One more for now...

My last update and I am caught up, at least until Wednesday :)

This first one is an idea I had been tossing around for a few months and finally narrowed down the music and got a workout formatted. I knew it would be hard but I didn't realize it would be as challenging as it ended up being. Several members came up to me and said it was the hardest class they had ever taken, so be careful. Proceed with caution...

The biggest difference in this playlist is that I chose music with lots of changes in each song. Typically a song stays about the same tempo or pace throughout. The songs I really like to spin to are ones that have lots of cadence or tempo changes, going both faster AND slower. Each song ends up being it's own mini "class". It is difficult because there is very little recovery built in. You just follow the music. Like you would follow the road on your bike outside, the music is your path. Do what it tells you...

Changes (52 minutes)

1. Just Can't Get Enough- Black Eyed Peas (warm up)
2. Candyman- Christina Aguilera
3. Stuck- Stacie Orrico
4. 99 Luftballons- Nena
5. Dog Days Are Over- Florence + The Machine
6. Send Me on My Way- Rusted Root
7. Fool In the Rain- Led Zeppelin
8. Baby Love- Lunatic DJs
9. Welcome to the Black Parade- My Chemical Romance
10. Come on Eileen- Dexy's Midnight Runners
11. Shout- The Isley Brothers
12. Hush Hush; Hush Hush- The Pussycat Dolls (cool down)

And lastly, it is my first born's birthday on the 16th of this month so I decided to do a playlist of his favorite tunes. Actually, I must add a disclaimer. I made this for his iPod last summer and apparently it is very uncool to like Katy Perry as a sixth grader, so he would no longer approve of that song. But I left it on there anyway. I am still his mother you know :)

Andy's Playlist (51 minutes)

1. Hey, Soul Sister- Train (warm up)
2. Welcome to the Jungle- Guns N' Roses (run)
3. Cooler Than Me- Mike Posner (run)
4. California Gurls- Katy Perry (run)
5. Wavin' Flag- K'naan (climb)
6. Chelsea Dagger- The Fratellis
7. Safety Dance- Glee Cast (climb)
8. Tik Tok- Ke$ha (run)
9. Poker Face- Lady Gaga (climb)
10. Don't Stop Believin'- Journey (run)
11. Waka Waka- Shakira (run)
12. Don't Let Me Get Me- P!nk (seated climb)
13. Gettin' Over You- David Guetta
14. Copacabana- Barry Manilow (cool down)

My son may be taller than me and wear size 11 men's shoe at age 12, but he'll always be my baby boy.
Happy Birthday Andy!

Portia

Another update!

I am on a roll it seems! Actually, enough members at the gym have been asking about music so I promised to post.

A few weeks back I saw that the Country Music Awards was on so I decided to dust off my country playlist, update it and give it a spin. Country is the genre that most people tell me they don't like so I am always wary to use it. But remember when I say don't be a music snob and keep an open mind...

Country (51 minutes)

1. Harper Valley P.T.A.- Jeannie C. Riley
2. Redneck Woman- Gretchen Wilson (run)
3. Man! I Feel Like a Woman- Shania Twain (run)
4. Cotton Eye Joe- Rednex (run)
5.I Love a Rainy Night- Eddie Rabbit (climb)
6. Stuck Like Glue- Sugarland (run)
7. Hoedown Throwdown- Miley Cyrus (jumps)
8. All Summer Long- Kid Rock (climb)
9. Crazy Ex-Girlfreind- Miranda Lambert (resistance build)
10. Life Is a Highway- Chris Le Doux (run)
11. Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)- Big & Rich (seated climb)
12. It Happens- Sugarland (run)
13. Gimme Three Steps- Lynyrd Skynyrd (run)
14. Honey Bee- Blake Shelton (cool down)

Yee-Haw!

The next class I was trying to think what would be the biggest contrast to Country so I went with my Alternative playlist...

