Healthy Christmas: 28 of the Best Fitness Gifts
Finding the perfect workout gift for the fitness lover in your life can be a difficult proposition. Whether it’s yoga, running or cycling, athletes take their craft seriously – and often have very specific preferences. Luckily, we’ve rounded up a slew of coveted and highly-rated fitness gifts, guaranteed to get your gym-goers into high-gear.
Fitness Gifts for Her
1. Dry Shampoo
For some, one of the hardest things about working out is not only finding the time to exercise, but finding the time to make themselves look presentable after the workout!
Help her keep her locks fresher than ever in between sweat sessions with this must-have gym bag staple.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo, $24.00, Livingproof.com
2. Invisibobble
Ponytails are a savior when it comes to working out. However, elastic hair ties can pull tightly on hair and increase the risk of breakage.
The Invisibobble is a cord-band that won’t crimp your hair or cause damage, making it perfect for those times you don’t want to mess up your ‘do while working out.
Invisibobble, $7.89, Amazon.com
3. Backslash Fit Smart Yoga Mat
Have a yoga lover in your life? Anyone who has experimented in the practice knows the struggle of coiling your mat too loosely to stash in your bag or accidently unraveling the whole thing. It’s a surefire way to lose your zen!
Luckily, a workout gift from the yoga gods exists. Backslash Fit Smart Yoga Mat uses an internal locking mechanism to force it back into the rolled-up position within a few seconds.
Backslash Fit Smart Yoga Mat, $89.95, Amazon.com
4. Bombas Ankle Socks
Bombas women’s ankle socks are highly regarded as the best socks for working out.
Engineered for comfort, Bomba’s most unique feature is that they include blister tabs, which are built into the heels of the socks to prevent chafing and blisters from shoe contact – making them a go-to fitness gift for her.
Bombas Women’s Ankle Socks, $12.00+, Bombas.com
5. Bala Bangles
Bala Bangles are chic, wearable weights and perfect for women always on the go. They are especially handy during a vinyasa yoga class for that extra boost!
But really, these innovative weights can be used for most exercise classes or during at-home workouts.
Bala Bangles, $49.00, Shopbala.com
6. Energy Caffeine Gum
Energy caffeine gum and mints are one of the best fitness gifts on the market today.
Neuro’s gum and mints contain caffeine, which is a powerful substance that can improve physical and mental performance.
Unlike traditional coffee or energy drinks, athletes understand the importance of convenience, so having something on hand in their gym bag to take when they need that extra boost will be much appreciated. They’ll also be able to feel Neuro’s active ingredients up to 5X faster than traditional coffee or energy drinks!
Neuro products also contain B-6 and B-12 vitamins, which play an important role in ensuring optimum energy production as well as the building and repair of muscle tissue.
Neuro's patented formula incorporates these B-vitamins on top of using the synergy between natural green tea caffeine + L-theanine to give you clean energy and get you going up to 5X faster without the sugar crash or jitters.
Neuro Energy Mints and Gum, $21.00, Neurogum.com
7. Ritual Vitamin Subscription
Give the gift of health for only $30/month!
Vitamins and minerals serve hundreds of functions in the body and play an important role in energy production, bone health and immune function, among others.
However, female athletes could be at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiency due to insufficient dietary intake, menstruation and inflammatory responses to heavy physical activity.
A multivitamin with all of the essentials is a great way to show just how much you care.
Ritual Essential for Women, $30/month, Ritual.com
8. Mission Enduracool Microfiber Cooling Towel
Competitive spirits and soaring temperatures make for an explosive combination. Having something on hand to cool down with will be much appreciated.
The Mission Cooling Towel is constructed from a proprietary performance fabric, which means it will instantly cool you down. Soak the towel first with water, wring it out, then snap it into action. The air activates its cooling properties, which will have you back to feeling cool as a cucumber.
Mission Original Cooling Towel, $14.99, Mission.com
9. Cleansing Towelettes
No shower? No problem! These individually wrapped towelettes are ideal for cleaning your skin as soon as you’re done working out.
