If you’re somewhat normal, then you are like the millions of North Americans that hold off their Christmas shopping till the very last minute. Sometimes your procrastinating habit gets you into trouble and now you have nothing to get for your spouse or loved one… but then at other times you get ridiculously lucky and end up with a bangin’ deal which you can feel all warm and fuzzy about. Just like Santa.

Well today FJ is gona be YOUR Santa. No, I wont drop down chimneys and deliver gifts for you… you lazy ass, but I will give you some stellar ideas. These gifts are for anyone in the family who is obsessed/fascinated/curious about fitness. Actually it’s also a nice way of saying “hey buddy… this year, how about you get in shape?” – That’s holiday spirit right there. So let’s see how we can add some years to someone’s life…

1. Gym Giftcards

Before we get into the funky gadgets and devices, here is one gift you should consider heavily. A pre paid gift card or voucher with a few personal training sessions attached is actually a pretty good idea, specially if the person you’re getting it for has been mentioning how they would like to join a gym this year. It’s also worth noting that during the new years, you can lock in some really good deals.

But what if someone already has a gym membership? Well I don’t know about you, but if I didn’t have to pay my gym membership for the next 3 months because of a gift card, I’d be one happy sunova’ bitch!

2. Health Food Store Gift Cards

Getting someone “food” or “edibles” for Christmas is risky business. Shit like fruit of the month or salad of the year or any of that nonsense is always hit or miss unless you REALLY know the person. Even chocolates is a little wonky considering you don’t always know what kind of chocolate a person likes or if they are allergic to milk, peanuts etc. It’s a damn headache.

Why not then, grab them a gift card to a health food store? You’ll be forcing them to go into a store which sells good stuff and they’ll be entered into a world full of possibilities. For people like me who regularly visit these types of stores, it’d be a god send. I mean if you cover my supplement and food bill for the next month… I’d totally love you, man. No wait, love is a little strong, I’d totally LIKE you. That’s better.

3. Resistance Band Set

If the gym membership idea doesn’t work for some logistical reason, or if you can’t find a decent health food store that provides gift cards, the next best thing you could get a person who wants to get in shape is a full set of variable resistance bands complete with door and leg attachments. I have a set myself and when I’m on the road, it’s literally like have your own mini-gym inside a little bag. I don’t go on ANY extended trip without my set.

My buddy Max has is own company Aylio, and their bands are the exact ones I personally bought for myself. They are great and come with 4 levels of resistance tubing. A brand new set from Amazon is only $39.99 and you can literally do HUNDREDS of exercises with them. Awesome sauce!

Click Here For More Info On The Aylio Resistance Bands

4. Dynaflex Powerball & Gyro Products

This little gadget is great! I’ve been using it ever since I got my review unit and it’s been working flawlessly. You can read my full review HERE. I was in the mall a few weeks back and noticed a knock-off Powerball which was 1/3 the price and so I decided to buy it. And thank god I did, cuz now I get to tell you what a massive fucking mistake that was. DO NOT buy knock-off Powerballs because although the two products may look similar, the quality of the workout is outrageously compromised in the knock-off.

It’s clunky to get started, creaks and cracks, the gyro isn’t as smooth, makes a loud noise, has no lights and is an overall terrible experience. It also cracked after experiencing a one foot drop. Pathetic. If I was the recipient of such a cheap gift I’d never talk to you ever again. So if there is a person in you life that you want to get rid of, buy them a knock off Powerball, but for those people that actually MATTER in your life, you might want to get them the real thing.

Click Here If You Want To Save A Few Bucks On The REAL Powerball

5. Wii Fit

Although Wii is a word used by little boys to describe how they exert urine, it has managed become a ubiquitous term across homes around the world. Yes, this little monster of a product has swept the world by storm with it’s amazing swinging paddles and immersive gameplay. Then they came out with the Wii Fit… a pimped out weight scale that uses games to get you in shape.

Personally, the Wii Fit is a little too simple for my tastes… but what else do you expect from a guy who has a love for the iron? I’m not going to break a sweat leaning side to side or doing a few pushups on a white board, but that’s not the point. The point is that it’s actually a very good device for beginners. If you know a family that owns a Wii console, I think the Wii Fit is an excellent gift to get them all moving. It might seem simple, but it’s the simplicity of the thing which makes it so attractive. Even though it didn’t give me a challenging workout, I was still amused and entertained by it. I can also see it being a huge hit at parties where little clothing and hard liquor is mandatory. It truly is made for all types of audiences!

Want The Lowest Prices On Wii Fit? Click Here For The Best Deal

6. The Stick

Being sore is the worst… but it’s also the best. I like being sore to some degree because regardless of what studies or science might say, it just makes me feel that I accomplished some good shit in the gym. It lets me know my time was well spent. But there are times where soreness can get in the way of daily activities, and that’s where The Stick steps in to help out. If you missed it, you can read my full review of the The Stick HERE.