Alternative (50 minutes)

1. Just Like Heaven- The Cure (warm up)
2. Memory- Sugarcult (run)
3. Lollipop- Mika (run)
4. Just Can't Get Enough (remix)- Equatronic (jumps)
5. Birdhouse In Your Soul- They Might Be Giants (climb)
6. I Melt With You- Sugarcult (run)
7. Here (In Your Arms)- Hellogoodbye (sprints)
8. Tubthumping- Chumbawamba (run)
9. Ocean Avenue- Yellowcard (sprints)
10. When Did Your Heart Go Missing?- Rooney (run)
11. It's the End of The World As We Know It- R.E.M. (run)
12. Beverly Hills- Weezer (climb)
13. The Middle- Jimmy Eat World (run)
14. Pure- The Lightning Seeds (cool down)

See you soon-

Portia

Playlist update

I have  a few to catch up on! First request was before I went on my "family trip" to Florida. It's not a vacation if it involves me making beds, picking up clothes and food preparation but it was fun regardless.

First one is my old Spring Break playlist that has a south of the border, Caribbean feel to it....

Spring Break (50 minutes)

1.Whenever, Wherever- Shakira (warm up)
2. Let's Get Loud- Jennifer Lopez (run)
3. Baila Meneaito- Candela (jumps)
4. The Tide is High- Blondie (climb)
5. Livin' la Vida Loca- Ricky Martin (run)
6. Torero- Chayanne (run)
7. Sweat- Inner Circle (climb)
8. Wipe Out- The Surfaris (run)
9. Pass the Dutchie- Musical Youth (climb)
10. We Be Burnin'- Sean Paul (run)
11. Hot Hot Hot- Buster Poindexter (jumps)
12. Vacation- Go-Go's (run)
13. Mambo No.5- Lou Bega (run)
14. Could You Be Loved- Bob Marley (cool down)

And the second Spring Break playlist which is a blend of current "party" songs and others from way back when I was on spring break during college. It was fun :)

Spring Break Old and New (53 minutes)

1. What Is Love- Haddaway (warm up)
2. Hit the Lights- Jay Sean (run)
3. Barbie Girl- Aqua (run)
4. Blow- Ke$ha (climb)
5. Macarena- Los Dos Rios (jumps)
5. On the Floor- Jennifer Lopez (run)
6. Rhythym Is a Dancer- Snap!
7. What the Hell- Avril Lavigne (sprints)
8. No Limit- 2 Unlimited (recovery run)
9. E.T.- Katy Perry (climb)
10. Another Night- Real McCoy (run)
11. S&M- Rihanna (run)
13. Good Vibrations- Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (jumps)
14. F**kin Perfect- P!nk (cool down)

Be back soon-

Portia

Last Week's Music

Here are the three playlists from last week, including the St.Patrick's Day mix which always goes over well.

Girl Power Revised (42 minutes)

1. Get the Party Started- P!nk (warm up)
2. 9 to 5- Dolly Parton (run)
3. Girlfriend- Avril Lavinge (run)
4. Beautiful Liar- Beyonce' and Shakira (climb)
5. Glamorous- Fergie (run)
6. Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani (climb)
7. Material Girl (remix)- Magnetic (run/cadence check)
8. Believe- Cher (run)
9. Girls Just Wann Have Fun- Miley Cyrus (resistance build)
10. Stupid Girls- P!nk (climb)
11. Like A Prayer (remix)- Mysterious Girl (run/cadence check)


For The Boys (52 minutes)

1. Get Ready For This- Countdown Mix Masters (warm up)
2. Come On Feel the Noize- Quiet Riot (run)
3. You Shook Me All Night Long- AC/DC (run)
4. We're Not Gonna Take It- Twisted Sister (run)
5. You Can't Always Get What You Want (remix)- The Rolling Stones (climb)
6. Smokin' In The Boys Room- Motley Crue (run)
7. Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana (climb)
8. Are You Gonna Be My Girl- JET (run)
9. We Will Rock You- Queen (seated climb)
10. Dude Looks Like a Lady- Aerosmith (run)
11. D'yer Mak'er- Led Zepplin (climb)
12. Vertigo- U2 (run)
13. Here I Go Again- Whitesnake (cool down)

And last but not least.....

