The gifting season is upon us!
Maybe you’re looking for something within budget. Something reasonable like $50. Or maybe it’s a big milestone. Perhaps you just want to get the right price for the right present.
Maybe this year just warrants a truly… celebratory spend.
Whatever it is, we’ve got some ideas for you.
If you’re gifting fitness equipment, you’re probably either ready to spend big or spend small. From racks and adjustable dumbbells to even a small landmine attachment or kettlebell, we’ve got you covered.
You might not be intending to build an entire home gym from scratch (or maybe you are, and need a big bundle to get started), but that’s okay. Home gyms are best built incrementally, depending on what you need. Especially if you don’t frequent the gym. You don’t need a bench if you’re training your squats and deadlifts, but you might need a bar and plate set instead. Make sure you know what you (or your giftee) truly needs to reach your fitness goals.
We’ve split up some gift ideas according to your potential budget and intent. Check out our contents to see what items suit your budget:
- $30 Budget – Booty Resistance Bands, Jump Ropes, or Yoga Mats
- $60 Budget – Gym Rings, Arm Blaster, or Bar Jack
- $120 Budget – Hex Dumbbells, EZ Curl Bar, or Kettlebells
- $200 Budget – Plyo Box, Fractional Plates, or Olympic Bar
- $500 Budget – Adjustable Power Rack or 6 Angle and 10 Angle Benches
- $1000 Budget – Bar and Plate Bundles, Q235 Squat Rack or Compact Adjustable Dumbbells
- $30 Budget – Booty Resistance Bands, Jump Ropes, or Yoga Mats
If you’re eyeing the rising cost of living and gift season expenses and aren’t ready to spend a lot for all your friends, then something under $30 is usually a good start.
We recommend starting with booty resistance bands. Coming in three colours, this set allows you to add more resistance to squats, deadlifts, or other glutes exercises. It’s useful in enabling lots of band exercises and variations, which adds difficulty and tweaks form and the muscles it exercises. These come with a free carry bag, so these are a super convenient gift for any fitness freak.
Meanwhile jump ropes are the kings of cheap cardio equipment. These cable ropes can give you the cardio workout of a lifetime and are suitable for anyone of any age or fitness level. Furthermore, our jump ropes can be shortened or lengthened as needed. These come in multiple colours, allowing you to freely customise your gift.
On the other hand, yoga mats are an easy solution if you don’t really know what kind of exercises the person is doing. They can be used for everything, from free-weight exercises to yoga and pilates, as well as non-weight exercises. We offer mats 5mm thick with a cork and rubber side for maximum versatility.
- $60 Budget – Gym Rings, Arm Blaster, or Bar Jack
$60 is bit of an in-between, wherein most equipment you can get in this tier aren’t going to max out your budget and might have you grabbing more than one item. It’s a good budget for couples, or for an item that everyone in a household can use.
We’ll start with gym rings. These are wooden rings attached to a roof or higher bar. With ties to gymnastics, it’s versatile in allowing strength training (raised push-ups, dips, and chin-ups), and requires lots of control and core stability. They’re best bought as an addition to a larger home gym, or for someone who knows what they’re doing.
Meanwhile, arm blasters help stabilise bicep curls, fixing the individual’s form to maximise each rep. These are great if they have a specific muscle goal, or if they want to make the most of each exercise. Bicep curls are a staple of any gym and workout, so these arm blasters are the perfect gift for anyone – especially if they have a focus on upper-body exercises.
Bar jacks on the other hand, enable safe and efficient stacking and unstacking of bumper plates. This is an accessory that anyone can use in their home gym. If you know that your giftee has bars or plates, then this is a versatile gift that works for any kind of weightlifter, regardless if it’s just 5kg or full set.
- $120 Budget – Hex Dumbbells, EZ Curl Bar, or Kettlebells
At $120, we’re reaching the higher value items. This might be for close friends or family, or maybe you just want to maximise your purchase and are willing to combine gifts with other people. This enables more non-accessory items, which last much longer and have direct use.
Our hex dumbbells are one-size pairs, ranging from 2.5kg to 30kg. While these dumbbells can be purchased as cheap as $27.99, we’ve put it under this rung so you can add a few different types. If you have lighter and heavier sets, you can train both strength and endurance. As a free weight, dumbbells are some of the most popular gifts, and can be used with most exercises.
