I have compiled a list of bone-chilling tunes that make me pumped up for rugby down to the core.
***The actual playlist is on the right of the blog so you can listen to all the songs, not sure why they wouldn't let me put both in one post but I ain't complainin' because this hasn't been working for so freakin' long!
I listen to these songs the night before a game, the minute I wake up in the morning before a game, and they're practically the only way I can sometimes stay motivated to keep training. I'll constantly have some sort of rugby related skill pictured in my mind that I am working on. When running on a treadmill, I'll imagine myself on a rugby field either scoring a try, making a game saving tackle, supporting my fellow teammates, chasing after a loose ball, firing at the opposition, etc.
1. Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys
"She's got both feet on the ground, and she's burning it down....she's got her head in the clouds, and she's not backing down..." Reminds me that I may be reaching for the stars in terms of my personal rugby goals, but I'm continuing to run towards those dreams full speed ahead. I take rugby very seriously because of the practically uncontrollable fiery passion inside of me! This song helps me push through when I'm feeling tired or like I want to give up, and reminds me why I'm able to keep on pushing in the first place - BECAUSE I WANT IT.
SIDE NOTE: To all you Hunger Games fans out there, it's also pretty cool to imagine that scene when Katniss is running for dear life through the fiery woods in the arena....that'll keep your feet movin'.
2. Let There be Rock - AC/DC
AMAZING sprint song. This is by far my first or second best sprint motivator. Moving your legs to the speed of the guitar and drums is unreal! What's also great for intervals is that the moments when Brian Johnson (lead singer) is singing, it's actually pretty tamely paced. It's a good limbo period to keep moving steadily but also to recover for the next guitar solo! AGH my heart is racing!
3. The Man - Aloe Blacc
Celebratory song of accomplishments....because appreciation is important too! I've noted a hundred times before that sometimes I air on the side of criticism a little too much and not enough support. But this song motivates me to believe in myself.
4. Cat People - David Bowie
WOOF. This song gives me the CHILLS. It's so slow and creepy, but also very explosive. "You wouldn't believe what I've been through..." reminds me of all the hard work I put into rugby, and how people generally don't realize how much fitness goes into rugby. Any Inglorious Basterds fans out there? I can't help but picture the movie scene with this song in the background, here it is (IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, SPOILER ALERT...MOVE ON!):
Basically the scene is preparation for a battle, like the feeling you get before a rugby game.
5. Oh Boy (Original Mix) - Diplo & GTA
Just a typical pumpin' club mix that keeps you upbeat and energetic. It's also pretty lengthy which is good!
6. Started from the Bottom - Drake
This song also gives me the chills......while it reminds me of all the progress I've personally made, there's also a lot of references to progression as a TEAM. No matter what, whether you've played with the same team your entire life or switched teams, you always need to start somewhere. And it can be difficult hopping onto a team! I have been really lucky to be welcomed in by such friendly teams all over the place, which in general us rugby players are lucky for, but progress as a team is just so sweet.
7. Light 'Em Up - Fall Out Boy
Similar to Girl on Fire, but a different feeling to it. This song has got a little more of a CHARGEEEEEE to it. Fast paced background, and this song also reminds me of HOCKEY SEASON...GAHHHHHHH!!! And the phrase "light 'em up" reminds me of completely laying someone out in a tackle, ha ha.
8. The Battle - Gladiator Soundtrack
Many people may not identify with this song like I do, and they may even think I'm nuts since it's basically just an orchestra playing. But another major part of my pre-rugby game ritual is to watch the movie Gladiator the night before. I've already ranted on here several times about why I identify the movie so much with rugby, but (as the title hints at) this is another battle preparation song. In a nutshell, it's a captain getting the team revved up and prepared to attack....and the music's tempo pretty much goes "ready....ready....FIREEEEE!!!" as if you're in a defensive line. Just like Let There Be Rock, the pace slows for significant time periods and then suddenly bursts into speed, which is a great thing to practice for rugby.
9. I Love It - Icona Pop
HAH another cliche upbeat song. But deep down, I try to think of all the tests and trials I go through for rugby when hearing this song and then they all wash away at the chorus of "I DON'T CARE, I LOVE IT [RUGBY]!" Need to wake myself up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning to get a run in before the 90 degree weather hits? I DON'T CARE, I LOVE IT [RUGBY]!
