June 2016 cardio playlist + Musical cardio workout
Hey hey party people. Happy humpday! Hope your week is going well. P’s 7 month update is up on the Family page here. 🙂
This spin teacher is back in action! It felt so great to be back in the saddle, especially since I mentioned before that there was a time not too long ago where I thought I might not be able to spin again. I just have to stop myself from getting awkwardly emotional at the end of class. You can’t come back from hiatus and cry at everyone.
I was so excited to put together an awesome playlist, especially since we have a new lighting system in our spin room. I can change the colors of the stage lights, set them to flash to the beat of the music (awesome for sprints), and turn everything off but a single spotlight for heavy hills. It. Is. Awesome. I’m still getting the hang of the remote, but I don’t think it will be too bad.
Here’s the playlist I put together for this week’s spin classes, and wanted to share for your sweaty summer cardio workouts! It’s a great mix of steady beats for tempo work, driving choruses for sprints, and slow, intense jams for hill climbing.
I hope you love it!
Here are some cardio suggestions if you’d like to take this playlist with you on the treadmill, elliptical or stairclimber. You could even use this for your own solo spin session. As always, talk to a doctor before making any fitness changes and modify as needed.
RPE 1-10:
1= taking a nap, 5= easy steady state, 7= challenging but doable, 8= very challenging, 9= your most challenging hill incline or sprint pace
Can’t Stop the Feeling- Warm up (RPE 5-6). Use this chance to get set up with moderate pace and resistance, tap into your breathing, engage your core, and visualize how great you’re going to feel when you’re finished.
Cheap Thrills- Steady moderate climb. Crank up the resistance to something that feels challenging (RPE 7), but like you have more to give. Your goal is to keep the same steady pace and resistance for the entire song. Really focus on keep your core awake and engaged. If you’re on a spin bike, take it up to position 3 for the second half of the song and add more resistance
One Dance- heavy climb. Add resistance every 30 seconds until you hit your max. Hold it here until the end of the song. Try to keep a moderate pace with your feet the entire time.
Bruk Bruk- tempo with incline sprints. Start off at a steady moderate tempo and maintain it during the beats. When he says, “Bruk bruk” (<— you’ll know what I mean haha), crank up the resistance and the speed (RPE 8-9). Recover in between each set.
Rock Bottom- heavy standing climb. If you’re on a treadmill, you’ll walk and maintain a solid pace while increasing the resistance during every chorus. On the spin bike, you’ll be standing the entire time, and during the chorus, come out to position 3 and crank the incline to slow your pace (RPE 8).
Hero of the Day- heavy seated climb with tempo. If you’re on a treadmill, keep a steady pace and a challenging resistance (RPE 7). This song naturally has some speed changes. Follow them with your pace. As it becomes faster and more upbeat, increase your pace and maintain, then recover. On the spin bike, you’ll do the same thing. Keep the resistance as high as you can take it with good form, and pick up your pace with the song. (RPE 8-9)
The Hum- full up sprint. Keep the pace moderate and quick to start. Slow down at 20 seconds. Find a slow and easy pace. Take your resistance up if you’re feeling good. Start to pick up your pace at :50 (when the electronic beats come in). By 1:06 you should be sprinting your heart out. Recover at 1:20 with a quick pace. Hold this and repeat for the next round. As the music starts to speed up (after the humming section), start to sprint your heart out (at 2:40).
Downtown- jumps (if you’re on a spin bike). If you’re on the treadmill, use this as a recovery song. Make sure to staying in the “working zone” at least 70% of your max heart rate so you don’t go into the cool down zone.
Don’t Let Me Down- rolling hills. Start at a quick and steady moderate pace (RPE 6). Hold for 30 seconds, then crank up the resistance (RPE 7-8). Hold for 30 seconds. Decrease the resistance (down to RPE 6) and increase your speed. Hold the quicker speed for 30 seconds. Next decrease your speed and add in resistance (RPE 8-9). Hold 30 seconds. As you release the resistance, pick up your speed. Continue this pattern for the entire song.
Till It Hurts- last sprint! Give it everything you’ve got. Start with a steady moderate pace.
Waterfalls cover- Cool down and stretch.
Let me know if you give it a try!
xoxo
Gina
For even more musical workout fun, check out this musical strength workout.
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That lighting sounds so cool!! How awesome is that new JT song? Love love love. Congrats on getting back to teaching spin! I’m sure it is a great feeling.
i’m obsessed with it! event though it’s already overplayed, i still love it
Thanks for the music inspiration! Love finding new songs to keep me distracted during cardio!
let me know if you give it a try! xoxo
I love the idea of changing up the colors during a spin class. I haven’t been to a spin class in…years I guess? I remember the last one I went to – the instructor played Weird Al. I love Weird Al, but it seemed like a really strange choice for spin. Maybe consider that for your next playlist 🙂
hahaha! i can’t say i have any weird al in my iTunes.. but it’s never to late
Thanks for the playlist. Will definitely give it a try. There is a hot summer ahead.
hope you enjoy it!!
I’m loving the music inspiration! Always on the lookout for music for my spin sessions. Good to hear your back on the teaching train. It’s so fulfilling!
yes, i’ve missed it so much
Love the playlist! Where do you teach spin in SD?
i can email you the details if you’d like!
i LOVE when you share spin playlists! i’m a fitness instructor as well and am actually teaching my last class at UCLA today since i am graduating this spring. still making my playlist and definitely including a few of these! thank you!!
Yay for getting back into teaching! Your studio sounds impressive! Stage lights and everything. Wow!
I love this playlist and how you put it all together on iTunes. I will definitely pass this along to my wife. Keep up the amazing blog posts.
Nice collection! Love the play-list! Definitely include some of these in my play-list and also share with my friend. 🙂
I know this post isn’t sponsored, but re: the beachmate post: I wanted to say thank you for only choosing products/companies that you geniunely seem to use/ believe in to feature on your blog. I’m sure it can be difficult to turn down the extra $$$ or free products all the time, but you really seem to consider your audience when doing and stay true to yourself.
thank you so much, kate! that’s something that’s always been important to me, so it means a lot that you guys notice/care 🙂 hope you’re having a wonderful week. xoxo
I notice this too. Thanks, Gina! I’m glad you get sponsored posts and I hope you get more that you care about too.
thank you, india. that means the world to me <3
Yay for you being back at it!!! Loving the music inspiration too!!
I’m heading back to the gym today after having ClassPass for a month. Just made these songs my playlist – as well as one of your leg day workouts – and I’m actually excited to go now. Thank you!
so so awesome! i hope you had a great workout 🙂
SO helpful! I’m teaching my first live bootcamp in a few weeks and would LOVE your recommendations too <3