Lifting Music

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Edit: Re-typed the post below.
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No, that doesn’t say “uplifting music”, it says “lifting music”. We all know the benefit of listening to music as we train; it can help improve our mood, energize us, and sometimes induce an adrenaline response. At some powerlifting meets (I assume this is dependent on the federation? Somebody chime in here) there is even music allowed while lifting. In comparison, music is not present in weightlifting meets.

Nevertheless, there are lots of people interested in what you listen to when you train. It might be kinda cool if you explain a little bit about the song(s) that you list. I always liked to squat to things like “Achilles Last Stand” or “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin, as well as “I’m A Man” by Chicago. Let us know what you like.

And here are some (in)famous videos that depict some music that may or may not be playing during training sessions in a certain group of friends (the first two are pretty old, the last is marvelous).

55 thoughts on “Lifting Music”

  1. My favorite stuff to listen to right now when lifting are Ozzy-era Black Sabbath and Judas Priest’s Painkiller album. No particular reason, other than it kicks ass and is new to me.

    Also, this site has gotten me into Chicago, which I enjoy listening to while lifting too. Here’s my favorite song by them:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd95Qz7JSrY
    I like how it builds up to a big ending, its good to listen to for 1rm’s or big deadlift sets.

  2. Zep – How many more times, the bass line in this song is killer
    Rush – Working Man, just kicks ass and Niel Pert is the man
    Golden Earring – Radar Love, not sure why
    Deftones – most songs, for some reason this is one of the only newer bands that doesn’t annoy me when I listen to more than a couple songs. And the drummer Abe Cunningham is insane.

    Deftones – Mein and the one song that is named after the Konami code are pretty good.

    –Justin

  3. In most powerlifting federations there will be some type of music happening during the lift, in the USAPL its tough to hear it on the platform, but in the waiting area I happened to get some DMX to go before my final deadlift which helped.

    At Raw Unity you actually get to choose your music that you lift to which is pretty sweet.

    songs:
    Nelly – Heart of a Champion
    Juelz Santana – The Second Coming
    DJ Khaled – All I do is Win

    Are my three favorites

  5. Eulogy for a Ghost-Clutch

    And recently ive gotten into some of the mashups like AC uses in some of his vids. Queen/Faith No More stuff like that

  13. Good to see some fellow Clutch fans on here! I always thought their sound went well with the concept of 70s big.

    My main lifting songs right now are:

    Subtle Hustle (Clutch) – groovy. hilarious. rocking.

    In Your Words (Lamb of God) – gets the testosterone level up

    Ticks & Leeches (Tool) – gets the adrenaline flowing

    …and many other songs by Clutch. Pretty much can’t go wrong with these guys, IMO.

  14. Doubtless I’m not the first person to point this out, but there is no avatar option in the profile options anymore… no biggie, but I do like my Clint Eastwood avatar…

    I’ll look into it now.

    –Justin

  16. I like to vary my lifting music, but it needs to be heavy and usually fast. Recently I’ve used Cradle of Filth (notable tracks include Filthy Little Secret and the charmingly titled Gilded C**t) and Will Haven’s El Diablo album (check out I’ve Seen My Fate, which was, on a random note, the first song I ever saw at a gig).

    Oh, and Monster Magnet’s faster songs can be pretty good.

  19. Rise Against- Paper Wings

    when I do listen to music when I lift, this is the song I reserve for my last set of Squats

    Also Prayer of the Refugee and Give it All. Paper Wings is for the sound really but Prayer and Give it All are all about the lyrics. Those 3 are my squat songs.. “DONT HOLD ME UP NOW I CAN STAND MY OWN GROUND I DONT NEED YOUR HELP NOW”

    And my one set deadlift song is none other than Raining/Reign In Blood by Slayer….”TRAPPED IN PURGATORYYYYYY”

  20. My tastes vary but currently the Allman Brothers and the Rolling Stones are getting played often.

    Other favorites for heavier moods call for Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Tool or Motorhead while more mellow moods will get Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Drive By Truckers, Son Volt, Band of Heathens or Merle Haggard played.

    Strangley enough I find I lift with better focus listening to more mellow music and only an occasional heavy song…

  21. When the Levee Breaks is one of my favorite songs, but I love classic country. Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard as well as the lesser known artists. Like classic rock too, Marshall Tucker Band is a goodun. I dont necessarily listen to music to amp me up, (I tend to get pretty focused during a set and I couldnt tell you who was playing at that point).

    On another note, got my Starting Strength Coach Certificate in the mail today! Woohoo!

  23. Like LynnLynn (my wife) said: Amon Amarth. I prefer the songs “Runes to My Memory”, “Guardians of Aasgaard” and “Prediction of Warfare” for heavy squatting or deadlifting.

