Top Cardio Songs of All Time

If you are looking to add a new iPod playlist to listen to while at the gym, consider creating a selection of "Top Cardio Songs of All Time." This collection of tunes will be sure to get you motivated (and stay that way) during your entire workout.

If you are going to do a cardio workout at least three to five times a week, then you need a list of up tempo songs to keep your body and mind going. Studies have shown that listening to music while exercising can not only improve your workout, but its results as well. Individuals tend to workout harder for longer periods of time when they have fun listening to music. These tunes make exercise seem more like fun than a chore by providing a distraction from the work you are actually doing.

Choosing the right music for your workout can make all the difference between having to exercise and wanting to exercise. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right cardio music, which in turn will enhance your fitness routine:

• Pick a song that is fast-paced with an upbeat tempo (120 to 140 beats per minute)
• Use a reliable iPod or MP3 player so your cardio songs can be easily downloaded and grouped together into playlists. This will make selecting your songs simpler.
• Keep it personal; listen to music that you like and don't let anyone talk you into anything else.
• Match the music to your routine and movements of your body; if you plan on walking at a fast pace, your tunes should reflect it.
• Dare to be different; experiment with popular cardio songs that you otherwise never thought you'd like. You may surprise yourself.

Because musical taste is extremely personal, there really isn't a published list of top cardio songs of all time. However, there are many tunes that definitely top many exercise playlists, most of which are either rock 'n roll, hip hop, rap, pop or even disco.

Fitness Magazine released a readers' favorites list of top popular workout songs. That list included:

• SexyBack (Justin Timberlake)
• Ain't No Other Man (Christina Aguilera)
• Fergalicious (Fergie)
• Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne)
• Maneater (Nelly Furtado)
• My Humps (Black Eyed Peas)
• Promiscuous (Nelly Furtado)
• This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race (Fall Out Boy)
• It's Not Over (Chris Daughtry)
• This is Why I'm Hot (Mims)

The Best Songs website lists the top country songs to listen to while working out:

• 9 to 5 (Dolly Parton)
• Any Man of Mine (Shania Twain)
• Baby Likes to Rock It (The Tractors)
• Boot Scootin' Boogie (Brooks and Dunn)
• Born to Boogie (Hank Williams Jr.)
• Bubba Shot the Jukebox (Mark Chestnutt)
• Chattahoochee (Alan Jackson)
• Cotton Eyed Joe (Joe Rednex)
• If the House is Rockin' (Lee Roy Parnell)
• Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus)

Disco songs definitely have a beat that you can move with, so it's not surprising to find these songs on the top of an exercise playlist:

• Boogie Oogie Oogie (A Taste of Honey)
• Car Wash (Rose Royce)
• Celebration (Kool and the Gang)
• Dancing Queen (ABBA)
• Disco Inferno (The Trammps)
• Get Down Tonight (K.C. and the Sunshine Band)
• Hot Stuff (Donna Summer)
• I Feel Love (Donna Summer)
• I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
• It's Raining Men (The Weather Girls)

Who doesn't love a good rock 'n roll when exercising? These songs will help get your adrenaline going:

• All Star (Smash Mouth)
• Are You Gonna Go My Way? (Lenny Kravitz)
• Black Dog (Led Zeppelin)
• Bleed it Out (Linkin Park)
• Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)
• Cradle of Love (Billy Idol)
• Cum on Feel the Noize (Quiet Riot)
• Dancing with Myself (Billy Idol)
• Dirty Little Secret (The All-American Rejects)
• Fox on the Run (Sweet)

If you don't own any of the songs listed, your best bet would be to either buy the CDs or download them from the Internet. You can purchase the songs individually (or the whole CD as well) online from:

• iTunes
• Rhapsody
• Amazon
• Music Download
• EZ Tracks

You can do a quick search on these sites for exercise or cardio songs, and even take a few-second test drive to make sure you really like the song. Once downloaded, you can customize your playlists to the different exercises you are doing. The possibilities are really endless!

While exercising is important, having the right music to help you move is just as significant. But remember, just because you have an iPod full of invigorating cardio music doesn't mean you should overdo it. Take your time and build up your endurance. You can always add more exercise -- and more music -- to your routine.

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