Music is the universal motivator, one that energises people around the globe—from professional athletes and Olympians to workout newbies trading in the sofa for the gym. It’s the beat that pushes each and every one of them, whether they want to run that extra mile or add another set of reps. It provides the rhythm to maintain stamina and focus when muscles ache and sweat pours, soundtracking every flex, footstep and heartbeat on the road to glory. Since 1979, portable music players have marked an evolution in personal audio that meant you could take music anywhere, whether traversing mountain peaks, swimming in the ocean or just burning calories on an elliptical. But after all these years, the question remains: what makes the perfect workout playlist? Much like a nutritious meal, the perfect mix needs the right ingredients to carry you through a workout. To start things off, you'll want a dash of mid-tempo pop from the likes of Zara Larsson, Justin Bieber and Clean Bandit, which has just the right bounce and an echo of electro to ease you into your training. As the pace picks up, bring on the R&B and a hint of rock: Amerie, Michael Jackson and Rihanna hit the right tone for the former, while Arctic Monkeys provide plenty of the latter. Once you've hit your stride, it's time for the big beats and uptempo rhythms of hip-hop and dance—Danny Byrd, Kanye West, Major Lazer and Daft Punk will drive you to push your limits. And once you've crossed the finishing line and it's time to cool down and stretch out, you'll want to kick back with some mellifluous Zen-inspired instrumentals—or maybe just hit play on the theme from Rocky and start winning all over again.