Second, the EZ curl bar is a short, curved bar that supports one’s wrists. This bar suits Olympic bumper plates and is durable and super useful for building upper arms. The EZ curl bar is a great addition to any pre-existing home gym, especially if the individual works their arms a lot, or needs more support for their arm joints.
Kettlebells are sold individually and are more expensive than dumbbells. However, they are specialised, and allow for kettlebell swings and kettlebell presses, which can’t be replicated (with nearly the same safety and effectivity) by dumbbells or other free weights. They also last a long time and are great for any free weight home gym.
- $200 Budget – Plyo Box, Fractional Plates or Olympic Bar
At $200, you might consider getting a few small items, or one big item. We would recommend evaluating what the receiver’s fitness goals are when considering what to purchase. This budget allows you to get creative and customise exactly what the receiver needs for their home gym.
Fractional plates are a unique addition to this list, in that they’re so specialised. You’d need to know the individual well to be sure about this purchase! Fractional plates are meant to help people build their strength slowly but surely. This is when you’re lifting so heavy that even a pair of 5kg plates is too much. The fractional plates help you get there. Our fractional plates are made for Olympic bars and increment in 0.5kg.
Plyo boxes, or “plyometric boxes” are multi-use even beyond fitness equipment. With three different heights, and weighing 23kg, these boxes are used for functional fitness exercises like step ups, box jumps, dips and so on. This also includes weighted variations, so you can also grab dumbbells. This is great for general fitness, and an easily versatile gift.
Olympic bars! The great enabler of bar exercises. The bars themselves weight either 15kg or 20kg and hold up to 900kg – something that most people will never need, so we’d recommend getting the cheaper 300kg capacity, 20kg Olympic barbell. Naturally, this will suit Olympic-sized equipment, and is one of the key items for any home gym. If you want to help make someone’s home gym, this is your best bet.
- $500 Budget – Adjustable Power Rack and 6 Angle and 10 Angle Benches
At this tier, you’re probably looking for a much higher value item for someone you’re close to. This is a major purchase and will add a lot of value to someone’s fitness and workout.
Your best option is our smallest power rack, the Adjustable Power Rack. This will support everything from squats, pull-ups and gym storage at home. This also comes with a pair of J-hooks, a pair of safety spotters, two plate storage pins, two pullup bars and four band pins. This is one of the best racks for under $500 on the market and is a great gift for anyone looking to bring their workouts home without expecting a huge investment.
Benches are also effective in enabling a wide range of bench exercises. These work best with dumbbells or barbells and can be adjusted into 6 or 10 different angles. This further allows for incline, decline or standard bench exercises, and is extremely versatile in any home gym. This is the best gift for someone who might not have the space to fully commit to a home gym, but also is looking to continue adding to their equipment selection.
- $1000 Budget – Bar and Plate Bundles, Q235 Squat Rack or Compact Adjustable Dumbbells
Our highest rung. You might be thinking of purchasing a one-off or combining your gift quota with other people to get your loved one a true monster of a gift. While some of these options might not meet the total budget, also consider an accessory or smaller item as described above – or save now and spend more on another occasion.
Our first option is a Bar and Plate Bundle – 170KG to be exact. This allows you to do your bar exercises such as curls, presses, and deadlifts. If you have a rack, this set further enables squats and other accessory-enabled exercises. A bundle like this is useful for any strength trainer, or anyone who knows their way around weights at the gym.
Compared to the Adjustable Power Rack, the Q235 Squat Rack is the heavy-duty variant. With two J-hooks, four plate storage horns, a pullup bar and a pair of spotter arms, this rack is taller and larger than our Adjustable Power Rack. This allows you to store more plates and do your exercises with more space and safety. This rack is for someone who knows what they’re doing and is very interested in strength training or strength exercises.
And finally, the cream of the crop, the Compact Adjustable Dumbbells. A pair of these is perfect for anyone who has little space, but big fitness goals, and needs versatility with all their equipment. Ranging from 2kg to 32kg, these dumbbells increment in either 2kg or 4kg, and allow you to increase your load and difficulty as you choose. This is a simple, but super effective gift for anyone.
So, what do you think? What’s your budget this Christmas, and what items are you looking for?