Podcasts for Your Workouts

Podcasts provide a great opportunity to supplement your workouts with new content, ideas, and entertainment. Given their increasing popularity, podcasts now cover a huge variety of topics and offer something for almost everyone. This makes them a great resource for those looking to add a little something extra to their workouts. 

One of the greatest things about podcasts is that they’re free and easily accessible through apps you likely have on your devices. Both Apple and Google have pre-installed podcast apps on their phones, and Spotify offers a huge catalogue to its users (without a premium subscription). The seemingly endless choices may be daunting, so we’ve put together a short interest-based list to help you get started. 

For the Astrophysics Geek: Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe

In this podcast, a physicist (Daniel Whiteson) and an online cartoonist (Jorge Cham) team up to tackle unanswered questions about our universe in a “fun, shorts-wearing and jargon-free way.” Their discussions aim to answer questions ranging from “Are we living in a simulation?” to “Can stars eat other stars?” Episodes last 40 to 60 minutes and are certain to blow your mind.

For the Business Person: Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman

This business podcast is jam-packed with powerful advice for startups covering topics such as leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy. In each episode, Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock investor, discusses theories about how businesses scale while his iconic guests (CEOs and founders of major companies) share the strategies that helped their businesses grow. Each episode lasts 30 to 45 minutes and is bound to inspire you to finally start that business you’ve been dreaming about. 

For the News Junkie: NPR’s Up First

NPR’s Up First is a news podcast that summarizes the day’s top three stories in approximately 10 minutes. Each episode is released by 6 am EST, making it a great podcast to start off your early morning workouts. Up First is an especially great podcast if you like to stay informed on current events without feeling overwhelmed. 

For the Self-Development Guru: Optimal Living Daily 

In this podcast, Justin Malik narrates short blog posts or book excerpts on personal development, productivity, and minimalism. Each episode lasts less than 10 minutes but provides enough food for thought for the rest of the day. If you’re looking for a daily dose of motivation, life hacks, or an extra push to get through your workout, this podcast is for you. 

For the True Crime Fan: Crime Junkie

True crime is probably one of the most popular podcast genres out there. In Crime Junkie, Ashley Flowers and co-host Brit Prawat tell the story of a case they are obsessing over that week. Episodes air on Mondays and last 30 minutes to a little over an hour. This is a great podcast for those looking to distract themselves from their workouts with a suspenseful story.

Pro Tip:

Queue up a couple of short episodes if you like more variety during your workouts. This will help refocus your attention and push you to finish your workout! You can also throw in a couple of songs in between to give you time to reflect on what you just heard.