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’Tis almost the season for gift-giving! Here are some suggestions for the fitness-focused cuties in your life. Many of the items listed here come in multiple colors and styles to suit your gifting needs. They’re organized by price range (shipping costs not included) with a note about which sports they match best. For stocking stuffers, think elastic headbands, trial-size protein powder, or an iTunes gift card for updating a favorite workout playlist. Happy shopping, and enjoy the benefit of all those post-exercise endorphins!
$5 – $10 Range
Let’s start with some small-but-mighty items. A workout journal is perfect for anyone who tracks their progress and personal records. This one has waterproof paper, which will help it stand up to sweat and last longer in a gym bag. For someone who’s into contact sports — boxing, rugby, derby and more — consider a mouthguard case. (True story: When I got my first mouthguard for boxing, I carried it around in a plastic sandwich bag. It was gross. Don’t let your favorite athlete go the sandwich-bag route.) This ventilated case will keep a mouthguard clean, and it has a carabiner clip to easily attach to a workout bag. A jump rope is a portable, affordable workout staple. This brand can be adjusted to work with heights from 4’9″ to 6’6”, and would suit CrossFit athletes, boxers, and general fitness fans. Wrist wraps are another winner for boxers and MMA fighters: they provide hand and wrist protection and support. Everlast is a well-known brand with a basic array of colors, but if you’re looking for something a little more eye-catching, other brands offer a more adventurous selection. (There are also 120″ wraps, but the 180″ ones create more padding and therefore more protection.)
$10 – $20 Range
Kicking off this category is one of my personal favorites: Beasty Chalk. This liquid chalk keeps grip strong even when palms get sweaty. Bonus: It can be used in gyms that don’t allow loose chalk. The Gorilla formula is best for powerlifters and Olympic lifters, and the Monkey formula is best for CrossFit athletes. Give the gift of warmth and protected shins with these super cute Queer Pride knee-highs from Sock Dreams! They’ll be loved by powerlifters, Olympic lifters, soccer and derby players, bikers … probably everyone, honestly. Resistance bands are great for exercise on the go, whether that’s a quick morning bodyweight routine at home or getting workouts in while traveling. These bands fold up into an included carrying pouch so they’re easy to pack. For the hot yogi in your life, consider this yoga mat towel. It fits on top of a yoga mat, helping absorb sweat and prevent slipping. (Pair it with a 5-visit studio pass for an even fancier gift.) A valve-top water bottle is most excellent for exercising because you don’t have to touch the lid to open it, so whatever is on your hands mid-workout—sweat, dirt, chalk, general gym funk—doesn’t end up on your mouth. Finally, the Wiccy Magic Muscles Massage Bar from LUSH is specially made for post-workout relaxation. It’s scented with warming cinnamon and peppermint oils, and has whole adzuki beans embedded in the bar to give it a pleasing texture. And it’s vegan and cruelty-free! Give it to someone you’d like to massage.
$20 – $40 Range
For cycling fans and bike commuters, these fun and festive lights will doll up a bike for the holidays. The LED strings weave through the bike’s wheel spokes and are super bright to increase safety on nighttime rides. Foam rolling is really good for sore muscles and improving mobility, but can also be really painful, so maybe give this foam roller to your ex? Just kidding! There are multiple lengths available, but the 36″ roller is big enough to do it all: back, shoulders, legs, and more. The Magic Bullet blender will take care of morning smoothies and post-workout protein shakes. This sparkly AF gym tote may not be the most practical accessory, but it’s probably the shiniest. Big enough to carry a water bottle, headphones, and a towel, this drawstring tote will be on-brand for the sporty queer who loves all things glittery and sequined. And a cute gym-ready tank top will always be appreciated by someone who wants to show off their muscular shoulders. This shirt has a holographic unicorn shouting TRAMPLE THE PATRIARCHY. You tell ’em, unicorn.
$40 & Up
What to get the person who loves working out but hates fighting traffic to get to the gym? At-home workout equipment, like this adjustable dumbbell set. The dumbbells can be loaded together to about 20 pounds each, or a single dumbbell can be loaded to about 35 pounds. Another option for multipurpose home workouts is a kettlebell: this one is 26 pounds, with other sizes available. Converse are some of the best shoes for powerlifting, and these are part of the Converse Pride Collection. As the Converse site notes: “All net proceeds from the 2017 Converse Pride Collection will support LGBTQ youth organizations.” Boost someone’s shoe game and help queer kids: win-win. Last but not least, here’s a present most athletes will love: a 1-hour massage gift certificate. A sports or deep-tissue massage is geared toward improving athletic performance; or, choose a gentler form of massage and give the gift of pure relaxation.
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Philadelphia Printworks’ Embodied collection of yoga/self care/POC and body-diversity depicting clothing is also a great gift in this category! They’re really beautiful/created by designers of color/all of their collections help support social justice related orgs with part of their profits.
https://philadelphia-printworks.myshopify.com/collections/embodied
Oh, that is beautiful clothing! Thanks for sharing and linking! :)
18″ black foam roller is actually #1 on my secret santa wish list this year. Those things are bomb for IT bands.
I love my foam roller but also hate it, because ouch. I don’t use it as much as I should!
I have that mouthguard case and it’s great
Definitely a better option than a plastic sandwich bag! :D