Irish Music (53 minutes)

1. Where The Streets Have No Name- U2 (warm up)
2. One Last Drink- Enter the Haggis (run)
3. Come On Eileen- Dexy's Midnight Runners (run)
4. Irish Washerwoman- Pa's Fiddle Band (jumps)
5. Vertigo- U2 (run)
6. Lancaster Gate- Enter the Haggis (climb)
7. I'm Shipping Up to Boston- Dropkick Murphys (run)
8. Breathless- The Coors (run)
9. Elevation- U2 (climb)
10. An Irish Party in Third Class- Gaelic Storm (run)
11. Jump Around- House of Pain (jumps)
12. Sunday Bloody Sunday- U2 (climb)
13. Nancy Whiskey- Gaelic Storm (run)
14. Medley: Dear Old Donegal- The Irish Guards (cool down)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Cheers :)

Portia

Double Take

I try to listen to the radio a lot to be exposed to as many different types of music as possible. It gets boring to take a class and always hear the same type of music, at least I think it is. Music is a big motivator in spinning class so I always believe it needs to play a pretty big role in the class format.

Lately I had noticed on the stations I call "teenie bopper", the ones with all current stuff that they overplay like crazy, seemed to have a lot of songs that were either remakes or borrowed parts from older songs. Sometimes it is painfully obvious, other times you need to listen carefully.

It gave me the idea for this next playlist. At first I was concerned on playing every thing twice, the original and the the remake, but then I realized it actually provides a really challenging, and I think new workout. If anything, it challenges one's mental endurance along with cardiovascular and strength since after you finish a tough song, you are doing it all over again. It reminds me of riding your bike on an unfamiliar path and you get to the top of a really big hill just to find there is another big hill right around the corner. You have no choice but to keep going.

It's a nice metaphor for life I think. Sometimes things are pretty tough and they may get even tougher before a break. I think we would all be surprised how strong we are when we have to keep pushing. Don't worry, sooner or later the road will flatten out.

Double Take (53 minutes)

1. You Spin Me Right Round- Dead or Alive (warm up)
2. Right Round- Flo Rida (run)
3. Tainted Love- Soft Cell (climb)
4. SOS- Rihanna (climb)
5. Video Killed the Radio Star- The Buggles (run)
6. Check It Out- will.i.am and Nicki Minaj (run)
7. Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd (climb)
8. All Summer Long- Kid Rock (climb)
9. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'- Michael Jackson (jumps)
10. Don't Stop the Music- Rihanna (jumps)
11. The Time- Black Eyed Peas (run/cadence check)
12 The Time of My Life- Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

Portia :)

hold on...

I have had too many requests to continue so I will..but not now. Hopefully tomorrow with my "Double Take" playlist which went over well today. See you soon...

After a LONG break, I'm back...

The transition from summer to back to school was busier than I thought. I now have all three of my sons in school all day for the first time and instead of feeling I have more time on my hands, it feels like less. Probably since I have many projects around my house that I have been waiting to do for the past decade, and now can at least start.

I am hoping to catch up with past weeks playlists, I think I have at least six to post, slowly over the next two weeks. At least that's the plan. I am heading back north though in two days to hopefully get some riding in one last time, so that unfortunately will be a distraction. Just bear with me and I promise to get the music up. I know that's what members want, not my commentary :)

I am starting with one I did last week because I got an email request for it. I was thinking I ran out of ideas for a new playlist and it came to me to do one with songs that have either the word "Up" or "Down" in the title. Probably seems silly and unnecessary, but I need to have new music at least for one of my classes each week to get myself energized. Then I teach a better class.

Up and Down (41 minutes)

1. Start Me Up- The Rolling Stones (warm up)
2. Uptown Girl- Billy Joel (run)
3. Get Down Tonight- KC & The Sunshine Band (climb)
4. Up!- Shania Twain (run)
5. Pump Up the Jam- Technotronic (run/cadence check)
6. Movin' On Up- Ja'Net DuBois (standing run)
7. Don't Bring Me Down- Electric Light Orchestra (climb)
8. Pump It Up- Elvis Costello (seated sprints)
9. Down- Jay Sean (run)
10. Wind It Up- Gwen Stefani (climb)
11. What's Up- D.J.Miko (run)
12. Down Under- Men at Work (cool down)

I promise not to be away so long.

Portia