Workout Song of the Moment #7

Workout Song of the Moment #7

Since my fat ass has actually been going to the gym consistently, I’ve had to add several songs to my workout rotation. What will follow is a periodic update of whichever song has given me added juice on the lifting machines or elliptical trainer. Download these yourselves and enjoy.

“Seven Deadly Sins” – Flogging Molly

I can find a Flogging Molly song to suit any mood. Feeling happy and want to roll down the windows? Put on “Salty Dog” and howl at the moon. Feeling wistful? Try “The Sun Never Shines on Closed Doors.” Quirky and introspective? “If I Ever Leave This World Alive.” Need to get up and do a crazy Irish jig dance? You’re looking for “Devil’s Dance Floor” or about a dozen others. Hungover? There’s no better song today than “The Worst Day Since Yesterday.”

When I’m working out, I like to pick two songs to peak to. I usually kick off the mix with something uptempo and propulsive (like this), then I usually try to make the mix ebb and flow so I don’t gas out somewhere in the middle and then huff and puff like a jackass through the end.

No matter what though, I like to pick two songs that serve as the climax of the workout. It’s here I like to push myself into another gear and really open up my lungs. The first song of this two-song crescendo pretty much always needs to be not only generally very fast, but inspirational in some way too. My go-to setup man in these situations used to be “…To Be Loved” by Papa Roach, and currently I’ve been using the live version of “Disconnected” by Face to Face, but the best song for this purpose of all-time is “Seven Deadly Sins” by Flogging Molly.

This song is bugfuck crazy. It’s a typical we’re a band and we have a lunatic lifestyle on the road! self-mythologizing track, but it’s the audio equivalent of Irish folk music getting hit with a freight train. And who doesn’t love pirates? Being a pirate was probably actually pretty terrible, but in the media-tized version of being a pirate, it’s a lot of tomfoolery and drinking and light-hearted petty theft.

So, off you go with visions of swinging from the gally, jamming a knife into the sail, and sliding down like the swashbuckling hero you are as you pound out three more high intensity minutes on the cardio machine.

Then get to the bridge section and tell me it doesn’t sound like that under-deck party scene from Titanic, which is only one of the most fun parties captured on celluloid. And yes, I realize I love Titanic more than a reasonable straight man probably should (additional footnote: Yes, after watching it 100 times or so, I realize just how unforgivably hokey the dialog is. No, I don’t care), but to hell with it. Kate and Leo radiate pure joy in that scene, and it’s a fun moment to think of while you’re sweating your ass off.

Enjoy!

1 comment on “Workout Song of the Moment #7

  1. Pingback: Mix | Eks Axis

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