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FitHits: Movie Edition

movie-workout-playlist-585Because I’m still disgruntled that I didn’t get to dance my Patrick Swayze-lovin’ heart out to “I’ve Had the Time of my Life” in this workout DVD, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands. (Plus, the Oscars are on Sunday!) Below is a playlist filled withmemorable songs from movies. Together, they provide the soundtrack to a fantastic 47-minute cardio workout. Be it outside or in a gym, the following tracks deliver a true movie-rific exercise experience.

Opening Credits
(7:22) Cell Block Tango, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Deidre Goodwin & Susan Misner: This show stopper from Chicago is sure to get your workout started on the right note. Use the sass and ultimate woman power to warm you up and pump you up. After the song’s five-minute mark, pick up your pace or up the intensity to a moderate pace.

The Action
(4:09) Into the Groove, Madonna: Do as Desperately Seeking Susan says and get into the groove. Use this first song of your actual cardio workout to up your intensity to a moderate-high level.

(2:56) Oh, Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison: For this quick but iconic song, slow down your pace to moderate and strut your stuff like Julia as you prepare for the next high-energy movie tune.

(3:46) Footloose, Kenny Loggins: With a song like this, you know we’re picking up the pace. Get footloose yourself, by upping your intensity to hard for the entire song. It’s just 3:46, so give it your all!

(3:00) It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp, Djay & Shug: Slow your pace down to moderate-low for this super infectious track from Hustle & Flow. Use the time to recover and jam.

(5:55) Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen: Wayne and Garth may have perfected singing along to this tune while driving around Aurora, but you’ll use the length of the song to do one minute of hard intensity (a sprint), two minutes of easy intensity, another minute of hard intensity and 1:55 of easy intensity. Headbanging optional.

(6:09) We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome), Tina Turner: This is another longer song, so use the full 6 minutes to cruise out at a moderate pace while you reflect on the fashion sense of Aunty Entity (aka Tina in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome).

(4:07) Maniac, Michael Sembello: Time to crank the intensity up again with this Flashdance theme. As you can probably already guess, we want you to pick your pace up again. If you’re walking, try a jog. If you’re running, pick up the pace. If you’re on the bike or elliptical, up the resistance or incline. Stay at that moderate-high intensity for the first three minutes and then recover at a moderate-easy pace for the last minute.

(4:49) I’ve Had the Time of My Life, Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes: We saved the best (and my redemption) for last! For this final song of the true cardio workout, feel free to sing along as you slowly build your intensity from moderate-easy to an all-out sprint for the last minute of the song. After all, as Penny wisely says in Dirty Dancing, “God wouldn’t have given you maracas if He didn’t want you to shake ’em.” So shake ’em, girl!

Closing Credits
(4:31) I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston: Cool down to one of the best known (and most butchered on American Idol) ballads from a movie—ever. Use the full 4-and-a-half minutes to slow your pace down to easy, and congratulate yourself on a job well done. You’re a movie star!

Want to download this playlist? Click here to go straight to iTunes! —Jenn

Photos grabbed from Photobucket.

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