10. You're The Best Around - Joe Esposito
Well first off, there goes without saying that The Karate Kid is one of the greatest sports movies of all time so anything that will remind you of it is already a winner (.....and if you think I mean The Karate Kid with Jayden Smith I WILL END YOU. I MEAN THE ORIGINAL). This song is a great mix of inspiring confidence and perseverance. Don't let anything bring you down! Even if someone sweeps your leg.....
11. Stronger - Kanye West
Well duh. This is also cliche but hey...it's cliche for a reason. Upbeat, catchy, and a good message. What more can you ask for?
12. Rollin' - Limp Bizkit
The beginning lyrics of the song are already a bunch of things you say to yourself and your teammates on the field:
Move in now move out
Hands up now hands down
Back up, back up
Tell me what you're gonna do now
Breath in now breath out
Hands up now hands down
Back up, back up
Tell me what you're gonna do now
Then it goes into the chorus of KEEP ROLLIN' ROLLIN' ROLLIN' ROLLIN' which is what us rugger probably do best - keep on truckin' and movin' forward! Also, it reminds me of NHL Hits 2002 (bahahahhaha), so any hockey reference will get me pumped up.
13. My Way - Limp Bizkit
Another song that builds. Also talks about overcoming odds and crushing the opposition. So explosive!
14. Midnight City - M83
Probably one of the slower songs on the list, but another hockey reference because it reminds me of the playoffs. I think it's also to be sure to include some of these songs that still have a decent tempo but aren't really that fast so you can make it through the long haul.
15. Number One - Nelly
HAH come on. You have to.
16. Just a Girl - No Doubt
My 5th grade anthem hasn't left me yet! Although this pump up song may be a little more gender specific towards the women ruggers, either way it's a pretty fast pace to rev your engine. I also really identify with anything related to an underdog, because that's where I thrive the most. I like exceeding people's expectations of me when they're expecting me to mess up or do nothing :)
17. Self Esteem - The Offspring
I'm pretty surprised with myself that The Offspring hasn't come up sooner on this list, because overall The Offspring make up the most of my workout music BY FAR. This one is another filler for long runs, but it's still pretty amped up. And the lyric "that's okay because I like the abuse" gives me a no pain no gain mentality.
18. The Kids Aren't Alright - The Offspring
SO fast paced, it's great. I can hardly picture in my head moving my legs to the pace of the music! ALSO, "nothing's free" - progress in rugby isn't just going to come to you for "free," there's quite a price you have to pay.
19. You're Gonna Go Far Kid - The Offspring
This is up there with Let There Be Rock for my top two sprint songs. It just makes me constantly keep going....and going.....and going......and going................and although if you "hit 'em right between the eyes" in rugby you'll end up in the sin bin, picturing a hard hit in the form of a great tackle energizes me beyond belief.
20. Last Resort - Papa Roach
This reminds me of how much I HATE it when I'm not in tip top shape and I'm in the middle of a game feeling like I'm on my "last resort." That feeling of wanting to run farther and faster but your legs feel like cement is the WORST. It especially kills me when I see a teammate running without any support and there's just no way I'm going to be able to catch up. AGH can't stand it.
21. Icky Thump - The White Stripes
The music itself is enough to pump you up, but I like how it pumps you up from a slower pace. It's almost like conserving your energy so you can keep plowing through people for a longer period of time. I also can't help but picture Mark Wahlberg sliding across a glass table and shooting guns at people from The Other Guys - that's an adrenaline revving image! Here's the scene I'm talking about for anyone who hasn't seen the movie:
22. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Amazing message about not letting anything hold you back. Can you imagine going up against seven nations?! This song helps me picture some of the biggest obstacles in my personal life and pushing right though them.......great for on and off the field!
23. The Kraken - Pirates of the Caribbean Sountrack
Very similar to "The Battle" from Gladiator, this song has some great progressions from very slow to VERY FAST. There's even some parts that keep the fast pace going for at least a few minutes right in the middle of the song, so in between already doing intervals at a point where you're already pretty tired this part can FIRE YOU UP to have another outburst. Our coach was already telling us that we should be adding in a faster pace in the middle of our run to burst through when we're already pretty tired, so this song can definitely aid in that.
What do YOU listen to for your workouts and amp up sessions before games?! The list can never get too long, the more the merrier.
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