  24. Try the avatars now, it should work. I had to re-activate the plug-in. Some of you may have to re-load your images.

    Oh, and eventually the avatars will have some use, but I’ll just leave it at that for now.

  25. bridge on “you’re never alone” by hatebreed for my 3rd set of squats.

    random questions:
    1) can someone describe how WL shoes are supposed to fit? the pair i have feel pretty tight over my toes and i’m just wondering if they are supposed to be like that or if i need to return them for a bigger size.

    2) anyone know where a large-thighed gentleman like myself can get nice slacks? 36-38 waist, 27-28 thighs… express and banana republic (both appear on the 70sbig DON’T list, but oh well) aint cuttin it anymore.

  26. Nice playlist, crouton.

    Personally I don’t care what’s on as long as it’s not rap. I’ve hit PRs listening to Velvet Revolver, ABBA, and talk radio. It makes little difference to me. But I’ll admit to being happier when 80s music comes on.

    Anyone that trains when Justin and Chris are together will witness some of the worst music ADD ever. Expect at least five station changes.

  27. Avatars aren’t working for me. The option is now in the admin/profile section, but it’s just showing a broken image symbol. I re-uploaded and everything. Also, I’m getting the same broken image symbol for your’s Justin, but Jonathan’s is the only one working.

  28. Blood For Blood, Sick Of It All, and Mastodon(Leviathan) are my three favorites to listen to when I lift. However, on heavy deadlifts I almost always play either “Destroy Everything” or “Ghosts Of War”(Slayer cover) by Hatebreed.

  29. new noise by refussed from the ‘friday night lights’ soundtrack.

    I find there is some great music to lift to from movie soundtracks, especially instrumental ones.

  31. Orgy – blue monday
    Eminem – ’till I collapse (got it from a Call of Duty commercial).
    Dr. Dre’s chronic and 2001 albums.

  36. AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE

    Lyrics from Arnold movies, with Arnold’s voice, in metal songs. It’s like reese’s pieces except there’s three awesome things instead of just two.

    Plus, commentary between songs in Arnold’s voice has me cracking up while recovering between sets.

    Double Brutal Album
    Gotta Go (Agnostic Front cover)
    Iron Fist (Motorhead cover)
    Trapped Under Ice (Metallica cover)

  38. I can’t believe nobody mentioned
    Bodies by Drowning Pool

    This “song” is an abomination, brosif. Donkey Kong is far better.

    –Justin

  43. I tend to like things loud and hard when I lift.

    The Stooges “Raw Power” album
    Morbid Angel
    Slayer
    Soilent Green
    hatebreed (especially Born from Pain)

  44. Heavy and extreme death metal and grindcore for me. I haven’t trained without music in a long time.

    Pig Destroyer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7in7niTA-w

    Defeated Sanity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pBCzD2FHMA

    Cryptopsy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYv269-HcqU

    Orchidectomy:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuaDIzXFMEA

    I trained with a boombox for about a month when I went in in the early morning when it was usually just me and the attendant in the weight room. I scared the shit out of the poor girl : (

  45. Killswitch Engage – This is Absolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V0QlqClXbo

    I feel like I can pull ANYTHING when I listen to this song. I can’t even play it while I sit at the keyboard because my hands start shaking. I still don’t know exactly what about this song gets me revved-up, but it’s right around this part…

    “Don’t let the world deceive you,
    Don’t let their words betray you,
    Don’t let their lies deceive you,
    Let Them Do Their Worst…”

    …where I will rip off all of my callouses during deadlifts, and blow out my favorite notch on my weight belt during squats…then do one more rep.

  47. I think we should nominate Clutch to be the official 70s Big band. I think it was suggested earlier, and I had never heard of Clutch until then. But, holy shit, they sound like the soundtrack of 70s Bigness to me.

    I mean, they’ve got beards and everything:
    http://illinoisentertainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/clutch.jpg

    Somebody tell them we’ll make them the official band if they write us a song. Ha. Pretty sweet sound.

    Edit: On further listening, I’m liking this a lot.

    –Justin

  48. Judas Priest – Painkiller
    Metallica – All Nightmare Long (thanks AC)
    Lamb of God – Ashes in the Wake
    EMinem – Till I Collaspe
    Slayer – ANgel of Death
    Slayer – Jihad
    Slayer – War Ensemble
    Iron Maiden – Run to The Hills
    Black Sabbath – NEver Say Die
    Ozzy – Over the Mountain
    Ozzy – Desire
    Black Label Society – BLeed for Me
    Black Label Society – Funeral Bell
    AVenged SevenFold – Critical Aclaim

    Could go on…and on…haha

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