The Ultimate Fitness Gift Guide

Whether they’re making a New Year’s resolution, or they’re a lifelong gym rat, here are some great gift ideas for the guy on your list looking to lose the spare tire, get his swoll on, feed the pythons, throw some iron around, sell some tickets to the gun show, or whatever other workout cliche you can think of.

NRG Ball

Take your medicine ball workout to another level. The NRG Ball may look like a traditional weighted exercise ball, but it has fittings in each side that let you attach one or two steel handles, turning it into a compact, all-purpose fitness system, that works every part of your body. Add the optional golf handle and you can train your swing muscles like no other training tool, for longer drives and greater stamina.
5lb System – $59.95
7lb System – $69.95
9lb System – $79.95
Golf Swing Handle – $24.95
NRGBall.com

Jungle Gym XT

Don’t have the room or cash for a does-everything home gym? You do now. The Jungle Gym XT is built for punishing commercial use, and is very different from traditional suspension trainers you’ve seen. It features a split design, which allows you to quickly and easily adjust the forces on your body by changing the width of the system from the usual “V-Shaped suspension all the way to wide-angle for increased strength training.
$99.99
LifeLineUSA.com

Polar Heart Rate Monitors

Fact: Training with a heart rate monitor lets you get the most out of your workout. And the monitors from Polar give you all the info and feedback you need to squeeze the most from every training session. The FT7 not only displays heart rate and calories burned, but the EnergyPointer lets you know if your training is more targeted to fat burning, or improving your overall fitness. The FT80 guides your strength training with heart rate based recovery periods between sets, and the Polar FlowLink® lets you transfer data to your online training diary.
$99.99
PolarUSA.com

Propulsion Labs Concept 1

Banned by the NBA due to their “performance-enhancing abilities,” they’re perfectly legal for weekend pick-up games. The reason for the ban? An “unfair competitive advantage” that increases a player’s vertical leap. And while you’ll enjoy the “enhancement” to your game, don’t expect to be dunking if you’re 5’4″. Or should you… (Available in four color combinations.)
$300
AthleticPropulsionLabs.com

JadeYoga XW Mat

Guys are finally discovering the benefits of training in yoga. (Besides the classes packed with fit, flexible women.) The only problem is most yoga mats are built for those fit women. JadeYoga’s new XW non-slip, all-natural rubber mat gives us guys a few extra inches in the width, so we get get our Downward Dog on, without spilling over the sides.
$71.95
JadeYoga.com

Vapur Anti-Bottle

The most important thing to bring when exercising is water. The problem is what to do with your reusable bottle when you’re on the trail, or in the home stretch of the 5K. Bring a Vapur instead. It’s the flexible feather-light plastic “anti-bottle” that stands up when full, and rolls up and stows when the liquid is gone. And it’s not a disposable solution either. The Vapur is durable and reusable, dishwasher safe, and freezable.
$9.99
Vapur.us

Surgex

If you’re going to put your body through the stress and strain of intense training, fuel it with Surgex. The first sport supplement clinically-proven to help you perform at peak levels, build lean muscle, increase energy and recover with less soreness and fatigue in two independent studies, it reduces oxidative stress, and increases energy production and immune response. And it does all that in four flavors: Vanilla Storm, Chocolate Charge, Banana Berry Blast, and Tropical Crush.
$79.95
SurgexSports.com

TRAINERmat

If you’ve always wanted to have your trainer right under you, now you can. TRAINERmats are 6-feet of exercise advice printed on a thick, cushioning, foldable mat. And they’ve got ’em printed with exercises for golf, back health, abs, weight loss, stretching and more. They might be a little flatter than your current trainer, but they’re just as effective and cost a lot less.
$29.99
TrainerMat.com

Skins 400 Compression Gear

Serious training requires serious gear. And Skins 400 Compression is serious gear. Squeezing into the long sleeve top boosts your core body control and power, while your post workout muscle soreness is minimized. It also helps reduce soft tissue damage and inflammation, and supports your body against joint injury and tenderness. The tights are great for travel too, minimizing swelling and dehydration on long-haul flights. Plus they are guaranteed for maximum comfort under your clothes, and with antimicrobial treatment and moisture wicking, you’ll stay fresh whether you’re pushing heavy weights, or facing a TSA screening before that flight.
Long Sleeve Top – $120
Long Tights – $140
SkinsUSA.com