In essence, it basically helps you reduce the soreness by stretching out and deeply massaging the muscle which is suffering. If you know someone who does a lot of running and/or weight lifting, this thing would be an INVALUABLE gift. Even if they just like massages (and who doesn’t?), they will love this thing. I’ve been using it without fail after every single workout and I’ve noticed my recovery is a LOT quicker.

For men, here’s a kick ass idea that will get you some brownie points with your wifey (or girlfriend). Tell her you got her the “big stick”… let her open the gift and enjoy the confused look on her face for a moment. Then convince her to lie down (partially naked if possible) and commence massing her with your big stick, er… I meant the one she UNWRAPPED. If she doesn’t absolutely LOVE you after this, reclaim your big stick, your pride and leave.

As for the ladies, this little tactic can easily be turned around to please your man. A Christmas gift doesn’t get any better or more personal than this.

Keep in mind that they have many different sizes to choose from, the “big” one may not be the ideal choice so Click Here To See Which Stick Is Right For You!

7. Nike + iPod

I’m not huge fan of running, but this is an awesome gift idea for the runners in your life. The best part is that most runners own some type of music device, and it will most likely be an iPod. If so, all you have to do is get them the Nike + iPod adapter and you’re good to go. Now Nike say that only their “special” shoes with “special” inserts can use this combination but nothing is further from the truth. Anyone with half a brain can easily modify their shoes to make this work… but if the gift receiver does need a new pair of shoes, might as well get them the officially supported footwear to match.

So what does it do? The adapter in the shoe (which is a fancy pedometer) relays information to the adapter which goes with the ipod and shows the runner important data such as speed, distance, pace etc. It can also use playlists which can be used as motivators etc. Overall a great package that can turn around your un-motivated soul into a running machine.

Click Here For More Details On The Nike + iPod Kit

8. Watches

Personally I think watches are slowly going out of style… at least when it comes to using it in a traditional sense (telling time). I know I’ve personally stopped wearing them since I always have my cellphone on me so if I were to get a watch, it would be for one of two reasons.

1. It’s extremely stylish and gives me a serious PIMP factor.

2. It’s very useful. And the Timex Ironman watches have a solid reputation for being extremely useful and sturdy watches that can take anything you throw their way. This latest one I checked out can even log your workouts and can initiate the backlit feature with a “flick” of your wrist. I’ve owned Ironmans’ in the past but because I do not own the current model, here is the official description:

“Keep your sports training focused with the stylish Timex T5E231 Ironman Triathlon multi-function, performance sport digital watch, which features a dark gray resin top ring sitting upon a metallic silver case and top pusher for easy access to split and lap times. Sport timing features include a 100-hour chronograph with lap or split option, 100-lap memory recall, 199 lap counter, on-the-fly recall of lap or split, and interval timers settable up to 24 hours (9 timers with countdown/stop and countdown/repeat). The training log stores workouts by date, with best lap, average lap, and total segment time, and the total run format/synchro timer maintains total activity time (less time paused during workout and overall running time. Other features include two time zones, built-in setting reminders, water resistance to 100 meters, and a black resin strap.”

Sounds nifty! Click here To Check Out The Timex Ironman

9. Gripads

Probably the best pair of workout gloves I’ve used. Also the most affordable! Been using them since I got em’ and the severity of calluses on my hands have decreased considerably. Now when I hold a girl’s hand, I don’t have to explain to her why it feels like brushed limestones. My hands practically feel normal for a guy that hits up the gym.

The thing that separates the Gripads from the millions of other “soft grips” out there is the fact that these attach to you fingers. Most other grips are standalone and I’ve lost many of them over the years… which seriously blows! I also have to say, the Gripads also very capable at absorbing sweat… sometimes I wonder where it all goes. It’s like a hand tampon. No joke! You can read the full review HERE.

So if you know anyone that handles weights, this gift is a total no-brainer. Not only will they thank you for keeping their hands safe, but your wallet will thank you because these things are so damn inexpensive. I think they would also make killer stocking stuffers.

Click Here To Visit The GRIPAD Site

10. GRIPMASTER Hand Exerciser

If you’ve ever read my reviews in the past,  you know I don’t monkey foot around. Whether they be products or supplements, I get down right serious and put everything through a TOUGH test. I’m not easily impressed so over the past little while… there haven’t been many products that have earned a perfect score.

In fact, there are only 3 products that have gotten the perfect score of 5 stars. Fortunately, the GRIPMASTER was one of them.

This thing is utterly flawless and is so convenient, effective and inexpensive it should be the default fitness gift in my opinion. It doesn’t matter if a person is hardcore, softcore or a complete nut job in the gym. ANYONE will benefit from the GRIPMASTER. You can read my full review HERE and decide for yourself.

