You’re 20 minutes into a grueling workout and you’re running out of gas. The stitch in your side burns, your legs feel like spaghetti. Head and heart battle it out. Quit? Keep going? Suddenly, a new song starts, and you find a higher gear. It’s not mystical. It’s musical.
While the benefits of exercise are well known, the benefits of music while exercising are equally persuasive. Music jump-starts multiple regions in the brain that guide hearing, movement, and emotion. Perhaps most critical to exercise, as these cranial cavities process music, they trigger the release of feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Meet our endorphin queens, inspiring all to keep on grinding.
Endorphin Queen: Hunter Bowers
Career: Licensed Professional Counselor
Side Spins: SPENGA on Pelham
Hunter Bowers has spent two years in the saddle at SPENGA. She finds pedaling in rhythm a welcome relief to the serious issues she addresses as a therapist. “Some days are heavy,” she admits. “But it’s always such a joy to be here in the studio. I find joy in the lyrics, the beat of the music. On those rough days, I reach for my favorites, upbeat songs I know will lift my spirits.”
Favorite songs range from “Sandstorm,” by Freejak, to “September,” by Earth, Wind and Fire. Curating a playlist has become a side-hustle to her side-hustle. “I love to include a mixture of new songs and classics, so that everyone feels represented,” she says. “My favorite compliment to receive after a session is that someone enjoyed my playlist.”
The Clemson grad also likes to change up the list with theme days. “I’m a Belieber, so I did a big theme day for his 30th birthday last year,” she recalls. “Powerful women was another theme. It mixes things up. Music can distract the brain from the fact that you’re pushing yourself beyond your limits. It allows adrenaline to kick in and is critical to motivation and stamina. I love nothing more than to look out and see folks singing to the songs I’ve put together.”
Endorphin Queen: Haley Cullen
Career: Medical Practice Project Manager
Side Spins: CycleBar on East McBee
During her tenure at CycleBar, Haley Cullen has curated 567 playlists. “I feel like I’m cheating my riders if I reuse a playlist,” she says with a smile. “I would say, hands down, I make a new playlist every time I ride.”
Musicophiles will compare it to making a cassette mixed tape back in the day. There’s a formula for best listening while riding—twelve-plus songs that vary in intensity to maximize endurance and inspiration. “Song one is going to be about 90–100 beats per minute,” Cullen explains. “It’s a little easy and gradually builds. You pick songs that fit the template. It’s fun to have all the creative freedom to do what you want.”
Always on the hunt for the perfect song, Cullen can’t listen to music at her full-time job. “I find myself Shazaming and writing down lyrics,” the Wisconsin native laughs, referring to the app that identifies song titles and artists. “I always joke at the chaos going on inside my brain. EDM, Taylor Swift, T-Pain. I can’t get stuck on the same artist. If one song is a throw-back, song two will be a more recent song. I’ll hear a song and go, ‘Oh, my gosh, I forgot about that song.’”
Spotify is a go-to tool for both Cullen and Bowers, as the former dancers pair their musicality with cycling and exercise choreography. “Music sets the tone for the room and what you’re about to coach,” Cullen says. “When you connect to the songs, it reenforces what brought you here today. It’s intense emotion.” Ride on.
Favorite Spin Playlists
Hunter Bowers
- “Miss Me More” (remix), Kelsea Ballerini, Dave Audé
- “Infinity 2018” (remix), Sean Finn, Guru Josh, Klaas
- “Come Together,” Gary Clark, Jr., Junkie XL
- “Kiss,” Prince
- “Seven Nation Army,” The White Stripes
- “Dog Days are Over,” Florence + The Machine
- “September,” Earth, Wind & Fire
- “Get the Party Started,” P!nk
- “Team” (remix), Noah Cyrus, MAX, Dave Audé
- “You Make My Dreams (Come True),” Hall & Oates
- “Higher Love,” Kygo, Whitney Houston
- “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Pat Benatar
- “Yeah!” USHER, Lil Jon, Ludacris
- “Pour Some Sugar On Me” (remastered), Def Leppard
- “Closing Time,” Semisonic
- “Send Me On My Way,” Rusted Root
- “Birds of a Feather,” Billie Eilish
- “Free Fallin’” (acoustic), Landon Austin, Nandy Martin
- “Present Moment, Sacred Moment,” Daniel Namkhay
Haley Cullen
- “6’s to 9’s,” Big Wild, Rationale
- “That’s What I Like,” Bruno Mars
- “Help Me Lose My Mind,” Disclosure, London Grammar
- “High Rise,” Diplo, Amtrac, Leon Bridge
- “Girlfriend” (radio edit), Avril Lavigne
- “Bound to You” (remix), Jocelyn Alice, Stash Konig
- “It’s That Time” (remix), Marlon Hoffstadt, FISHER
- “Ms. New Booty” (radio edit), Bubba Sparxxx, Mr. Collipark, Ying Yang Twins
- “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar
- “Revolving Door” (E), Tate McRae
- “Sweat Disposition,” The Temper Trap, John Summit, Silver Panda
- “Tip Pon It,” Sean Paul, Major Lazer
- “That’s So True” (E), Gracie Abrams