Contigo AutoSeal Kangaroo Hydration Bottle

There are plenty of water bottles on the market you can take to the gym with you, but the Kangaroo has three distinct advantages: 1. It features the patented AutoSeal no-spill technology which automatically seals between sips, eliminating drips, leaks and spills; 2. It has a built-in clip to attach to your bike, gym bag or whatever else, for hands-free portability; And 3. In true kangaroo fashion, it has a fold-down front compartment “pouch” to store your keys, credit cards, ear buds or gym membership cards while you work out. Beats the hell out of a fanny-pack…
$12.99
GoContigo.com

StreetStrider

Combining the benefits of jogging, skiing and cycling, without the physical stresses, the StreetStrider is the world’s first elliptical cross trainer on wheels. Its three-wheel platform makes it simple to balance while riding, and the intuitive lean-to-steer system works with your natural movements. Taking you out of the gym and on the road for a total body workout, high calorie burn rate, and low joint impact. Hear that swimmers?
$1,299 – $1,699
StreetStrider.com

Knife and Forklift

Who says you have to stop training to eat? With the Knife and Forklift, you can get a few 1.5lb reps in as you enjoy your grilled chicken and rice, egg white omelette, or even your fettuccine alfredo on cheat days. Or, better yet, give the gift of a hint to the guy who could use a little more resistance when meal time comes around…
$39.95 set
KnifeandForklift.com

bodybuggSP

It’s not hard to understand the concept of burning more calories than you eat in order to lose weight. What is hard is tracking those calories. The new bodybuggSP calorie management system monitors “calories in and calories out” using an armband to track calories burned throughout the day, while the online bodybugg system tracks calories consumed. And the Bluetooth compatibility to allows you to view your caloric burns right on your smartphone, and input your consumed calories, all from the palm of your hand. You might not want to see all those “calories in” until after the holidays though…
$249 (On sale for $219)
24HourFitness.com

Livestrong Apparel

Throwing on an old sweatshirt to train is becoming a thing of the past as materials and fabrics get more and more sophisticated. Take the gear from Nike’s Livestrong line. The KO Hoody II (left) has Therma-FIT fleece to keep you warm, while the goalie gusset provides mobility as you train. And the All Day 1/2 Zip (middle), and All Day Waffle Pant (right), are made of Dri-FIT fabric to wick away sweat and keep you comfortable and dry under any training situation. All day.
KO Hoody II, All Day 1/2 Zip, All Day Waffle Pant – $55 each
Nike.com/livestrong

Detour Lean Muscle Protein Bar

Perfect for stuffing in a stocking – or gym bag, backpack, or briefcase – the new Detour Lean Muscle protein bars taste way better than the dense, dry, cardboardish bars you’re used to, and they pack in 32 grams of high quality protein, 19 vitamins and minerals, and 1000 mg of healthy Omega 3’s per serving. Start your New Year’s resolution off early.
$3.99
DetourBar.com

Springer Dog Exerciser

Exercise is always better with a partner, and what better partner than your best friend? No, not the one passed out on your couch, the furry one who greets you at the door when you come home. Just attach the Springer Dog Exerciser to your bike, then attach your dog’s harness to the Springer. The low-mounted, heavy-duty steel spring absorbs up to 90% of the force of your dog’s unexpected tugs, while protecting your dog from traffic, pedals, and wheels. And just in case he gets caught around a tree or hydrant, the patented safety release frees him instantly.
One arm kit – $89
Two arm kit – $129
SpringerAmerica.com

PhitGrip

The worst part about trying to get healthy in a gym, is contracting some funky skin infection or illness from the germs commonly found on the equipment. You can wear gloves, but since your hands can’t breathe in there, they can get pretty ripe after a while. That’s why PhitGrips were invented. They’re inexpensive, palm-sized, anti-microbial grips that fit around the handles and bars, giving you a cushioned barrier to germs, and a more secure, more comfortable, grip. And no sweaty palms when you meet the yoga instructor at the smoothie bar.
$10/pair
PhitGrip.com

SolarFlex Mat

Too cold to get down on the floor and exercise? Warm up on the SolarFlex infrared heated mat. The heat penetrates your muscles, letting them warm up faster, providing increased flexibility, release of toxins, and relief from minor aches and pains. And relief from excuses not to exercise.
$249.95
SolarFlexMat.com