As a personal trainer, I’ve always loved working out to music. I view my workouts as my pump-up time where I can listen to my personal fight songs. Some days it’s Lady Gaga’s “I’m on the Edge of Glory” and other days it’s Bon Jovi's “Livin’ on a Prayer!” It all depends on my mood. But one thing’s for sure: the day I forget my earbuds is the day my workout is pretty lackluster.
My workouts vary from day to day. Some days I’ll run for a mile, other days I’ll go on a brisk walk. I usually do HIIT or strength training at least three times a week, too. Since I like variety, I need my headphones to be able to stay in my ear regardless of the intensity of my workout. But beyond staying put, I also like them to be portable (no bulky over-ear headphones for me), and to be able to control them with a tap.
With so many brands coming out with earbuds, it's hard to know which ones will hold up — and stay in — during your workouts. Below are my favorite earbuds for any type of workout, plus, some bestselling options that may work for your preferred fitness routine.
Best headphones for workouts, according to a personal trainer
Jaybird Vista 2
These are great if you are an athlete, on-the-go, and mostly work-out outside. These Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds has a “find my buds” feature in the Jaybird app – so if I leave them in another room or forget them somewhere in the gym, I can find them easily. Plus, if I’m in a rush and only have 5 minutes, I can quickly charge them and get up to a full hour of playback time.
They also have a new fabric technology for clearer voice pickup and phone calls on the go, the brand says. They’re waterproof, sweat-proof, crush proof and drop proof. The case is now also water resistant so they’ll survive almost anything when you’re on an adventure outside. Plus the Vista 2 comes with new optimized Sport Eargels so that you can customize the fit in your ears.
Apple AirPods Pro
The Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) was my first foray into cordless earbuds. When I first started using them, I was so worried that they’d fall out of my ears while I was just walking around. Fortunately that didn't happen, and now AirPods have become my tried-and-trued go-to for all of my workouts, and just everyday life.
I have since upgraded to the Pro version and I absolutely love them because they cancel out noise even better than the older version did. I still like the fit of these in my ear while I'm moving and they charge even faster than the original pair I had. According to the brand, the Pro version has a tapered silicone tip that is designed to better conform to your ear. I also love that they don't pickup background noise if I'm talking on the phone outside during my walks.
More bestselling headphones for workouts 2022
TOZO Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds
When I saw that these earbuds had almost 300,000 reviews with an average of 4.3 stars, I knew I had to research them some more. The earbuds and charging case's inner Nano-coating makes it sweat-proof and waterproof up to 3 feet deep for 30 minutes, according to the brand. They also fully charge in the rechargeable case in just 1.5 hours.
JLab GO Air True Wireless In-Ear Headphones
First off, what’s not to love about the price? These come in 6 colors, and there are touch controls so you can adjust the volume or fast forward or rewind, the brand shares. They’re sweat and splash-proof, so they should last through most intense workouts. The buds have an earhook design and three sets of interchangeable gel tips to provide a customizable and secure fit. Also, according to the brand, the dual-connect technology allows the earbuds to be used independently when you want one ear open to better hear your surroundings.
Nokia Noise Cancelling Earbuds
These earbuds are designed to block out disturbances with studio-quality audio so you can enjoy music or podcasts in peace. You can also turn on ambient mode to better hear your surroundings when you want to, the brand shares. Plus, they are practically foolproof because they are designed to automatically connect to your phone when you open the lid.
Stephanie Mansour is a health & fitness expert and weight-loss coach for women. Stephanie is a certified personal trainer, Yoga instructor, Pilates instructor, professional life coach, and has her BA in Communications with an emphasis on Women's Studies and Psychology from the University of Michigan. Join her for daily inspo on Instagram and in her new app, “Step It Up with Steph” full of daily challenges, workouts, recipes, and motivational exercises.
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