I usually exercise outside, without music - I find it far more interesting and engaging. However, I do have a few musical favourites when I am exercising indoors. I tend to prefer targeted high-intensity exercise, accompanied by live music - it seems to keep me more energised and results in a more satisfying work-out. I exercise in time with the music, sometimes a specific instrument - depending on my mood. Regardless of whether I'm jogging on the spot, doing push-ups, squats or even just warming-up - I always follow the music. I think it's more fun, that way.
I prefer silence when I'm doing yoga-like stretches etc, but during more active warm-up and cool-down - I listen almost exclusively to this live performance of '
White Queen (As It Began)'. It starts slowly, building to a crescendo at around the 3-minute mark - then slows again at the end. For me, it's the perfect warm-up/cool-down song - particularly when I'm targeting a particular muscle-group etc.
For more general use, depending on the sort of exercise I'm looking for - I listen to one (usually more) of these live gems: '
Ogre Battle', '
Dragon Attack', '
Won't Get Fooled Again', '
Sultans of Swing',
Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll', '
Methods of Dance', '
Keep Yourself Alive', '
Calling Elvis', '
Locomotive Breath', '
Liar', '
Whole Lotta Love' and '
Script For A Jester's Tear'. There are certainly more, but these are the ones that immediately came to mind.
