While some people would be happy to get a new pair of tennis shoes as a gift, the discerning fitness buff may be more picky in their preferences. In truth, it can be quite challenging to find the perfect gift for them. Today, between yogis, cross-trainers, weightlifters, cyclists and mountain climbers, the sheer volume of gadgets, gear and equipment can overwhelm even the most experienced shopper.
If you need a leg up on ideas for the fitness junkie in your life, Fitter Past 40 invites you to check out these suggestions to help you narrow the field and make the right selection.
Fitness Trackers
Long gone are the days when it was enough to simply work out and reap the health benefits. Now it’s all about tracking your progress all day, even while you’re sleeping. If your fitness buddy is obsessed with every step and heartbeat, TechRadar ranks the Fitbit Luxe as its top-ranked tracker. The Luxe includes a real-time heart monitor and a large touch screen display for steps counted, stairs climbed and calories burned. It also has Spotify controls for the audio attentive, as well as Fitbit Pay (contactless payments) for shopping on the move.
Hydration and Muscle Relief
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly item that will help any fitness follower stay hydrated, Men’s Journal recommends the Nathan SpeedDraw Plus double-insulated water bottle. A storage space attached to the bottle stores your keys, ID, phone or music device in a zippered pocket. It also features an adjustable, secure, no-grip hand strap and thumb loop.
To ease those aching muscles, Robb Report ranks the Opove M3 Pro Max at the top of its recommended handheld deep tissue massagers. With four speed settings, a four-hour battery life and five applicator heads, the massage gun is remarkably quiet considering its power.
Bike Trainers
If the person on your list loves to ride their bike but hates to do it in the chilly winter months, consider a bike trainer for indoor use. Consider these four types of bike trainers:
Wind Bike Trainers — Pedaling powers a fan that provides resistance on this inexpensive trainer.
Magnetic Bike Trainers — Rather than using a fan, a magnetic trainer uses a magnetic flywheel to provide resistance.
Fluid Bike Trainers — The most popular type of stationary bike is also a magnetic trainer that adds chambers of viscous fluid to further tune the resistance options.
Indoor Bikes — These machines can use fluid or magnetically controlled resistance and include electronic dashboards and wireless connectivity.
Gym Memberships
Gym-goers spend an average of $800 per year on gym membership fees. If your sister is one of those types, you may want to consider a gift card to a health club. If you know she loves to work out and try new classes no matter where her travels take her, consider a gift card for unlimited boutique studio classes that she can use no matter where she lands. Services like this include monthly memberships to thousands of studios as well as all types of classes from aerobics to yoga to boxing.
A Home Gym
If it’s in your budget, consider going all out for your spouse and renovating a room in the house for a home gym. A new gym will help them stay in shape regardless of pandemic restrictions, and gym fees and foul weather will no longer be prohibitive toward fitness goals. Building out a home gym is also one way to increase your home’s resale value. If selling your home is in the cards, be sure to save your receipts to show to the appraiser.
With these ideas in mind, you’re ready to hit the mall or surf the web for that perfect gift or create your own home gym. You’ve searched carefully and thoughtfully. Your training and conditioning will pay off. Take a few deep breaths and proceed. Remember, planning and shopping is a marathon, not a sprint.
This guest post was written by Jason Lewis, personal trainer and caretaker. You can read more from him on his website StrongWell.org.