So I know it’s an already inexpensive product but if you’re looking for a good deal then Click Here For 30% OFF Orignal Gripmaster Price

11. FitDeck

Love playing cards? Good. Love working out? No? Too bad. Here is another awesome idea for a stalking stuffer. The FitDeck is basically a set of cards which you can shuffle and pick out one by one. Each card has a different workout on it which you perform. There are also different levels such as beginner, medium and advanced. Although it doesn’t seem like anything special, I think its a genius idea, why? Because you’ll end up with a different workout routine every-time. There are 56 cards in the deck so the combinations are endless.

And if for some reason you or your partner does get bored with their set of cards, FitDeck sells different variations. For example, there is a deck that’s full of plyometric exercises, another one for combat sports, another for running etc. So I think if you grab 2 decks, (fairly inexpensive at $14.95) it should keep them busy for a WHILE.
Click Here For 35% OFF FitDeck Cards!

12. GYMBOSS Interval Timer

Now were getting to the serious gifts that you’d give to the person who is REALLY into their health and fitness. This is the type of person that tracks what they do, has a nice consistent gym habit and is always on top of things. But even these people need a way to UP their game from time to time (you can always call on ME) but because I’m a busy guy, this isn’t always possible.

So instead, how about getting them the GYMBOSS timer? It’s very effective, inexpensive, built like a brick and will surely add a precision element to their workout routine. You can read my full review on it HERE. But for the lazy ones, let me give you a brief explanation. The GYMBOSS is like an advanced stop watch and it can be programmed to include as many intervals you need along with rest periods so you never really have to look at the clock. You set it, and then forget it. When it’s time to being a set, it will tell you. When it’s time to rest, it will tell you. When you workout is done, it will tell you.

It basically replaces a personal trainer with a piece of paper and a stopwatch in his hands. It’s very convenient and if you take a look at the video in my review, you’ll see that it can withstand some serious abuse (stair toss and water!).

See it in action… Click Here To Visit The Official GYMBOSS Website

13. Manta Ray

The barbell squat. Annoying as fuck, yet quintessential to any workout routine. As I mentioned before, if you know a hardcore gym rat or a fitness enthusiast, chances are they are performing the squat at some point when they hit up the gym. And chances are they feel the rather uncomfortable pressure on their traps should they decide to lift heavy. What do do?

Grab them an Manta Ray. Basically it’s a squatting device that snaps on to the bar and evenly spreads out the load over the persons traps/shoulders. Not only does it make squatting a more comfortable and pleasant experience, it also forces you to correct your posture while safely letting you throw on a heavier load. To read about the exact benefits and to see how much it helped me improve my squat, see my full review HERE.

Click Here To Visit The Official Manta Ray Website

14. Digital Weight Scales

Track, track, track! If there is one thing that consistently delivers results, it’s gota be the tracking of raw data collected in the trenches (gym). Visually seeing what the hell you’ve been doing in an enclosed area with a shit tonne of iron plates everywhere is quite motivating. It also lets you know where you’re headed. Now, there are many ways to track your progress but the one I want to focus on is your actual weight.

I’ve said before that the scale shouldn’t be the ultimate judge of your results, a mirror is just as important. And I still stand by this, but weight scales are now becoming more advanced and can track your body weight as well as fat %. This is huge! Not only that but by using WiFi technology, they can send the data to your computer and create a chart with a log etc. How kick ass is that?!

Withings happens to be one of these amazing products and although I haven’t personally tested it just yet, it seems to be getting solid customer feedback. It’s totally on my list as one of the products to review for 2010 so look out for that.
Click Here To Learn More About The WiFi Scale

15. And Finally, If Nothing Works… Just Get Em Drunk!

“FJ, I thought this post was all about healthy and fit gift ideas… what’s this?”

What’s this? This is the spirit of the holidays you fruit cup. If you still can’t seem to find that perfect gift for that special (or not so special) someone, then buy them some booze. A nice bottle of wine goes a LOOONG way and is actually pretty good for you when consumed moderately. Moderately!

But if that’s too subtle, a 40oz of hard liquor is a fool-proof way to show them that you don’t give a shit about their well being. Who wouldn’t want some extra booze for the holidays? It can be used to make awesome drinks and served to guests, you can take some to a massive party or slam shots all by yourself if you’re alone. Be thankful, at least you can drink your lonely pain away. Some can’t even manage that.

I think I just made someone cry… but that’s ok. Santa knows I’ve been a bad boy this year. Just like the year before. And the year before that. Come to think of it, I’ve practically been this way since the dawn of my existence.

Whatever… happy gift shopping.

- FitJerk

Discuss: What other crazy gift ideas do you have in mind? Did you find any on the list that peaked your interest?