Best Workout Songs

It is very rare to walk through a gym today and either not hear music or not see headphones in everyones ears. The reason for this is that we all have a way of connecting with music. For me, music is essential to my workout. If you were to ask any of my friends, you would find out that I am one of the guys who is always singing at the gym. I just can't help myself! In this post I want to talk about music and how it can help you reach your goals in both the gym and life. I am also going to list some of my favorite go-to songs for my own personal workouts.

Lose Yourself 

Eminem says that "you better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go" and he is right. Certain songs have the ability to bring out emotions and feelings that we have inside of us. We all know there are songs that make us happy and songs that make us sad. There are songs that take us back to a special place in time and songs that make us thing about our future. Then, there are songs that motivate us and give us the vision of our dreams coming true. These are the songs that can help you find success in the gym and have helped me find success both in the gym and in life.

What Songs?

The first thing that is absolutely necessary to do is to know clearly what your goals are. You should always be thinking about them. Write them down and change them if need be, but always have your goals in mind. The second thing that I am asking you to do is to allow yourself to let all of your emotions come to the surface. If you truly want music to be a catalyst to reach your goals, you have to be comfortable with all your emotions. Once you do these two things, it will be clear to you what songs are perfect for your workouts and achieving your goals!

My Favorites

Instead of a weekly motivational video, this week I am including ten of my favorite workout songs. Clicking on each song will allow you to give it a listen!

1. The Fighter by Gym Class Heroes
2. Hall of Fame by The Script
3. World's Greatest by R. Kelly
4. Since U Been Gone by A Day to Remember
5. Remember the Name by Fort Minor
6. Who Says by Selena Gomez
7. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
8. Till I Collapse by Eminem
9. It's My Life by Bon Jovi
10. Dare You to Move by Switchfoot

Motivational Quotes

My post today is going to focus highly on motivation and one of the main sources of motivation for myself which is quotes. As my family and friends could tell you, I am always saying, reading, or tweeting motivational quotes. For me, I look to quotes for a constant message of motivation. No matter what you are trying to accomplish in life, there is one constant across the board that you will always need to achieve success - motivation. Today, I am going to list ten of my favorite quotes that motivate me to not only go to the gym, but also to be successful in all aspects of life. What I am asking all of you to do is to open yourself up and really let these quotes speak to you. I want to challenge everyone to become a little more vulnerable today, in order to be a little more successful tomorrow.

Ten Quotes for Success

1. “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”–Mario Andretti

2. “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”–Winston Churchill

3. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”–Arnold Schwarzenegger

4. “He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.”–Chinese Proverb

5. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” – Coach Carter

6. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson

7. 

    "When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability...Too be alive is to be vulnerable." - Madeleine L'Engle

8. "People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing.  That’s why we recommend it daily." –Zig Ziglar 
9. "A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." - David Brinkley
10. "Both desire and imagination are stored in the mind of the individual and when stretched, both have the potential to position a person for greatness." - Eric Thomas 

Motivational Video

This week's motivational video talk about the importance of letting yourself fall in love - the importance of becoming vulnerable. Click here to watch!

 

Pre and Post Workout Tips

Whenever you first start working out at the gym, it is important to know the proper ways to prepare for and recover from your workouts. If you do not take these things seriously, it can lead to certain injuries or soreness, which will set you back in your goals. I am going to discuss specific things you should do both pre and post workout that will help prevent injuries and help you get the most out of your workouts.

Stretching

Stretching is essential for warming up before any type of exercising. This will help keep you flexible as you age and help in all essential bodily functions. I have found that it is important to focus on your body and find the parts of your body that might need more stretching than others. For example, my back always needs more stretching than any other part of my body. This is the case for a lot of working professionals who sit at a desk for most of their day. Because of this I like to use a foam roller and do yoga more. These are two great things to use for stretching your back. Here are some other simple stretches you can do before and after working out.
 

What to Eat

What you eat before and after a workout will help determine the efficiency of your workout.

Pre-Workout

A lot of people skip eating before they workout to save on calories, but by doing so they are losing the energy they need to have the best workout possible. Certain snacks are great to eat an hour before going to the gym to give you this energy. The best thing for your body is some carbohydrates before a workout. I like to eat either a banana or whole wheat bread before I workout. Other smart options would be oats or fruit smoothies. Be sure to avoid fatty foods that could cause you to cramp up.

Post-Workout

After a workout is important to fuel yourself on both carbohydrates and protein. For me personally, I drink a protein shake and have two pieces of grilled chicken after a workout. This covers my protein, and then I will usually have some whole wheat pasta for carbohydrates. By having both protein and carbohydrates, my muscles recover and grow faster. It is important to make sure you eat about 30 minutes to 2 hours after a workout. This is the time where your muscles need the fuel.

Hydrate

Finally, we lose a lot of water when we work out. I can not stress enough the importance of staying hydrated both before, during, and after a workout. Even if you do not think you are thirsty, you should still be drinking water.

Motivational Video

The motivational video for this week talks about chasing your dreams no matter what they may be. Click here to watch and JUST TAKE THE FIRST STEP!