Do you have a go-to work-out playlist? Or any music from your pole-dancing workouts you’d care to share? I always find that the music I’m listening to can have a determining effect on if I go for that run or not…
A: Dang, she brought up the pole too, though…
Strange side note – something I almost neverrr mention on the blog is that I’ve spent my life dedicated to music, and am actually a classically trained opera singer who sings in six languages… and occasionally still listens to Lil’ Jon and Gucci Mane.
So sue me.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my studies, it’s that music is about much more than words. What people relate to, more often than not, is feeling and emotion… and that can be conveyed in far more than just the lyrics. It’s the sound, the volume, the tone… if everything is right, it will spark the “right” feeling in you and you can use that as necessary to your life.
This is why, I believe, some people have no use for certain songs and others live for them. It’s all about whatever there is in your life that can relate to what that song is saying.
That being said, when I go run, it’s all about giving me something that’s going to stoke the ass-whoopin’ fire in my soul. I need something that’s gonna make me run out there and throw a ‘bow at the next jerk who wants to walk out on the jogging path smoking and eating a honey bun. Quite frankly, I need some music that’s going to get me thiiiiiiiis close to being arrested.
Conversely, when I practice my pole work, I prefer something sensual. Relaxed, focused, not necessarily wild… somewhat subtle… short of the occasional super-ratchet song, that is. It’s got to be something that can get me past the “OMG YOUR ARMS ARE BURNING AND YOUR THIGHS ARE ON FIRE… BUT YOU SEXY, GIRL!” feeling.
You have to figure out what feelings you need to tap into in order for you to feel emotionally fueled to complete your activity. I need to feel like I might get arrested… this might also be part of the reason why I run a little faster when certain songs come on.
That being said, asking me what’s on my playlist is a pretty personal question. I mean, you might as well ask me what I weigh. 😉 Here’s what my pole playlist looks like. (I know that sounds funny, since it very well could be, well… never mind.)
- Anytime, Anyplace – Janet Jackson
- Babydoll – Mariah Carey
- Be With You – Beyonce
- Beauty – Dru Hill
- Blame It – Jamie Foxx
- Blue Alert – Madeleine Peyroux
- Break You Off – The Roots
- Breathe – Raheem DeVaughn
- Corrupt – Cee Cee Michaela
- Crazy You – Zo! feat. Sy Smith
- Excuse Me Miss – Jay-Z
- Feenin’ – Jodeci
- Freakin’ Me – Jamie Foxx feat. Marsha Ambrosius
- Glory Box – Portishead
- Hot Tottie – Usher
- How Can I Love U 2Nite – Sisqo
- I Need Love – Robin Thicke
- In Private – Jagged Edge
- Kiss Me – Cassie
- Let’s Take Our Time – TLC
- Long Night – Nelly feat. Usher
- Look At Her – One Chance, Trey Songz, Lloyd
- The Moon and the Sky – Sade
- Nefertiti (Center of the Universe) – Chico DeBarge
- No Guarantee – Chico DeBarge
- One Night Stand – Lil’ Jon feat. Oobie
- Promise – Ciara
- Pushin’ Inside You – Sons of Funk
- Pussycats – Missy Elliot
- Question Existing – Rihanna
- Release Some Tension – SWV
- Say Yes – Floetry
- Seven Days – Mary J. Blige
- Sh-t, Damn, Motherf-cker – D’Angelo
- So Anxious – Ginuwine
- Suzie Blue – Ben Harper
- Table Tennis – Flying Lotus feat. Laura Darlington
- Take Care – Marsha Ambrosius
- Teach U A Lesson – Robin Thicke
- Single – Raheem DeVaughn
- Video Phone – Beyonce feat. Lady Gaga
- Who You Wit – Jay-Z
- Yes – Beyonce
- You Are Everything – Dru Hill
- Your Love Is A 187 – Whitehead Bros
What’s on my current running playlist?
- Ice Cream – Raekwon
- Maneater – Nelly Furtado feat. Lil’ Wayne
- I Luv Your Girl – The-Dream
- That Girl – Pharrell
- Get Me Bodied – Beyonce
- Fire – Paul Wall & Trina
- Grew Up A Screw Up – Ludacris & Young Jeezy
- Candy – E40, MC Eiht, Snoop Dogg
- Special Delivery – G.Dep, Ghostface Killah, Craig Mack
- Daddy Fat Sax – Big Boi
- Itty Bitty Piggy – Nicki Minaj
- Hard In The Paint – Waka Flocka Flame
- What You Know – TI
- Whoa – Black Rob
- Viva La White Girl – Gym Class Heroes feat. Lil’ Wayne
- Hot Tottie – Usher
- So Appalled – Kanye West
- Hot Boyz – Missy Elliott
- Roman’s Revenge – Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem
- No Hands – Waka Flocka Flame
- Monster – Kanye West
- Gucci Mane – Won’t Catch Me Runnin’
- Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg
- Play No Games – Lil’ Jon
- I Don’t Give A F-ck – Lil’ Jon
- Put Yo Hood Up – Lil’ Jon
- Bia Bia – Lil’ Jon
- Throw It Up – Pastor Troy
As you can see, I like my running music wild, and I make no apologies or explanations for it other than this is what I need to make those miles. What’s in your headphones? Let me see those lists!
Oh, and since I may be one of a handful of people around here with a pole, let’s throw this out there – if you could put on your best pole routine, what would be on your playlist?