The Ultimate Guide to Fitness Gifts For All Types of Exercise in 2023

Whether you’re buying for a beginner, runner, yogi or strength junkie, these items are the perfect purchase for your active friend—or yourself.

Martha Zaytoun | Sep 7, 2023

The best fitness finds.

Amazon and Lululemon

It can be hard to find the perfect present for your friends and family. So, as we head into gift-giving season, we wanted to lessen the burden of finding the ideal present just a touch. Below, we have curated a list of the best gifts for your active friends—or yourself, if you want. With gadgets and items fit for beginners and experts, runners or yogis, the following guide has a little something for everyone.

Here are our current favorite fitness items, which coincidentally make for the best gifts.

For Beginners

If someone you know is new to a workout regimen and is looking for the best products to aid their workout or motivate their gym-going, consider buying them one of the following items to aid their efforts.

Gym Bag

Free People Movement Quilted Carryall, $68 (freepeople.com)

A favorite of professional tennis player Sloane Stephens, this bag is perfect gift for a friend to carry their gear to any activity, from a morning in the gym to an afternoon on the court.

Herschel Novel Duffle, $68.46 (amazon.com)

This sturdy duffle from Herschel features a separate side compartment for your shoes, ensuring that your friend’s clothes stay clean no matter what state their soles are in.

Stability Ball

TRX Training Stability Ball, $27.95 (amazon.com)

These versatile balls are best for strengthening core and improving balance while relieving back pain and stiffness. Their wide-ranging uses make them a great buy for an exercise beginner.

Foam Roller

Amazon Basics High-Density Round Foam Roller, $16.12 (amazon.com)

A classic foam pick for rolling out muscles and relieving any tightness and soreness following a workout.

The Vinchú Foam Roller, $16.89 (amazon.com)

For a deeper release, opt for this grooved roller, which really digs into tight or sore areas to release the discomfort and promote recovery.

Jump Rope

Loocio Jump Rope, $8.99 (amazon.com)

Getting into exercise can be challenging, particularly when it comes to ramping up cardio. A jump rope set is great for getting the heart rate up before heading into the rest of a workout.

Exercise Mat

Lululemon The Workout Mat 6mm, $98 (lululemon.com)

Not all workout mats are the same. A good training mat has a bit more grip than a yoga mat to accommodate greater movement. Lululemon’s mat features an extra grippy surface fit for training.

SPRI Hanging Exercise Mat, $38.05 (amazon.com)

A lightweight, yet durable option for any floor exercise and stretching needs.

Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS 41mm], $309.99 (amazon.com)

A means of tracking movement can serve as the perfect motivation to get up and get going. The Apple Watch offers the technology of an activity tracker along with other health measurements and a water resistant exterior—perfect for any type of exercise.

For Yogis

Blocks

Gaiam Essentials Yoga Block, $10.99 (amazon.com)

Any seasoned yogi knows that blocks can be a handy—and sometimes necessary—addition to any flow. These lightweight foam blocks provide the stability and added height required to perform any yoga position.

Clothing Set

JNINTH Women Seamless Yoga Set Two-Piece Workout Sport Bra with High-Waist Shorts, $22.99 (amazon.com)

This inexpensive sports bra and shorts set comes in three different colors, all featuring breathable and stretchy material perfect for a good sweat.

Free People Movement Be Right Back Crop, $38 (freepeople.com)

The best yoga outfit features the perfect crop, such as this Free People option. Pair with the

Free People Never Better Leggings

($88) to complete the set for a great gift.

Hot Yoga Towel

Shandali Hot Yoga Towel, $19.99 (amazon.com)

Hot yoga is known for being sweaty, but towels like this microfiber option absorb sweat and prevent slipping on the mat.

Alo Grounded No-Slip Towel, $68 (aloyoga.com)

This yoga towel features a silicone backing that sticks to your mat for the best slip prevention and a soft, absorbent front to nix sweat.

Yoga socks

Ozaiic Yoga Socks, $19.99 (amazon.com)

For added stability and grip on the mat, grab a pair of socks for your yogi partner. This pack features no-slip silicone on the bottom to enhance your practice.

