10 Best Pump Up Songs You’ll Love for Sports or Working Out

Whether you need motivation while working out at the gym, or you’re trying to get excited at a sports event, there’s no doubt that we all crave the best pump up songs in our time of need.  So in this article, I’m going to provide you with my favorite songs to play when you need to hype yourself up or simply get that surge of adrenaline pumping through your veins!

Best Pump up Songs You Will Love

Whether you play football, volleyball, basketball, or baseball, you know the importance of getting pumped up before the big game. So here are the best pump up songs for sports to add to your pregame playlist!

“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor

Let’s start it out strong with the famous Rocky III anthem, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. Any time you hear it, you can picture Clubber Lang rising in fame and victory, while Rocky is out living his life. This song reminds you of the drive, power, and determination that is needed to get you in the mood to win your next game.

This song comes with a unique history. Sylvester Stallone needed a song to fit perfectly with a training montage in Rocky III. He asked Survivor to create a song for this big moment in the movie. Survivor created a song to capture the moment every athlete goes through when attempting to rise to the occasion. 

This song is all about the grit and hard work it takes to rise to the top. How can you not get pumped up, knowing through your hard work and determination, you are going to reach the top? 

Your passion and dedication to your sport has led you to where you are now.

Rising up, straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I’m not gonna stop
Just a man and his will to survive

After all that hard work, after all of the hours, sweat, and tears put in, you will accomplish what you were working for.

“HandClap” by Fitz and the Tantrums

It’s time to warm up for that big game, and you need some more songs to add to your warm up playlist. “HandClap” is another song to get you fired up. This upbeat song gets you singing and clapping along. 

With its quick beat, it gets your mood up and blood pumping. You can not only get fired up, but this song will get your fans clapping along before your game even starts. 

“Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys

We all have a song that reminds us of our high school sports days. This one brings me back to getting ready for my basketball games. The team would belt out this song at the top of their lungs and know that we could do anything in our game!

Although this song is slower than most people’s typical pump up song, it has the same ability to connect you with your inner strength and power. Its lyrics go right along with that. “You can try, but you’ll never forget her name.” What athlete doesn’t want to stand out, have their name go down in history, and have the game of their life? 

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“The Final Countdown” by Europe

Often as an athlete, you drive for hours on the bus to your big game. Sometimes you take a nap or snack on treats on the way. You get close to the stadium or gym where your game is, but everyone is a tired and groggy. You need the perfect song to get the energy back before your game. You turn on “The Final Countdown”. 

This is a song is perfect for that moment. You are counting down the minutes until you can experience the excitement the game brings and you want to bring that feeling in with you to the game. “The Final Countdown”is a song brought through the ages that brings out that feeling of anticipation and electricity you want!

Pump Up Songs for the Gym

As a gym goer, I know the importance of finding just the right music to elevate your mood and increase your endurance as you are pushing your limits. Whether you need a song to motivate you, push you further, or give you the extra energy you need, these songs are perfect to pump you up at the gym.

“The Champion” by Carrie Underwood

Everyone who lifts weights knows the excitement of hitting a pr and pushing past the point you never thought you’d reach when you first began your gym journey.  This empowering anthem reminds you that you can do anything. It gives you the feeling of excitement, working hard, and pushing through the difficult times to get to the top.

The Champion was originally written for the Super Bowl. Carrie Underwood, Brett James, and Chris DeStefano wanted to capture that feeling of conquering–that feeling that you want when you are pushing hard at the gym.  And I think that’s exactly what they accomplished.

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“Zero” by Imagine Dragons

“Zero”is another one of those songs perfect for the gym. When it comes on, I immediately turn up the volume and get ready to pump that iron! This is an exciting song, upbeat, and unique. Even though it talks about feeling like a zero, it reminds us that we can accept and make the best out of our life experiences and who we are.

Most people who start out at the gym can probably relate to not feeling up to the challenge. Maybe you feel overwhelmed, unsure of what to do, or not confident in yourself. You may feel like a zero. 

This song can remind you, that no matter what stage of your workout journey you are at, you can make the best of it. You may have started out feeling like a “zero”, but with this pump up song, you will be reaching your goals in no time!

“High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco

Have you ever had the goal of being that one person at the gym that everyone looks up to, but been too afraid to try? “High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco is the song for you to realize you should never be afraid to try to accomplish your dreams.

When you are ready to finally start the first step to that goal at the gym you’ve been striving to accomplish for years and you need to get motivated, this is the song for you. Whether you are getting ready to start training for your first marathon, attempting to hit that pr, or just getting started in the gym, this song will inspire you.

Best Pump Up Songs for Running

Every runner has gone through that period of needing new songs to motivate, push them further, and just to get a change of the music they are listening to. Whether you are a sprinter, distance runner, or just run to stay in shape, these songs will increase your endurance, and get you running faster and longer!

“Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities

As a runner, you are constantly in need of songs that will keep you going, inspire you to get through the next mile, and help you pace yourself. “Safe and Sound”is one of those songs for me. With its steady beat, it will pace you and inspire you to keep running for miles on end.

When you need a song that will give you an extra boost, this is the one. The steady beat, trumpets, and hopeful lyrics will inspire you to keep through with your commitment. This song will “take you where you want to be” in your fitness journey.

“E.T.” by Katy Perry

As a runner, you need songs with a steady beat that will help you stay on the right pace throughout your run. You also want that song that gives you that extra burst of excitement and energy so you can power through. “E.T.” by Katy Perry is the perfect song for that!

Without fail, this is one of those songs that can get me out of a sluggish run. I can be on mile four, pushing on to mile five and six feeling like I can’t make it. Then this song comes on, and I’ve got some pep back in my step, I’m singing along, and feeling like I can keep running for miles on end. With its unique beat and easy to remember lyrics, this song will always impact your run for the better.  

“The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World

Let’s finish up our pump up songs strong with “The Middle”by Jimmy Eat World. This is one of my favorite pump up songs to listen to when I am running. With its fast beat this song is one to get your heart racing. Although in this article, it’s listed under running songs, this song is perfect whether you need that motivation to head to the gym, a fast-paced song to run to, or a pregame pump up.

Not only is this song fast, but it also connects to your emotions with the lyrics. It talks about being yourself, trying your best, and letting what others say not bother you. In the end everything will be alright. What a positive way to see yourself as you working to run to the best of your ability! Listening to this song will inspire you to keep going, even when the miles get rough.

Conclusion

We all need a little bit of inspiration.  Whether we are busting out butt at the gym or rooting for our favorite team at the stadium, the best pump up songs can launch us into a focused, adrenaline-filled state of motivation.  And when that happens, the sky truly is the limit.

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