Gym Musique

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Two-parter:

Why is it that most songs that are piped through the overhead speakers at workout facilities in the U.S. are always so NOT conducive to working out? I'm armed with a CD walkman when using the more stationary cross-training machines -- so no issue there, but lugging that around makes it bothersome to do the weightlifting exercises...
...which was OK when I was signed up at the local gym back in Orange County, cA... as every now and then, the overhead satellite station they used would occasionally play some interesting classic rock or quirky 80s hits...(heard PWEI's "Defcon 1" and, yes, Velvet Underground's "Heroin" at least once each.) But the gym I'm signed up to here in Seattle is just dreadful. Not only do they play the most banal and dreadful 80s, 90s, and millenial hits, but the former ones are modern AOR covers. The gym staff are just lucky they don't have to clean up my vomit every other day.
Normally I wouldn't care about music I don't like being played in a facility, like a dental office, bank, etc... but the effectiveness of weightlifting is so dependent on my immediate environment and stimuli, such that a wailing country power ballad version of John Waite's "Missing You" is enough to distract me... At this point, I'd honestly accept a typical frat-boy rock station as a substitute.
I've kindly asked them who makes the decision to play whatever music they play in the gym, and I got the "We have no control over it" bullshit -- though they told me with such friendliness, sympathy, and smiles -- of course. Given that I'm on the younger half of the average age of the patrons, and probably the only music geek who's signed up, I'm know I'm not going to get my way.
Sigh.
And now the fun part... if you -- yes, YOU! -- were the program director of a satellite station that broadcast music that only went out to gyms, what songs would you choose in order to ensure the success of those workout facilities, and hence your job? What other peripheral research would you do to choose the songs that you do?
Keep in mind, I'm not asking "what's your favorite workout music?". You have to keep in mind turning people off with "Loud, caustic, noise". You have a buff/body-fat-free non-music-loving public to maintain here.. remember?

― Brian MacDonald, Saturday, 29 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You have a buff/body-fat-free non-music-loving public to maintain here.. remember?

Oh, okay. Then I would put Kool and the Gang's "Celebration" on an infinite loop and watch on remote camera as the initially pleased and merry customers eventually start trying to claw each others' eyes out. I'd then burn down the building, collect the insurance money, and then leave town.

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 29 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't stand the station my gym is tuned to.....classic rock. Now, don't get me wrong, I do love Pink Floyd, but I really don't want to hear "Time" while I'm in there lifting weights, it sucks all the energy out of me. Same with the Doors....Zeppelin....etc....I like a whole lot of "classic rock," I just hate working out to it. That being said, I have no idea what music I would choose, if I had to try to please as many people as possible, including myself. If it was just me, it would be fast, aggressive metal or hard banging techno all the way.

― patrick, Saturday, 29 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Our gym usually has different music going in different rooms. I've noticed the frat-boy stuff generally gets played in the free weight room (where the builder-types hang out); the Nautilus room generally has either top 40 or some '80s program going. The architecture of the club is such that those are really the only two places of any size where you can hear whatever's playing. No satellite, it's all local commercial radio.

After fifteen years and hearing too much bad stuff, I've learned to pretty much 'tune out' mentally and concentrate on the workout.

― Jeff Wright, Saturday, 29 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i would actually consider oging to the gym if all they played was the velvet underground

― Geoff, Sunday, 30 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ooooh, here's an answer people will disagree with. First of all, I'd put shit like Daft Punk on because it's repetitive and energetic, but it's also boring after a while. So, then I'd mix it up with Wilco. Yes, Wilco. And then I'd put on some New Pornographers. After this, who really cares? I'd be fired as program director. But, if I could continue on, I'd put on Tom Petty and Willie Nelson.

― Nude Spock, Sunday, 30 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I swam at the y for a long time before they put speakers in. Listenign to music underwater is dud/

― anthony, Sunday, 30 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

1) Autobahn - Kraftwerk = general introduction, warm up
2) Dancing Queen - Abba = Do some sit ups, ab crunches (i think that's what they are called)
3) The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner - Iron Maiden = Running machine
4) Blue - Effiel 65 = Weights
5) November Rain - G'N'R = Give up and go home.

Never been to a gym though!

― jel, Sunday, 30 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I didnt mind annoying fratboy music cause it pissed me off and anger was a great thing for free weights. What I hated was nearby personal trainers who were shouting thing like "Feel the PAAAAAIN!" cause it made me laugh. For a good cross country run I loved Daydream Nation era SY or Dinosaur Jr.

Sigh, now Im skinny twig boy who has no time for 10k runs. No time for posting on the IL* either but least I dont have to get off my fat ass to do that.

― Mr Noodles, Sunday, 30 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've never set foot in a gym in my life. Despite this, I look great naked (thin, yes). If I thought about it, trying to lift weights, etc., to "Heroin" seems absurd; I'm sure it would break any any rhythm or concentration I would try to achieve. Although anything would be better than boom-boom techno-disco gay bar music that I imagine being played at most of the gyms here in SF. Maybe I'm wrong. How about silence?

― Sean, Monday, 1 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cajun swamp music. I find it works wonders when I exercise at home to it.

― Kodanshi, Tuesday, 2 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, I once lost twenty pounds by doing a daily jogging/jump around to Nitzer Ebb (esp. Violent Playground) and the Stone Roses (trying to 'make it through' the extended mix of Fools Gold was highly effective) - so I'd definitely be recommending those and umm... Venga Boys, Aqua, (and taking a cue from Richard Simmons) ELO. So there you go - incontrovertable proof that excercising is actually bad for you.

― Kim, Tuesday, 2 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eight years pass...

revive

― what if "middlebrow" is pubes? (Matt P), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 07:56 (fifteen years ago)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-tArwiQ8QGU/SOEd-ka_-iI/AAAAAAAAAx4/cEUFElnPJMk/s320/musique.jpg

― what if "middlebrow" is pubes? (Matt P), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 07:56 (fifteen years ago)

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