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.
