Friday Song O' The Day: Treasure (Bruno Mars)

It's been decades since I posted a Friday Song O' The Day... for shame!  So in an effort to redeem myself, I present to you "Treasure" by Bruno Mars. This song is a guaranteed pick-me-up. It's a little Jackson 5... a little Al Green... a little Marvin Gaye... all thrown together!



Have a fantastic weekend!

Makely's Magic: Pump Up The Jam!

So there's this guy I know. His name is Ryan. He loves the show Honey Boo Boo. He contemplates his Halloween costume 364 days in advance. He's obsessed with Lululemon and doesn't care if anyone knows. Sometimes he carries a murse (that's a man-purse, for those of you who aren't familiar with the lingo). And you know what? He's not afraid to play a little Britney Spears in his cycling class. 

Ryan is my kinda guy.

Today, he's given us a sneak peek into his latest playlist. It's guaranteed to be a good time. I mean, this is the guy who just threw a Boy Band Ride at Flywheel Sports and dressed up like AJ from the Backstreet Boys.  I've included the pictures so you can take a break from Hurricane Sandy updates and get a good laugh.

So download these jams... hit the gym... and work out that beautiful body of yours! New music = new-found motivation!    ...And if you're stuck inside with no power thanks to Hurricane Sandy, well... enjoy your free ticket to R-E-L-A-X!

Ryan Makely is an instructor at Flywheel Sports in New York City. When he's not teaching (which is almost never), you can find Ryan flexing his acting muscles. One day you may even catch him on Broadway! Until then, you can get tickets to his FLY show in NYC at least 10 times a week by clicking HERE!

Friday Song O' The Day: Rock 'N Me (Steve Miller Band)

TGIF, for real! Did this week seem endless to anyone else? It's time to wake up, listen to a little Steve Miller Band and get geared up for some fun this weekend!

Keep it classy, people! - Ron Swanson-style.

Friday Song O' The Day: Fader (Temper Trap)

Happy Friday, guys! I obviously enjoy pulling songs from the archives. This week's pick isn't THAT old (just a little throw back to 2010), but it'll get you moving this morning! 

Have a great weekend and remember to do something good for your body!

Mastering Your Playlist: The Sensai's Guide to Greatness

Image courtesy of gizmodo.com

BY: DAVID PRADO, CONTRIBUTOR

It's easy to lose motivation while you run, bike, lift or do whatever you do at the gym. I find that keeping a fresh playlist in my iPod is the best way to get over the hump. As a cycling instructor, I find myself looking around the internet for inspiration beyond the regular mash-up blogs and SoundCloud users I stalk. If you do the same, you'll find a common trend in workout mixes. There is the (1) all metal, angry workout (generally reserved for the weight room), (2) the Lady Gaga, trendy pop charts workout (reserved for those who can't get enough of the radio already) and (3) the 'I wish I could go back to the 70's, 80's, 90's' workout (reserved for those who wish N'Sync would get back together already).

Well, as one who loves music and must please the masses every day, I try to stay away from the too angry, too trendy and too old. As you probably already know, I am partial to the mash-ups. They provide a little bit of everything for everyone.

Here are a few guidelines for impressing your friends with your mix...

Image courtesy of chronicle.su

First, never play anything currently on the radio - NEVER! We already hear too much of it. As a matter of fact, try to stay away from artists who get too much playtime, even if they have an undiscovered, little-known track. You Lady Gaga fanatics, go away! She is trendy to the point of irrelevance for my classes AND she tries too hard. Moving on...

Image courtesy of ew.com

Second, take the anger out of the music. Motivate yourself throughout your workout with music that inspires you, not yells at you! C'mon, Metallica-head, try a little Foo Fighters instead because all those guitar solos are sure to offend the yoga geeks in your workout crew.

Image courtesy of 80smusic.about.com

Third, in an effort to avoid being too trendy, make sure that you don't get too obscure. You still want a song that people will be able to recognize and relate to. Find something that you and your group haven't heard in awhile but still remember (ie. 867-5309).

Courtesy of worldofblackheroes.com

Lastly, have a good beat that flows through the playlist and doesn't change too much. Although I love Girl Talk, the guy can rarely keep the same song for longer than 30 seconds and is constantly changing the beats per minute (BPM) every chance he can get. It starts to get schizophrenic. Although you want variation in a song, no one wants to start with Fleetwood Mac and end with 2Pac. Oh yeah... and ALWAYS finish strong. A Whitney Houston remix is sure to whip you into shape for that last stretch. So much passion! And if that doesn't motivate you, then a new pair of running shoes and socks ALWAYS do the trick!

Check out my latest playlist below, created especially for you!

