Cinco de Mayo is a challenging holiday for group exercise for a couple of reasons. First, there are mixed feelings about the holiday, commemorating a Mexican victory in the Franco-Mexican War. It’s not really celebrated in Mexico, but in the U.S. it’s hugely popular. Second, it’s hard to find the perfect Cinco de Mayo spinning music playlist. Do you play only songs in Spanish? Do you play popular songs in Mexico right now?
Ultimately, the answer lies with your participants. What will they like and appreciate? For my classes, I know that a good mix of songs from a bunch of different genres and themes will be well-received.
Here are the types of songs I included in my Cinco de Mayo spinning music playlist.
- Popular songs in Spanish with a good beat. There are some songs that transcend their borders. Just like I picture Pitbull coming out of speakers across the globe, I know that there are Spanish songs that Americans enjoy. I listened to a couple until I found ones with a workout beat.
- Songs by Mexican Americans. Since Cinco de Mayo is really an American holiday, I figured it didn’t hurt to give special emphasis to Mexican American singers and artists. This includes folks like Santana, Demi Lovato and Fergie.
- Songs related to “Five”. For those of you that know my spin playlist style, I tend to throw in a few wacky songs into the mix. They always get a positive reaction from the crowd, since they’re just a little bit silly, but still provide a good workout. I couldn’t find any songs I liked with “Cinco” in the title, but there were a couple related to “Five” that I wanted to include.
Without further ado, here’s the Cinco de Mayo spinning music playlist.
- Matador, by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
- La Bamba, by Ritchie Valens
- Sky Might Fall, by Kid Cudi
- Smooth, by Santana feat. Rob Thomas
- Die Romantic, by Aiden (guitarist Angel Ibarra is Mexican American)
- A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, by Fergie feat. Q-Tip, GoonRock
- The Glamorous Life, by Sheila E.
- Come & Get It, by Selena Gomez
- Confident, by Demi Lovato
- Testify, by Rage Against the Machine (Zack de la Rocha is Mexican American)
- Blame in on the Boogie, The Jackson 5
- High Five, by Beck (edited version)
I’m still looking for the perfect Selena workout remix to add, so if you find one, please share!
If you liked this list, you’ll also like the St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day spinning music playlists. And, for those already gearing up for Memorial Day, I’ve shared a super fun list of workout songs, as well.
For more playlists, check out the spinning routines page.
And, let’s connect on Twitter @GroupXMich.
