10 Christmas Gifts for Fitness Fanatics

You might think it’s easy to buy a Christmas gift for a fitness fanatic.

Sometimes it is.

But the fitness niche covers a wide variety of sport, exercise, diet and lifestyle options.

You’re certainly not stuck for choice, but it’s not always straightforward.

Christmas gifts for fitness fanatics can often be over-priced and out of your price-range.

Others are novelty items: good for a laugh on Christmas day but otherwise pretty useless. 

And for some gym-freaks, fitness clothing and accessories are very much personal choices that a gift-giver may not get right: fit and comfort being two big considerations. You might not know a person’s running gait or whether a yoga mat is thick enough for the hard floors in someone’s house.  You could guess a person’s size incorrectly or pick the wrong style, colour or fit.

It’s hard buying presents for people at Christmas and whilst an interest or obsession with exercise might seem a shoe-in for a great gift, it’s not always the case. We thought we’d help you narrow things down a little…

10 Christmas Gifts for Fitness Fanatics

Music Subscription

Personally, we can’t workout without music. 

And it’s been scientifically shown that listening to music when you exercise can increase performance.

An online music subscription makes a great Christmas gift because it’s not only useful when you’re working out but it’s great if you’re traveling, commuting or if you just want to listen to a playlist in the home.

You don’t have anything to wrap up either which is a big bonus.

Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Apple Music, Google Music, Amazon… they all offer different subscription plans. 

You could even create a personal gym playlist for them so that there’s something to listen to the second the recipient sign ins and downloads the app.

Sports Socks

Everyone knows that socks are THE Christmas gift staple.

Gym socks are great because they’re so practical but they’re often overlooked by fitness fanatics who might be more tempted by base layers, trainers and static bikes that buying something to go on the feet.

Cotton is often the go-to fabric but as it retains moisture, it’s not particularly suitable for exercise. 

Pick man-made fibres or sweat-wicking socks.

Sports socks can also help cushion the feet, support the arches and prevent blisters.

Even top-brand socks are relatively inexpensive and most come in multipacks.

Sweat-Proof Headphone Covers

We’ve already mentioned how important music is when you’re working out.

Exercising in on or over-ear headphones means that sweat-proof headphone covers are an absolute gym bag essential.

Sweat is corrosive and can cause headphone cushions to crack and peel. 

EarHugz don’t just do a vital job in protecting against sweat but they also look great and (just in case you’re worried about picking the wrong design) are all fully-reversible to grey.

Warm Training Gear

January is just around the corner and a lot of people are already thinking about their new year’s resolutions. 

Although, it’s hardly the best time to start: the mornings are dark and cold and the evenings are…well, the same.

Someone new to exercising

might not have suitable kit for exercising outdoors in winter.

Under Armor is one of the most well-known brands for base and compression layers and is available in almost all good sport shops and online.

Look for base layers that are moisture-wicking to add an additional comfort factor.

Magazine Subscription 

People who like doing exercise often like reading about it, too. 

Magazine subscriptions are a great present and there’s something very novel about getting post that’s not a bill or statement.

You can always get a digital subscription if the recipient is always on a tablet or phone.

There’s a magazine for everything these days and they sometimes come with a free gift – which is win/win.

Blending Power

Abs are made in the kitchen or so the saying goes, and if someone you know is big into exercise then they’re probably big into eating, too.

Blenders are great because you can use them to make smoothies, mix protein shakes, make dressings and dips and soups.

Check what the blades are capable of cutting: nuts? Seeds? Ice? And see how complicated it is to clean (a big turn-off for some people).

The Nutribullet is one of the most popular brands on the market and has dropped in price in recent years.

Foam Rollers for Aches

Exercise can sometimes leave us aching and sore but unwilling to pay the price of going to a sports masseuse or chiropractor.

 A foam roller is a great little gift because it’s small, relatively in-expensive and very easy to wrap.

General advice is that you should start with a foam roller and work your way up, so foam is the one to buy for a gift. It’s not only good for easing away aches and pains but can also help posture and encourage the chest and lungs to open and work more efficiently. UA Galaxy Watch Active2

Under Armor has teamed up with Samsung for the Galaxy Watch Active2 making a great gift for runners. Providing real-time fitness coaching and advice, it can help correct gait and cadence issues. The watch gives verbal cues during runs as well as an in-depth analysis when you’re done. Pair with UA HOVR running shoes for a complete experience.

A New Gym Bag

Gym bags have come a long way since the JD Sports plastic string ones in high school PE.  Gym bags make a great Christmas gift because you can tailor one to the specific sport, exercise or lifestyle of the person you’re buying it for.  Someone who does yoga on a lunchbreak will probably need a different bag to a weekend weight trainer. 

Skipping Rope 

A skipping rope is a great present for anyone who enjoys cardio.

But it’s especially useful for people who travel a lot or for those who don’t always have access to a gym.

Ropes are small enough to fit into most bags and are lightweight.  There are a lot of super-basic skipping ropes to record the number of rotations and record basic stats.

You can burn a tonne of calories very quickly through skipping, so don’t let memories of your first school double-dutch put you off buying it for someone.

There’s a huge range of choice when it comes to buying Christmas gifts for fitness fanatics.

Drop us a comment below and tell us what the best thing you’ve ever received is.