What songs are you using in fitness classes?
Music is such a personal thing. It is certainly a challenge to hit the sweet spot for everyone who comes to your class! You have to get to know your group – but you need to be true to yourself also.
I use a variety of music genres. While I do use some current “Top 40” songs, my personal rule has become that while I don’t have to exactly like a song, I have to be able to stand it! Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot on the Top 40 list that rocks my world. So I tend toward International rhythms, World Beat, Tribal, Instrumental, Latin and Jazz. Just this week I had a woman tell me after class that she appreciates my music. I’m in my 50’s, and so is she – but I have a lot of younger folks in class who like what I use and don’t miss the Top 40.
Any genre of songs that inspire and have a positive message. I avoid negativity, lyrics about anything less than being happy and feeling great! Born This Way, Lady Gaga. Be Yourself, Morcheeba. Feeling Good, Nina Simone. Lovely Day Inside, Mo’ Horizons. Lift Me Up, Moby. Some examples from a Pilates class playlist.
For Zumba Fitness instructors, we have certain strict guidlines regarding the music we use on our playlists. I use only ZIN (Zumba Instructor Network) music..which is provided along with choreography that we can either follow as is or tweek or just use our own.
We have Mara, Pitbull, Soldat Jahman, Luis Guisao and Shakira to name a few. Great music!!! And the students love them!