Swimming gives you a long, quiet walk. From the ready bench to the blocks, a young swimmer has a few minutes alone with their headphones, and that stretch decides how they feel when they step up. The right song shuts out the heat next to them and the parents in the stands and leaves one thought: this is my race.
The best pre-race songs are the ones a swimmer can play on a loop right up until they pull the headphones off and shake out their arms. Steady, heavy, confident. Something that holds their heart rate where they want it and reminds them they did the work to be standing on that block.
The list
#10
Low Energy
God's Plan
Drake (clean)
Best Moment
the "she say do you love me" hook
Cool-confidence focus.
#09
Medium Energy
Eye of the Tiger
Survivor
Best Moment
the muted guitar stabs intro
Classic fight focus.
#08
High Energy
Believer
Imagine Dragons
Best Moment
the "pain!" drum hit
Pounding pre-race energy.
#07
Low Energy
Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)
Meek Mill (clean)
Best Moment
when the beat finally switches
Pre-race detonator.
#06
Low Energy
Started From the Bottom
Drake (clean)
Best Moment
the "started from the bottom" hook
Earned-it swagger.
#05
Low Energy
All I Do Is Win
DJ Khaled (clean)
Best Moment
"all I do is win win win"
Confidence anthem.
#04
Low Energy
Remember the Name
Fort Minor (clean)
Best Moment
"this is ten percent luck"
Effort-and-grind mindset.
#03
Very High Energy
HUMBLE.
Kendrick Lamar (clean)
Best Moment
the "sit down" piano drop
Hard, confident lock-in.
#02
Low Energy
Lose Yourself
Eminem (clean)
Best Moment
"his palms are sweaty"
One-shot focus on the blocks.
#01
Low Energy
Our #1 pick
Till I Collapse
Eminem feat. Nate Dogg (clean)
Best Moment
the marching stomp-clap intro
The classic blocks headphone track.
Make it theirs
The headphone track that hits hardest is the one with your swimmer's name, lane, and team written into it, and that is the one we make.
