As someone who considers herself extraordinarily motivated by music [and is known to drive 45 minutes to hit a Britney Spears-themed SoulCycle class with my favorite instructor], creating a workout playlist is actually my least favorite task. Personally, I just want to hit "play" and go, enjoying a guaranteed mix of motivating music without a second thought. So testing out this feature made something that's typically daunting feel pretty fun [especially now—I'm constantly looking for ways to mix up my quarantine workouts].
I'm lucky enough to have a treadmill at home, and I usually spend an hour walking on a steep incline to get my heart rate up without the intensity of a run or jog. So, I created a 60-minute pumped up walking playlist featuring pop and hip-hop. Much to my delight, Spotify served up a 16-track playlist featuring some of my favorites, including "Roses" by Outkast and "Payphone" by Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa, plus some new-to-me jams to bop along to, like "Calypso" by Luis Fonsi and Stefflon Don, and "Like I Would" by Zayn Malik. [Did you know that listening to music makes you more active in general, not just during workouts?]
It might be a while before I'm back in my favorite group fitness classes [miss you, Drew B. @ SoulCycle!], but for now, this is definitely a solid substitution.