Top 10 rock songs to take your workout to the next level

Here are 10 songs that'll get your adrenaline pumping and help you workout.

By: Nirmalya Dutta | | Updated: April 23, 2014 4:31 pm

One of the biggest downsides of going to a gym is the music. Romantic Bollywood melodies, item numbers, Enrique Iglesias, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion and even Linkin Park (they really have to move past Numb and In the End) don’t really push you to pump iron or run faster. Well if you’re going to have a killer workout, you need the right tunes. Here’s our list of ten tunes that will get your adrenaline pumping and heart racing and take your workout to the next level. We present to you our list of 10 rock songs to get you moving: Also Read - Is your workout killing you? What really happens to your body when you exercise too much

NB – This list is in no particular order. Also we’ve listed only one song from each artist/group/band. Also Read - The best exercises to do if you are feeling lazy

1. Zinda (Artist: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Film: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag) Also Read - Should you strength train or do cardio first while working out? (Query)

The song from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag will get you right in the mood for a killer workout. If you’re running short of motivation, the song will put you into killer mode and get you all pumped up, especially if you’re doing cardio or skipping. Also Farhan Akhtar’s extremely chiselled runner’s physique should definitely provide you with extra motivation.

2. Shoot to Thrill (Artist: AC/DC)

Shoot to Thrill was part of AC/DC’s comeback album Back in Black when Brian Johnson replaced the recently deceased Bon Scott in the band’s line-up. The song gained immense popularity in the 80s and would enjoy resurgence as it was featured in Iron Man 2 and became Iron Man’s signature tune in the Avengers. Sample the lyrics.

Cause I’m the one who’s gonna make you burn
I’m gonna take you down – down, down, down
So don’t you fool around
I’m gonna pull it, pull it, pull the trigger
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
Too many women with too many pills
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will

PS – Once I was singing along ‘The gonna take you down – down, down, down’ bit in the plane, they almost mistook me for a terrorist.

3. Du Hast (Artist: Rammstein)

This is the only song on our list which is neither Hindi nor English but actually a cult classic by genre-defining German dance metal group Rammstein. You might not understand the lyrics but we assure you that this song will get the blood pumping. (Read: 10 awesome fitness workouts for the perfect you!)

4. Eye of the Tiger (Artist: Survivor, Film: Rocky III)

The cult classic of workout songs, the song was written specifically for Rocky III by the band Survivor. Legend has it that Sly wanted to use the Queens’ Another One Bites the Dust but he didn’t get permission for it. The training montage remains one of the most inspiring training montages of all time and the song never fails to pick you up when you need a boost.

5. The Number of the Beast (Artist: Iron Maiden)

If you want to bring out the inner beast during workouts, then Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast is the perfect number to do that. It was really tough to pick this considering Fear of the Dark or Turn the Page make pretty decent workout songs as well.

6. Bhaag DK Bose, Aandhi Ayi (Singer/Composer: Ram Sampath, Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya)

This grunge rock song from Delhi Belly gained amazing popularity as well criticism for the crass, double-meaning lyrics. But all said and done it’s a great song to tickle the devil in you and also run faster on the damn treadmill.

7. Immigrant Song (Artists: Led Zepplin)

One of the classic heavy metal acts, the opening riffs of this song will motivate even the laziest of exercisers. Written by Led Zepplin after their tour of Iceland, the song gained prominence when it was used during the opening sequence of the Hollywood version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which showed an abstract concept of Lisabeth Salander struggling against the tyrannies of men. If this song doesn’t pump you up and make you angry, there’s something wrong with you.

PS – The opening sequence of the song goes Aaaa Aaaa Aaaaa…. Singing along in the gym might lead people to believe you suffered a life-threatening injury.

8. I’m Shipping Up to Boston (Performed By: The Dropkick Murphies, Lyrics: Woody Guthrie)

The lyrics of this song were written by celebrated folk singer Woody Guthrie and were performed by Celtic Punk band the Dropkick Murphies. The song gained worldwide acclaim after it was used in 2006-Academy Winning movie The Departed and the cat-and-mouse game that the cops and gangsters play is immaculately captured in this song.

9. Iron Man (Artists: Black Sabbath)

If there was one song which was definitely written for pumping iron then it’s this heavy metal classic by Black Sabbath. Frequently cited as the greatest metal song of all time, the song is the ultimate workout song with its build-up and heavy rock finish.

PS – It might not be a good idea to shout out ‘I am Iron Man’ while you’re listening to Ozzy. While it might feel good at the point, your fellow gym-goers will give you stick for the rest of your tenure there. (Read: Does your gym have these 10 IRRITATING personalities?)

10. Emotional Atyachar Rock Version (Artist: Bony Chakravarthy, Amitabh Bhattacharya and Music Director: Amit Trivedi, Movie: DevD)

While the brass band version gained immense popularity amongst the masses, the rock version of the song was well-appreciated too and remains one of the best Hindi songs that you can blast during workouts. Crank up this number when you need that extra boost at the end of your workout. Agree with our list? Or do you think we missed out some of them? Let us know.

[polldaddy poll=7630340]

For more articles on Fitness check out our Fitness Section and for videos check out our YouTube Channel. Don’t miss out on the latest updates. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.

Published : December 9, 2013 2:43 pm | Updated:April 23, 2014 4:31 pm

Read Disclaimer