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Great Christmas Gift Ideas for the Fitness Buff (Andrei Petrik, Trainer Andrei)
Whether your fitness buff is a novice, seasoned gym rat or a pro-athlete there is definitely something on this list they all would love. I’m recommending these gift ideas for three reasons, all items get a great deal of usage from myself and my clients, they help you get the results you want and because they fit any budget. You can either get individual items or bundle them as an ultimate gift basket for the fitness enthusiast on your list.
Kettlebell
The popularity of kettlebells in North America has been rising steadily in the past few years. But the iron ball with a handle has been used by the Eastern Bloc nations for strength and functional training for decades. Kettlebells are unqiue in a sense that one of these has the ability to recruit more than one muscle group during a workout. If you’re thinking of building strength while getting your cardio levels up, this is a great route to go. The pricing will vary depending on the weight and where you purchase. They can start as low as $10 and got as high as $100+. Click here for a great deal on kettlebells
Swiss ball
Swiss balls, aka exercise balls or stability balls have been popular among physical therapists, personal trainers and athletes for years. There are a great deal of challenging exercises you can do with one of these, even if you’re a hardcore bodybuilder. But swiss balls are also great as supplements to traditional support equipment used in the exercises routines, such as bench, chair or a solid flat surface. For example, if you’re using a swiss ball in place of a bench you are forced to use many of your core muscles to help you stabilize your body. This will enhance your calorie burning effect during the exercise. There are many brands and sizes out on the market usually ranging between $20 and $30. Click here for the best quality swiss ball.
Medicine Ball
Medicine balls look like a regular ball, but much heavier. They can range from just ounces to upwards of 25lbs a piece. Similar to Kettlebells, when using these during an exercise routine they help recruit many different muscle groups. Medicine balls can help build up burst speed, strength and cardio. There are many different suppliers and sizes, so prices will range between $15 to $70. Click here for high quality medicine balls.
Gymboss Interval Timer
This is one my most recently discovered products that I’ve been using on regular basis for the past couple of years. I can’t believe I’ve never searched for it or heard of it much earlier. An interval timer basically helps you go through a timed workout with set time allocated for work and rest. There are a number of routines and programs that you can do with a timer to help you squeeze in the most intense workout in minimal amount of time. Using an interval timer also helps you build up your cardio by increasing work time and decreasing rest periods. Many athletes, especially boxers find these very useful to train with as their sport requires a great deal of start-and-stop type of action and movement. You can get this for $20. Get your Gym Boss here.
Online Workout and Fitness App Subscription - DailyBurn
Last but not least, no proper fitness program can be complete without a proper fitness planning, workout and nutrition tracking. There are a number of players in this space. I tried a few of them, but the only one I can confidently recommend is DailyBurn. This online app helps you track your workouts, nutrition, how you’re progressing to your goal and provides custom training plans. One of the best features, is that this application has a strong user base and community behind it. You can find people to motivate you and provide you with a very helpful fitness advice. I’m only scratching the surface on what it can do. The best way to experience it is to sign up for the free plan yourself. It’s enough to get you started, but should you need more from it they have an annual subscription plans starting at only $49.95.
You can get any of these items individually or as a bundle. If you shop around online you can definitely get them all (depending on the weight and brand needed to get started) for under $100.