If the fitness lover in your life wants to maintain a clear, radiant complexion, you can’t go wrong with cleansing towelettes.
Sweat Cosmetics Cleaning Towelettes, $7.99, Sweatcosmetics.com
10. Ponytail Compatible Headwear
Women’s running headbands are fun fitness gifts for all the active ladies in your life looking for a snug, winter running headband that looks nice and feels great.
The Tough Headwear Ponytail Headband comes with a fleece feel, an array of color options, and, as the name suggests, a ponytail hole.
Tough Headwear Ponytail Headband, $8.95, Amazon.com
Fitness Gifts for Him
11. Muscle Hustle Fitness Crate
The Muscle Hustle Fitness Crate from Man Crates is perfect for men looking to dominate their fitness and bodybuilding goals.
Some of the crates’ contents include:
- SKLZ Core Wheels
- 22 oz. Blender Bottle
- Hammer Whey Protein
- Hammer Endurolytes
Muscle Hustle Fitness Crate, $89.99, Mancrates.com
12. Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell
When it comes to building the perfect at-home gym, simplicity is your friend. Regardless of the size of home, space is always a concern. The best way to maximize space is to have equipment that can be used for multiple workouts and ideally, of different intensities.
One of the best fitness gifts for men is the Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell. This kettlebell is designed for multiple workouts and with the turn of a dial, the weight can change anywhere from 8 lbs all the way up to 40.
Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell, $149.99, Bowflex.com
13. Hydra Cup – Dual Threat Shaker Bottle
Unlike conventional shakers, the Hydra Cup comes with two unique compartments, one to accommodate your drinks that will help rejuvenate and repair damaged muscle tissues, and one for the demanding task of high intensity muscle workouts.
Hydra Cup, $14.99, Hydracup.com
14. Hydrosleeve
Most long distance runners understand the annoyance of hearing their water bottle swish around as they run, or not drinking any water at all if it is not convenient.
The Hydrosleeve is a quick, hands free way to grab sips of water throughout a run. It can hold up to 7.5 ounces of water and slips into an armband with an adjustable bite valve that you can raise to your arm whenever you need to quench your thirst.
Hydrosleeve Hands-Free Hydration, $39.99, Hydrosleeve.com
15. Instant Cooling Mesh Hoodie
This hoodie is the first ever of its kind. It is constructed from a mesh cooling material to custom form to the head and maximize the cooling effects. When soaked with water, wrung out, and then snapped in the air, the cooling properties are instantly activated.
This is great for anyone looking to stay cool as they workout.
Mission Enduracool Instant Cooling TechKnit Hoodie, $19.00, Mycoolingstore.com
16. Hyperwear Hyper Vest Pro
Truly a unique fitness gift for men, a weighted vest ups the ante on your workout.
The Hyperwear Hyper Vest Pro creates the effect of mass evenly distributed over the body’s core to create resistance. It comes standard with 10 pounds of steel weight that you can add or subtract, making it perfect for walking, running, hiking and more.
Hyperwear Hyper Vest Pro, $199.99, Hyperwear.com
17. Convenience Kits
When it comes to working out, they say that “putting on your shoes is half the battle.” Well, we might argue that the other half of the battle is putting together the perfect gym bag – a mission that just got a whole lot easier thanks to these men’s convenience kits.
The kit contains all the most-used personal hygiene items for men to keep them looking and smelling fresh.
Men’s Convenience Kits, $17.21, Amazon.com
Fitness Gifts for Both
18. Acumobility Ball
As a frequent runner or lover of exercise, fitness fans have probably come to use many tools to assist with getting all the knots out of those tight muscles, catering to sore achy feet and more.
Similar to a lacrosse ball, the Acumobility Ball is a great device used to target troublesome areas with trigger point techniques.
Acumobility Ball Level 1, $22.95, Amazon.com
19. TriggerPoint GRID Mini Foam Roller
They love to work out - but when their muscles ache, you hear about it.