 

David Prado is a cycling instructor at Flywheel Atlanta, personal trainer and general fitness enthusiast. On his days off, he can be found on his road bike, biking more miles than you've ever thought possible in one day. He also makes a mean mojito and dances salsa like a pro, thereby making him one of the most fascinating men in the greater Atlanta area. To check out one of David's classes at Flywheel Atlanta, click here: David's Schedule.

Friday Song O' The Day: Beat It (Michael Jackson)

This week I wanted to pick a song that embodied Marni's strength. What better than Beat It? Marni has been courageous in the face of a disease that has changed her life in so many ways. She didn't let it stop her. She rolled with the punches and even started a charity to raise money for the cause!

How's that for saying 'beat it!'?

Go beat this Friday! You got this! Saturday is the first day of fall and good things are ahead! Have a happy Friday, everyone!

Friday Song O' The Day: Praise You (Fatboy Slim)

Hello again, Friday, my long lost friend! Thanks for showing up! In honor of your presence, I'd like to post the most awesome low budget music video of all time.... Fatboy Slim's Praise You.

This video is a testament to the fact that you don't have to be good at dancing to find yourself featured in a music video. You don't even have to be stylish (check out the turtleneck at 9 pm). If you feel the groove on this glorious Friday, let Fatboy Slim make you move!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Music for Monday: Lauren's 'Pick Up The Pace' Mix

Yep, it's Monday...AGAIN. Where did the weekend go? If you're anything like me, you need a good Monday morning pick up to get your mind right, so I've put together a rockin' 80's-inspired playlist to help get your day going the right way. And if you're headed to the gym, this playlist will get your body moving (it's already been tested and approved)!

Studies have shown that when you change up your workout playlist, you tend to push yourself harder because there's the element of surprise and the thrill of a new beat. In fact, you tend to workout up to 15% longer, usually without realizing it. Then there's this... if your songs contain motivational phrases like 'Don't Stop Believing' (you guessed it... by Journey) or 'Push It' (Salt-n-Pepa), your body tends to workout harder, as if subconsciously reacting to the words of the song.

Best of all, if your playlist is pumping, you body will pay more attention to its sense of sound rather than the discomfort or pain you're experiencing.

So let's get this week started off right! And just for you, I've added a bonus track that will literally make you pick up the pace!



BONUS: Duran Duran - Come Undone Mashup by DJ Funky

Friday Song O' The Day: Dancing in the Moonlight (King Harvest)

Happy Friday! Don't you just love short weeks? Today's song, I believe, has the power to change any sort of mood into a happy one. So if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, just hit play and things should resolve themselves.

Enjoy!

Music For The Music Weary: Prado's 'Dangerously Fit' Top 10

Image courtesy of reserveresult.com

I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely and utterly fed up with the workout mix on my iPhone. Every morning I run to the same songs on repeat, and it's about to put me in the grave. As the line from the movie Sandlot so eloquently conveys... "I CAN'T TAKE THIS NO MORE!".

So who do I call when I'm in a pickle such as this? None other than the master of music mixes... the sensai of song... the lord of lyrics... That's right, you guessed it! Guest Contributor David Prado! Prado ALWAYS has a solid jam to offer in a crunch.

For today's post, Prado put together a rockin' playlist for your listening pleasure. It might even make you want to workout. So lace up those running shoes... grab some hydration... and hit 'play'!

And if you want more 'Prado jams', check him out at Flywheel Atlanta: http://atlanta.flywheelsports.com/instructors/david-prado


Now, a word from Prado...

Image courtesy of hommesdefemmes.com

"You know that friend you have who's always talking about the latest and greatest jam? They're always trying to make you listen to new lyrics? Well, that's NOT me. Don't get me wrong, I love music and I'm passionate about it, but I believe if the music is good, it will speak for itself.

You know you have a good song on your hands when your carpool buddy asks you to crank up your recently added playlist. If afterwards, they ask you where you got it, who sings it and when it came out, YOU, my friend, did something right. If you're getting no response, let it slide. Some people just can't workout to Elton John... ain't gonna happen.

I am partial to mashups. For the pop culture-challenged, I give you a definition: a combination of two or more songs mixed into one. My favoritism may be partially due to the fact that I have A.D.D. or the fact that I need to cram in as many songs as possible during a workout. Or maybe it's the fact that once I'm done with a day's worth of law classes, I need to fill my brain with as much TMZ, Entertainment Tonight and trendy music as possible to wash away my law school blues. Whatever the case may be, I hope you guys enjoy the jams. The workout, at least for now, I leave to you."

David Prado is a cycling instructor at Flywheel Atlanta, personal trainer and general fitness enthusiast. On his days off, he can be found on his road bike, biking more miles than you've ever thought possible in one day. He also makes a mean mojito and dances salsa like a pro, thereby making him one of the most eligible bachelors in the Atlanta area.

