We are often told to relax while listening to classical music, but these works will help you do the opposite.

A racing beat, fast tempos and heightened drama make for the perfect running soundtrack. What's more, it's a lot harder to do the dreaded 'countdown to the next song' thing with classical music. Movements differ in lengths depending on the conductor or performer, and it's less structured and formulaic as a pop song.

If you're in the pits of exhaustion halfway round a marathon and need a pick-me-up, we suggest switching over from Taylor Swift to Gustav Holst and seeing what happens. You might be surprised...

Best workout music

1. Holst: Mars, the Bringer of War

The first and most famous movement from Gustav Holst's cosmic symphonic suite The Planets opens with a menacing rhythm, played by the string sections with the wooden backs of their bow (a technique called col legno, or ‘with wood’). This dramatic ostinato is present for almost the entire piece, making it the perfect music to raise your heartbeat and find your pace.

Best recording: Philharmonia Orchestra/Simon Rattle EMI 575 8672

2. Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5

This is one of Brahms’s most recognisable works, based on a traditional Hungarian theme. It was originally written for piano four hands, then later orchestrated by Martin Schmeling. Moments of calm occasionally interrupt the flow of this energetically whirling music – a good time to take a breather, perhaps?

Best recording: Vienna Philharmonic/Claudio Abbado DG E4106152

3. Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker March

The dignified horn theme that opens this moment in Tchaikovsky’s ballet is in stark contrast to the excitable strings that gradually take over in this party piece. If you are looking for more music to add to your running playlist, The Nutcracker is full of energetic moments, such as the fight between the Nutcracker and King Rat, or the jumping Russian ‘Trepak’ dance that is performed for Clara and her Prince Charming.

Best recording: London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn

4. Dvořák: Symphony No. 6: III. Scherzo (Furiant)

Undoubtedly the greatest Czech composer and also one of the very finest Romantic composers, Antonín Dvořák wrote nine symphonies that progress from impressive (no. 1) to masterful examples of the genre (numbers 7 to 9, the 'New World').

One of many distinguishing features is a series of brilliant Scherzos that often draw from Czech folk music themes. Most exicting of these is the Scherzo from the Sixth Symphony, which adopts the furiant, a rapid, hot-blooded Czech dance that will have you hurtling along (at a safe speed to yourself and others, of course).

Best recording: Vienna Philharmonic / Myung-Whun Chung

More best classical music for workouts

5. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7: IV. Allegro con brio

No moment of Beethoven packs more of a punch than the final movement of his Symphony No. 7. Full of Bacchic fury and a whirling, dance-like energy, Beethoven’s Seventh zips along at such a pace that you’ll need to work hard to keep up, and things come to a suitably feverish head in the Finale.

Best recording: Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly Decca 478 3496

6. Bernstein: Candide Overture

Leonard Bernstein’s comic operetta opens with a bang. Such a brilliant bang in fact, that it is more commonly performed in its own right. Listen out for quotes from songs ‘The Best of all possible worlds’, ‘Battle music’, ‘Oh, happy we’ and (of course) ‘Glitter and be Gay’.

Best recording: London Symphony Chorus & Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein DG 4744722

7. John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine

This fanfare by the great American composer John Adams has just the right amount of irresistible energy and an inevitable forward motion to keep you motivated right to the end of your run. Keep pace with the wood block ostinato, which falls in and out of time with the rest of the orchestra.

The greatest American composers of all time

Best recording: Berlin Philharmonic/Alan Gilbert The John Adams Edition Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR170141

8. Shostakovich: Festive Overture

Composed at something of a running pace in just three days, Shostakovich's celebratory overture should keep you on similarly speedy toes. The organisers of the 1980 Olympics must have agreed – it featured in the opening ceremony in Moscow.

Lang Lang. John Williams. The Nazis. 11 unforgettable Olympic musical moments

Best recording: USSR Symphony Orchestra/Gennady Rozhdestvensky

9. Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 3: Finale

Fast-paced, celebratory and with regular climaxes: the finale of Rachmaninov's third and final symphony makes the perfect piece of classical music for running. Actually, we could pretty much say the same for its predecessor, Symphony No. 2, so have a go at both and see which movement matches your pace the best!

Best recording: Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin

10. Arturo Márquez: Conga del Fuego

There’s no better way to end a run than with a Latin American conga, especially one as full of fun as this. Born in Mexico, Márquez grew up surrounded by mariachi and folk music, and often uses traditional musical styles and forms in his orchestral works.

Best Latin American composers

Best recording: Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel Fiesta DG 4777859

11. Orff: 'O Fortuna'

To ramp up the intensity of your workout, try the first movement of Orff’s Carmina Burana, ‘O Fortuna’. The sheer power of the magnificent wall of sound that opens this choral masterpiece is bound to inspire strength and endurance. The forceful effect of the choral piece is maintained as the music settles into a groove with its relentlessly percussive accompaniment

Best recording: Direttore d'Orchestra/Andrea Bettistoni

12. Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians

To get you in the zone, Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians exudes an almost meditative atmosphere with pulsating rhythms and gradually shifting harmonies, bringing an extra level of focus to your workout.

Best recording: Eighth Blackbird/Third Coast Percussion/Meehan Perkins Duo

Steve Reich's best works for percussion

13. Aaron Copland: 'Hoedown'

With its folk influences, Copland’s lively ‘Hoe-down’ from Rodeo is the perfect choice to put a spring in your step. The piece makes use of two American square-dance tunes, the main theme of the work coming from a traditional folk song called ‘Bonaparte’s Retreat’ by William H Step. We featured 'Hoedown' in our list of Copland's greatest works.

Best recording: London Symphony Orchestra/William Warfield

Six of the best pieces of music inspired by American folk tunes

14. Khachaturian: 'Sabre Dance'

If you’re looking for something high in energy to help you push through the final stages of your workout, the sabre dance from Aram Khachaturian’s Gayane Suite No. 3 ought to do the trick. Driven forward by a motoric engine of percussion and strings, the frantic-sounding main theme is answered by raucous glissandos from the trombones. There is some respite in the movement’s middle section before Khachaturian amps up the energy again as the main theme returns in a frenzied race to the finish.

Best recording: Berliner Philharmoniker/Simon Rattle

You can listen to and download our playlist on Apple Music, just click here.