Go Back To The Gym

I joined a gym a little over a year ago, and I still don't have any muscles. So what do I know about working out? Pretty much nothing, BUT I have discovered what kind of music gets me pumped while I'm doing weight-assisted chin ups or sweating it out on the eliptical.

YOUTH CREW.

I discovered straight edge hardcore in 8th grade, and fell in love with the late 80s brand of it, popularized by Youth of Today. These bands have fast, aggressive songs that go into mid tempo "breakdowns" and positive, goal-oriented messages. Oh yeah, and the people who play it are covered in athletic gear from head to toe.

I got ridiculed by other punkers or hardcore kids for listening to "jock music," and I always thought youth crew got a bad rap, because while there were some narrow-minded attitudes within that scene, I thought it got picked on because of the sports-related asthetic that went along with it.

Well you know what? They were right. Youth crew is total jock music, and I love it all the more for that.

Before I really had a work out regiment, I used to think slower, grueling, metallic music would the best music to listen to while bench pressing. Bands like Strife and Earth Crisis are so slow, you can lift a considerable amount of weight repeatedly in time to the music. That you helps keep a steady pace. But ultimately, listening to people who sound like they are physically struggling themselves (or constipated) is going to make your work out that much more mentally difficult.

Why not listen to some classic early 80s hardcore punk ala Adolescents, Germs, TSOL? The early LA punk scene was so drug-addled, that it won't give you the motivation to keep going. Imagine running a 10K on the treadmill while listening to "Six Pack" by Black Flag. Not happening. It'll just make you want to break shit or get wasted.

So the next time you're at the rec center, dial up Gorilla Biscuits or Side By Side into your iPod, and see what I'm talking about. The music is going to be way faster than your body will be moving, but that will encourage you to keep going. The following is some suggested listening, broken down by exercise category:

WEIGHT TRAINING
Floorpunch - Fast Times At The Jersey Shore
Judge - New York Crew
The First Step - What We Know
Uniform Choice - Screaming For Change
Speak (714) - Knee Deep In Guilt

What you are looking for with weight training is fast, angry, and powerful drumming. Judge and Floorpunch are pissed off which will make you pissed off and make you lift that barbell. No one I know seems to like Speak 714, but what do they know? The drumming is solid, and Dan O is on fire. His earlier bands are okay too, but No For An Answer records lack decent production, and you need to hear those drums if you expect to get pumped.

AEROBICS
Insted - Proud Youth 1988-1991
In My Eyes - Nothing To Hide
Turning Point - It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn
Sportswear - Building, Dwelling, Thinking
Bold - Running Like Thieves (s/t e.p.)

With aerobics, you want something equally fast, but less angry than the weight training bands. You need something to motivate you lyrically, and tempo-wise. Sometimes you will be able to sync up those breakdowns to your pace when on the moving stairs (whatever those are called) or the eliptical. "Running In Place" by Turning Point is an especially good selection for the treadmill.

And the song "Go Back To The Gym" by Battery, I might add, is an excellent suggestion and an excellent song to listen to whilst partaking in exercise of any kind.

WAKE UP AND LIFT!