Yoga Mat

Lululemon Take Form Yoga Mat 5mm Made With FSC™ Certified Rubber, $138 (lululemon.com)

With innovative 3D texture, this mat—made specifically for yoga—helps your favorite yogi move and stay centered without added effort.

Gaiam Yoga Mat, $23.12 (amazon.com)

For a bit more cushion while performing your yoga practice, opt for this thicker mat. With sticky non-slip texture, this option is sure to keep you steady while flowing through movements.

For Runners

Running Belt

FlipBelt Classic Running Belt, $34 (amazon.com)

With a secure key hook and space for your phone, credit cards and anything else your favorite runner might want to carry, this moisture-wicking belt is the perfect accessory for a run.

Running Water Bottle

Nathan Running Water Bottle, $24.99 (amazon.com)

Complete with an adjustable hand strap and insulated bottle, this quick squeeze product is great for on-the-go hydration.

Earbuds

Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds, $199.95 (amazon.com)

For longer runs, the ear hooks on this pair of Beats ensures a secure fit. They feature expansive audio and a long battery life, making them a great choice for any type of running workout.

Jabra Elite 4 Active in-Ear Bluetooth Earbuds, $79.99 (amazon.com)

At a cheaper price point, these wireless earbuds offer a more economical alternative to Beats or Airpods, while maintaining great quality. This pair features a long battery life and both noise cancellation and transparency modes.

Running Watch

Garmin Forerunner 45, $129.99 (amazon.com)

Garmin has been known to make a really quality GPS watch. This relatively inexpensive pick offers quality GPS tracking alongside heart rate, sleep and stress monitoring; pace and distance tracking; and text message notifications.

Therabody Massage Device

Therabody Theragun Mini Massage Gun, $178 (amazon.com)

The mini version of Therabody’s classic Theragun is compact and portable for on-the-go massage therapy and pain or soreness relief.

Therabody Wave Series Wave Solo, $67.99 (amazon.com)

Therabody’s updated take on a classic lacrosse ball massage, this mini portable therapy ball is the perfect vibrating tool for targeting pain and soreness throughout the body.

Anti-Chafing Balm

Body Glide Original Anti Chafing Stick Balm, $10.99 (amazon.com)

As any distance runner knows, chafing is inevitable. Prevent it before it even starts with Body Glide’s anti-chafing stick, which helps even on your running buddy’s longest runs.

For Strength Junkies

Oura Ring

Horizon Oura Ring, From $349 (ouraring.com)

Those who love the gym know how important a holistic approach to fitness is, from getting good sleep to recovering well. The Oura Ring makes tracking sleep, rest, recovery and activity easy and efficient, ensuring that your strength junkie friends gets the most out of their time in the gym.

Set of Weights

N\W Adjustable Dumbbell Set, $99.99 (amazon.com)

For those who love to do strength work, dumbbells are a great idea. For the best compact and portable option, opt for this set of adjustable dumbbells.

Wrist and Ankle Weights

Bala Bangles - Set of 2, $55 (amazon.com)

These ankle or wrist weights come in different pound increments so your strength-loving friend can customize the added challenge.

Medicine Balls

CAPHAUS Soft Weighted Exercise Ball, $37.99 (amazon.com)

A medicine ball set is the best addition to an at-home gym. This set is designed for a variety of exercises, from strength to Pilates.

Resistance Bands

Lululemon Resistance Band Set, $58 (lululemon.com)

This band set comes in three different levels—low, medium and high resistance. Perfect for toning and an added challenge in your friend’s next workout.

Alllvocles Pull Up Bands, $14.99 (amazon.com)

These longer bands are perfect for a strength regimen or a post-strength stretching routine. Use for added resistance during a workout or to release any tightness afterward.

Shaker Bottle

BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle, $11 (amazon.com)

For the true gym junkie, pre-workout and protein shakes are a must. This shaker and bottle all-in-one makes preparing for and recovering from a workout as easy as possible.

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Published Sep 7, 2023

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a Lifestyle & Trending News writer for SI Swimsuit. Before joining the team, Martha worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Martha loves to watercolor and oil paint, run or water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.

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