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The best podcasts to listen to while working out

Workouts can be tough, but the right motivation can help, especially listening to the best fitness podcasts

Nate Swanner
By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

At times, it can be a little hard to find some motivation to hit the gym, especially when it’s a pure cardio day, and you cannot, for the life of you, convince yourself to people-watch for 30 minutes straight. Workout music or playlists (or worse, gym music) can be very hit or miss at times and just won’t cut it. So, what do you do?

Might we recommend that you skip the music altogether and try a podcast? A good podcast, is one that does its job, and captivates you from the jump, and during a workout, you want one that can do a few different things. Sometimes, a good workout podcast is motivating. Sometimes, it’s a good conversation about something you’re already interested in. And other times, the best workout podcast is one that tells you about something you didn’t already know.

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Next thing you know, time flew by, and you’ve already been on the elliptical for 50 minutes. Want to have that scenario happen consistently? Then check out our picks for the best podcasts regarding all things wellness — from geeky science episodes and biohacking your gut to listening to awe-inspiring stories or breaking news, these are the best podcasts around.

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Huberman LabHuberman Lab podcast.

If you love geeking out over science, Huberman Lab is one to check out. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist who teaches at Stanford University School of Medicine. Since launching his podcast, he has become a fan favorite, and very often, Huberman’s podcast is the number one podcast in the categories of health/fitness, education, and science. His episodes go over the in-depth science (especially neuroscience) of everything health-related and how to truly maximize your health potential.

The Right Time with Bomani Jones

Sometimes you want a smart discussion about your interests while you’re working out. If you’re interested in sports, you won’t find anyone in the industry smarter than Bomani Jones. Jones drops three episodes per week, on Mondays, he features comments from listeners, on Wednesdays, he’s joined by a rotating guest, and on Fridays, former NFL player Domonique Foxworth joins in. Jones’ show is certain to make you consider an angle about your favorite sports stories that you haven’t yet considered. 

Mindset Mentor

“Tune in if you’re ready to take your life to the next level.” Mindset Mentor makes the time spent during a workout more meaningful. Host Rob Dial has a gift for making people strive to be the best versions of themselves, and you’re already mid-workout! During the podcast, Dial uses his expertise in neurology, neurobiology, psychology, early childhood development, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help listeners understand the connection between the brain and body. And with this much motivation, it’s easy to double down on that workout. 

Ben Greenfield LifeBen Greenfield LIfe podcast.

Personal trainer Ben Greenfield is scholarly in all things fitness, holding double master’s degrees in sports science and exercise physiology. His episodes cover multiple topics like optimizing health and human performance and include interviews with industry-leading experts, including exercise, diet, and medical professionals. From fitness, biohacking, nutrition, fat loss, and anti-aging, to everything in between, this podcast has it all. And the best part is, since you’re already working out while you’re listening, you can put that advice right to work.

Science VS

Maybe you want to learn something while you’re working out. I know I often do, interesting topics make the time go by faster. Science VS from Gimlet Media separates the facts from the fads and the fiction, and it’s pretty captivating in the process. The show describes itself as a “team of friendly fact checkers that blow up your firmly-held opinions and replace them with science.” Past episodes have included 5G and pandemics, vaping, and whether fasting diets actually work.

The Human Upgrade with Dave AspreyThe Human Upgrade with Dave Asprey podcast.

The inventor of Bulletproof coffee, Dave Asprey, is widely regarded as the “father of biohacking,” as he, himself, uses the latest in science and tech to help himself accomplish his goal of living to the age of 180. He interviews expert guests on how to “hack” different facets of life and wellness to teach people to maximize their capabilities of the mind, body, and life — leading to the goal of living an “upgraded human” life.

All Fantasy Everything

Sometimes a really compelling podcast simply offers a compelling argument. All Fantasy Everything puts the lens and structure of fantasy sports on everything. What goes first in the draft of Thanksgiving food? What’s your sleeper pick on superpowers? The results are sure to be epic. Some recent episodes have included “Food That Looks Better Than It Tastes,” “Candy Bars,” “Foods We Ate When We Were Broke,” “Things You Only Do on Vacation,” and “Cereal Mascots.”

ESPN Daily

If you only have time for a quick workout in the morning and you want a well-produced and always interesting look into the most pertinent sports stories of the day, ESPN Daily is the podcast for you.  As ESPN describes it, the podcast is “It’s where the breaking news of SportsCenter meets the deep dive storytelling of 30 for 30.” A quick sweat and a fascinating sports story are great for getting your day started. 

Mind Pump PodcastMind Pump Podcast.

Mind Pump podcast offers the “raw” fitness truth, helping to debunk bogus fitness influencers and inefficient at-home programs. Hosts Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, and Justin Andrews, who have over 40 years of combined experience in the fitness industry, dive into wellness and “pull back the curtain on the mythology, snake oil, and pseudo-science that pervades the fitness industry.” With a combined 40 years of fitness experience, the guys explore and provide the truth of fitness today.

30 for 30

If you’re looking for a longer narrative for a longer workout, try out ESPN’s 30 for 30 podcast series. The 30 for 30 documentary movie series has been widely lauded, and the podcast series is definitely of the same quality. Listen to multi-part stories that give you closer looks into yoga scams, a play-by-play on how Donald Sterling lost the LA Clippers in shame, the Negro Leagues, illegal payments to college basketball players, the controversy surrounding the U.S. Women’s Olympic gymnastic team, and more. 

The DailyThe Daily

If you’re looking to stay informed on the top stories of the day while you’re getting your workout in, check out The Daily, a podcast from The New York Times. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise, The Daily takes a deep dive into one story that is making headlines that day. The show, which is free to all, features Times journalists discussing the story of the day, going beyond what is in the newspaper. The show is produced Monday- Friday and is released by 6 a.m. each day, just in time for your morning workout. The best part is that each episode runs around 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for those days when you just want to get a quick workout in.

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Nate Swanner
Nate Swanner
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nate is General Manager for all not-Digital-Trends properties at DTMG, including The Manual, Digital Trends en Espanol…
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