There’s a set out there of guys who love sports, maybe a little too much. They’re forever looking for a supplement to give them the perfect pump, seeking out new challenges for their body, and giving you lectures about Kale and bran. They’re undeniably healthy and probably going to live 200 years while benching, biking, and building an Adonis body. Help them on their path with a gift that their uber-active lifestyle will use so they stop talking about colon cleansing and juicing.
Our 20 gifts for the athlete covers everything that does a body good and you’ll surely find something that your workout fiend doesn’t already have in his home gym.
Garmin Vivosmart
Hit the Track: This is wearable tech for the man fanatical in his exercising and his professional life. It comes equipped with the latest in elite fitness tracking technology, including a reminder to move, but also syncs to alert users of emails, calls, and texts. [Purchase: $200]
TRX Suspension Trainer
Anywhere Workout: All that is needed for a comprehensive workout is a door, a pole, or a tree branch with the Suspension Trainer. It anchors down tight and gives you all the muscle-pumping power of a home gym in a package the size of a fanny pack. [Purchase: $190]
Nike Dri-Fit Sprint
Winter Wear: Cold weather is no excuse to miss a workout, which is why the Dri-Fit is specifically designed to give warmth even at record-breaking speeds and wick away moisture to allow the body to breathe so your athlete can get his winter marathon miles in. [Purchase: $135]
SKLZ Agility Ladder
Do a Little Dance: You don’t always have the time and space to lay out a bunch of tires to practice quick-twitch foot speed. With the mobile agility ladder, you don’t need to. The adjustable straps let you improve agility and lateral movement with a few feet of floor space. [Purchase: $26]
Epic Bison Bacon & Cranberry All Natural Meat Bar
Pure Protein: Men don’t get their protein from synthetic materials, they get it from meat. That is why these protein bars pack in true animal proteins along with natural nuts and fruits for all the nutrients an active body needs. [Purchase: $30]
iPod Shuffle
Mobile Music: Athletes need lightweight items that help them with their workout without weighing them down. The Shuffle is the perfect lightweight, low-cost mp3 player that let’s a guy take “Eye of the Tiger” anywhere without adding heft or risking his expensive smartphone. Don’t worry, it comes in pink. [Purchase: $49]
Muscle Maintenance
Rehab Ready: Muscles need more than work, they also need help recovering and recuperating in order to grow strong and healthy. Each of these items will help athletes rub, roll, and revive so they can get back in the game faster. [1. The Grid Foam Roller: $33 | 2. Back Buddy Self-Massager: $36 | 3. Tiger Tail Mobile Massager: $29 | 4. Yamuna Rolling Foot: $49]
Kinetic by Kurt Road Machine
Like Riding a Bike: Don’t bother with a heavy, expensive indoor cycle when your standard mountain or road bike will do the trick. Just set this up in a home or office, mount your favorite bicycle onto it, and turn any room into a spinning class instantly. [Purchase: $267]
Tribest Slowstar Vertical Juicer
Nectar of the Gods: Any blender can mulch a bunch of produce, but to squeeze every precious drop of juice out of your fruits and vegetables, you need an advanced juicing system that extracts all the best parts slowly and methodically, leaving only the waste behind. [Purchase: $379]
SKLZ Speed Resistance Training Parachute
Slow Ride: Is your athlete too fast? Slow him down so he’s easier to catch and help him get even more speed with this training parachute. It uses wind resistance to aid runners in building up speed and stamina by forcing them to work harder the natural way. [Purchase: $29]
Ironman Registration
Bring the Pain: Get your athlete motivated to prove he’s the toughest hombre on Earth to ever swim, run, or cycle by entering him in the pinnacle of athletic achievement: The Ironman triathlon. It will either give him lifetime bragging rights or some much needed humility. [Purchase: $700]
Lock Laces
Zip Tie: A loose lace can ruin a perfectly good run and force an athlete to cool down as they make the damn bunny go around the tree and into the hole. Save them from that dastardly fate with the Lock Laces which never need to be tied, yet snap in securely for a quick, stable fit every time. [Purchase: $8]
The Kettle Clamp
A Better Bell: There’s no need to dump all of your dumbbells in order to get on the kettlebell bandwagon. The Kettle Clamp makes any dumbbell into a kettlebell with just a twist, allowing the lifter to choose and change their weight without buying a whole new bell. [Purchase: $199]
Supplements
Pre-Pump: An active body can’t build muscle or function properly if it doesn’t have the right fuel. You wouldn’t put cheap gas in a performance car, so don’t give cheap nutrients to a performance body. Each item is formulated to help an active man make the most out of his workouts without adverse side-effects. [Opti-Men Multivitamin: $15+ | Gold Standard 100% Whey Price: $15+ | Jack3d Advanced: $24]
Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbells
Smarter Dumbbells: You don’t need a whole dumbbell set for all your curls and chest flies, you just need a single dumbbell that can do it all. Weights go from 5 to more than 50 lbs. in seconds, which is perfect for no-wait crossfit programs or rapid lifting without stops and starts. [Purchase: $299]
Master of Muscle Fast Speed Cable
Hop, Skip, Jump: This is more than just a jump rope for skipping along with your girlfriends. It is a serious training cable with a 90 degree turning handle. It is specifically weighted to help you get a faster swing to help improve agility, foot speed, and an excuse to chant “Blue Bells, Cockle Shells.” [Purchase: $14]
Plantronics BackBeat FIT Headphones
Beautiful Noise: A good pair of headphones are worth their weight in platinum. These check all the boxes by staying in place even during intense workouts, pumping out the jams in stereophonic quality, are easy to control, completely adjustable, and totally sweat proof. [Purchase: $130]
Avantree Armband Case
Case Closed: The only name you need for armbands, this does everything an athlete could need. It secures headphones with a smooth strap, offers space for credit cards and identification, allows touchscreen function right through the front, and fits just about any phone so there’s never a need to replace it. [Purchase: $18]
SKLZ Hopz Vertical Jump Trainer
Up, Up, and Away: Your athlete might be strong and fast, but does he have hops like LeBron? Then he needs this trainer to help target the lower body muscles specifically used when jumping. He’ll thank you when he clears a fence to escape the police a mad dog. [Purchase: $42]
Running Shoes
Going the Distance: A running routine should be part of any athlete’s program. Each of these shoes helps fulfill their specific needs. The Flyknit is an indomitable lightweight street shoe for fast summer running. The Ascend is ideal for minimalists or trail runners, and the Salomon gives the winter sprinter a way to take on any terrain in the cold. [Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit | Merrell Ascend: $44+ | Salomon Snowcross CS: $200]
