Workout Music for Movie Buffs

When most people load up their IPod with music for the gym, a walk, or a jog they inevitably choose pop music. And trust me, I've got my fair share of Beyonce and Nelly Furtado on mine. But seldom do people consider using music from film as the soundtrack for their motivation. But soundtrack music and film score is some of the most invigorating and inspiring music you could possibly find! For starters, the music is emotionally loaded. It was meant to make you feel something at a certain point in a film. Try listening to the main theme from Indiana Jones and not wanting to run, jump, climb, or just go adventuring in general. Press play on the film score from Batman Begins, and I challenge you not to feel like a tough guy.

Just this morning, as I waddled through the frozen tundra of Muncie, Indiana on my daily walk, I couldn't help but giggle. I felt so inspired, but surely people just saw a little mismatched Eskimo trudging through the wind and snow, and thought, "What the heck is she doing out in this kind of weather?" But you'd be surprised what the power of music can carry you through. These are my top ten suggestions for composers and films that I KNOW will get you going on your walk or run, whether it's in the gym or the elements.

1.) John Williams – Where do I even begin? He's the man responsible for the music of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Jaws, and much of the Harry Potter film franchise (and the most recognizable themes therein). If you can't connect with inspiration listening to John Williams, I think you might just be dead inside. He goes heavy on the brass, which makes for very regal sounding music. He also leans a lot toward composing music in the form of a march or with march-like rhythms, and nothing gets you stepping like a march! Speaking of which, my favorite piece of his is entitled, "March of the Slave Children" from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom".

2.) Alan Silvestri – I mainly listen to Back to the Future, but he's done oh so much more. Contact, especially is a tearjerker of a score. But not so great to work out to. The driving rhythms of Back to the Future will get you moving at a fantastic pace and probably make you feel pretty good too! There's nothing more optimistic in the whole entire world than the sound of that theme.

3.) Hans Zimmer – Batman Begins and Pirates of the Caribbean. Those are my two favorite scores of his. The Last Samurai, True Romance, and The Power of One are some of his most unique works. He uses strings very often, and this has produced some very dramatic results. (I often think I hear his influence in many other current composers.) His most eerie score to date though, was for Batman Begins, using the sound of bat wing flaps within the music itself. That score is incredible and gives me cold chills every time I hear it. If you really need to go out and get some work done exercising, this is the music to do it to.

4.) Ennio Morricone – You know this man's music, even if you don't think you know it. He composed for such legendary films as "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and the slightly less legendary but cool anyway, "The Untouchables". He works mostly on Italian films and is also noted for dong many movies based on biblical stories. His music is visceral to say the least, and he often uses singular voices or male choirs for emphasis on masculinity within a story (in my opinion, that is.). His work is amazing, and that's putting it lightly. You would be doing yourself a favor to find some of his music to own. He's so unique that his style is almost indescribable.

5.) Steve Jablonsky – I'm fairly new to Jablonsky, only really taking notice after hearing what he did for the movie "Transformers", a movie that I thought was so-so. I didn't have a nostalgic attachment to that one, but I did walk out remembering the fantastic and emotional music. That music made me care about giant robots. I mean, really… So please check out his score for the Transformers, its excellent walking music. I think we're going to see some really great things from him in the future.

6.) Howard Shore – Lord of the Rings. This is the man responsible for those uniquely recognizable themes from that entire trilogy. Truthfully, that's the only Howard Shore I have on my IPod, but the amount of his material from Lord of the Rings is extensive. It's music that really emphasizes on the beauty of nature, and the dichotomy of good and evil. It's actually a bit like "Peter and the Wolf" with all of the themes this man had to create for difference races of fictional creatures. It's the full spectrum really, with tough jarring themes and soft wistful music. It can be quite relaxing on a walk, or very motivational for a jog.

7.) Jerry Goldsmith – I think his best work comes from his one of a kind score from "The Mummy" and all of his work over the years on "Star Trek". I have the complete Mummy score loaded on my IPod, and it's the only film score that I have complete. I think that's really saying something for Goldsmith, that his music works best when it's listened to in a linear fashion. It's some of the best storytelling music I've ever heard. With many other composers, you can isolate their music, and you can with Goldsmith's too, but it works so well in the storytelling context that it's most enjoyable to listen to altogether. Great music for when you want to get out of an exercise music rut! This music has a very exotic and foreign appeal to it, seeing as how it was done for a film set in the richly historical Egypt.

8.) Michael Giacchino – This composer has done a lot of work in conjunction with J.J. Abrams, which means he has done loads of score for LOST. And that to me is one of the best things about the show…it's one of few shows that has actual orchestral score. I challenge you to find a t.v. show on today that has more quality music. You simply won't. He even used parts of a plane at one point in the score, and he often works with creative flourishes like that in his music. But his best music to work-out to is from, "The Incredibles". It's so fabulously retro, pizzicato, and motivational. I love it! And I know you will too, if you have it in your IPod.

9.) Jon Brion – Jon Brian did some wonderful interstitial music for the film, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It's jazzy and eclectic, just as strange and wonderful as the film itself. It's a great pick me up, if you're feeling overloaded or overwhelmed by very full orchestral film scores. His use of stand up bass really gets me right in the gut. In a great way…

10.) It's a tie! Yann Tiersen/Rachel Portman – Yann Tiersen is responsible for the incredible child-like score for, "Amelie" and Rachel Portman did, "Chocolat". But when I listen to these scores on my IPod on walks, I often feel as though they could've been in the same film tonally speaking. Both are very fun, and utilize instruments unique to film score like accordion and jazz guitar. They are also both very light in tone and can offer you very upbeat and uplifting sounds with a touch of European melody.