The TriggerPoint GRID mini foam roller measures in at just 4 inches, which makes its small size perfect for storage or carrying with you on the go.
TriggerPoint GRID Mini Foam Roller, $22.45, Amazon.com
20. Eucalyptus and Citrus Epsom Salt Soak
Athletes who train hard need to focus on recovery. Not only are baths soothing after a long, hard workout, but Epsom salt baths reduce inflammation, relieve minor sprains, and soothe muscle aches and joint stiffness.
Epsom Salt Bath Soak Eucalyptus + Citrus, $12.99, Eoproducts.com
21. Workout Log Book
While you can certainly store your workout plan on an app on your phone, that app probably sits right next to your text messages, social media apps and internet browser.
Fitness programs deserve their own space, separate from personal obligations. A quality workout log book is a thoughtful fitness gift to help that special someone in your life achieve their personal fitness goals.
The Workout Journal and Road Map, $8.69, Target.com
22. ClassPass Membership
Keep their fitness routine feeling fresh!
This fun fitness gift is for the person who loves trying out a new fitness class in the area. Save them a few dollars this time and get them a ClassPass membership.
ClassPass is a service that connects people with boutique and unique workouts in the area. This way, they can take advantage of all the studios have to offer without having to be a specific member of that gym.
ClassPass Membership, $9+/month, Classpass.com
23. QALO Ring
Adding weight to your barbell and trying to bench press a new max, only to have your ring uncomfortably dig into your finger is something almost every metal-ring wearing athlete is familiar with.
Many fitness lovers give up on wearing rings all together for comfort or safety reasons. QALO rings make for a very unique gift that is usable in their lifestyle.
QALO Ring, $8.37+, Qalo.com
24. Spotify Premium
Fitness lovers love their music. It’s the holy grail of motivation during a grueling workout.
Streaming music from Spotify is free. But the gift of a few months of Spotify Premium allows your friend to listen to his or her favorite tunes without ads.
Spotify Premium, $9.99/month, Spotify.com
25. Lock Laces Elastic No Tie Shoelaces
Something so simple as a shoelace could mean so much to a dedicated athlete.
A loose shoelace can significantly affect performance if the person is more concerned with checking to see if their laces are untied rather than maintaining focus on what they are doing in the gym.
Lock Laces, $7.99, Locklaces.com
26. Acupressure Mat
Bring the ancient Chinese therapy of acupressure to home with an acupressure mat. These mats are covered in close to 8,000 acupressure points and have been known to ease muscle tension and stimulate blood flow and muscle recovery after a long workout.
In fact, the results of a study conducted at the University of Otago revealed acupressure decreased the reported pain scores in athletes with acute injuries.
Prosource Fit Acupressure Mat, $19.99, Amazon.com
27. Deodorizing Inserts for Gloves
Need a unique fitness gift for the friend that’s always packing punches? When protective gloves are saturated with sweat from frequent use, bacteria and mildew grow.
Bacteria feeds on the humid air inside gloves and produces that stinky smell you may be familiar with from excessive sweat. Every time sweat happens, the odor increases.
Using a deodorizing insert, like GloveStix regularly helps eliminate this before it happens.
GloveStix, $29.99, Glovestix.com
28. Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow Cookbook
Working out may be a key component in getting the muscle mass that you want but the food you eat is equally important. In particular, you need to nourish your body with the fuel it needs to ensure you get the most from your workout so that you build muscle effectively.
To do this, many people turn to cookbooks for guidance. Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow was written by Olympic runner Shalane Flanagan and chef Elyse Kopecky and is filled with many delicious recipes that are easy to make.
Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow, $19.99, Barnesandnoble.com
Whether you’re shopping for someone who is looking for an excuse to kick-start that New Years health drive or for an already self-confessed gym addict, finding the best fitness gift can be a challenge.
Regardless of where your recipient falls on the athletic scale, there is sure to be something for everyone on this holiday gift guide list to help optimize their workouts!
Hero Image by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