Music To Make You Move: Shay's Top 10

I sing in the shower... but ONLY when I'm certain that no one is listening. It's not that I'm not good (I was a second grade soloist after all), but I prefer to be alone with my singing more because my song choices may not 'vibe' with everyone. My repertoire is expansive. I do everything from the Beatles to Norah Jones. Sometimes I throw in a little Carole King. It's truly a one-woman show in there, bubbles and all.

Music is one of the easiest, cheapest and most accessible ways to alter your mood. It can change your attitude instantaneously. That's because music directly affects your brain's neurotransmitters, which send information throughout the body.

Did you know that....

Music stimulates your brain to produce serotonin, the 'happy hormone'.

Music also stimulates your hippocampus, the part of the brain where short-term memories become long-term memories. By listening to certain songs, you can help your body recover a memory associated with that song when you listened to it in the past.

Soothing music can decrease stress. Studies have shown that production of the stress hormone cortisol decreases when you listen to music.

Studies have suggested that upbeat music has the ability to increase the immune-fighting antibodies in your body, helping you stay well.

Music can also improve your exercise experience by pushing you to go faster so that you keep up with the beat and also by distracting you from the pain.

In honor of this awesome information, I've asked my friend Shay Kostabi to share her favorites with us. Shay is a native of sunny California. She grew up surrounded by creative people so it's no surprise she became the dynamo that she is today. Shay is the co-founder and creator of RSVP Body, a Flybarre instructor at Flywheel Sports New York, the Premier Master Trainer for The Moore Trainer Resistance Bands and creator of the Moore Body Workout (which is currently in development). This Fall, she will be the Master Instructor for reVamp-Nitro!, a capoeira-inspired cardio kickboxing workout created by celebrity trainer Brett Hoebel, whom she makes appearances with all over the country. Shay is also a Beachbody Coach, on a mission to 'End the Trend' of obesity AND an Ambassador for the Nike Training Family, Public Myth clothing line and SparklySoul headbands. Phew... busy much?!? When Shay is not working (ie. never), she enjoys eating peanut butter (in and on everything, including her burgers) and loves reading on the chaise lounge, which her husband jokingly refers to as 'Shay's Lounge'.

Now, without further ado, a word from Shay...
"Growing up as a dancer and piano student in a house of artists and musicians, Music and Movement are an intrinsic part of my life and a source of motivation, inspiration and meditation for me. My current motto is "Move. Sweat. Melt", and while this mainly applies to the workouts I design for clients seeking weight-loss, moving and sweating not only melt your body, but can help melt your worries and inhibitions away too."

Here are the TOP 10 TUNES I LIKE TO MOVE TO:

1. Only the Horses - Scissor Sister (Actually, the entire album tops my charts this year) 

2. Sail - Awolnation

3. Heads will Roll (A-track Remix) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4. Sweet Spot - Flo Rida (feat. Jennifer Lopez) 

5. Real Wild Child - Iggy Pop

6. Lucky Strike - Maroon 5

7. Supernova - Mr. Hudson & The Library (feat. Kanye West)

8. Beggin (Pilooski Re-Edit) - Frankie Valli

9. Alex Clare  - Too Close

                                                            10. This is Love - Will.I.Am

I am also a fan of anything by Kaskade & Deadmau5... solid beats you can always trust to get you through a workout or provide a little afternoon mood-booster. When all else fails: turn to The King. You can't NOT shimmy and shake when Elvis is crooning. 

Here's the complete playlist, made for your listening pleasure!

xxO,
Shay

www.shaykostabi.com
www.thersvprev.com

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!
The beautiful AND generous Shay Kostabi would like to give one lucky winner a SparklySoul headband!

Here's how you can win...
There are 3 ways to enter! Choose one OR choose all! Each one gives you an additional entry for a chance to win!

1) Leave us a comment below answering...Which SparklySoul headband color would you wear while rockin' out to your favorite tunes? Check out the colors at: www.SPARKLYSOUL.com

2) Like us on Facebook!
    Shay: https://www.facebook.com/shelleen.kostabi
    Strictly Nutritious: https://www.facebook.com/StrictlyNutritious?ref=hl
    Sparkly Soul: https://www.facebook.com/sparklysoulinc

3) Tweet: I'd love 2 RockOut 2 @ShayKostabi's Top 10 Tunes in a @SPARKLYSOULINC band! #SparklySoul #ShayKitUp #StrictlyNutrish

We will pick a winner tomorrow and announce it on the site!

P.S. I promise to have a more masculine giveaway very soon! Don't worry, guys!