Top 10 Fitness Christmas Gifts

Yesterday, I filmed onesixeight: fitness’ very own bouncing fitness DVD so, in the spirit of perfect Christmas gifts here are our top 10 fitness inspired Christmas gifts to ask Santa for.

10. FitDeck – This pack of cards is like no other! 56 exercise playing cards based on yoga and pilates; dumbbell and kettlebell exercises. Each card has three fitness levels so it’s perfect for exercise newbies and fitness freaks alike. FitDeck can be used anywhere. Prices starting at £11.99 it’s the perfect stocking filler for dads.

9. iPod Nano – This all-new, all-mini music player now with video (not really necessary if being used for running but could be entertainment if you’re sat on a static bike or x-trainer in the gym!) is available in 7 different colours and suitable for all ages. Music is a great motivator whilst exercising so for £129.99 this could be the ideal Christmas gift for runners and gym-goers.

8. Hydropal Water Filter Bottle – £9.99 from www.nigelsecostore.com Because onesixeight: fitness always recommends you keep hydrated, this unique filter sports water bottle is perfect because it can be taken to work, to the gym, or even use while you’re at home. It has a built-in active carbon filter removing chemicals so you can fill it from the tap, and enjoy filtered water every day without having to buy and throw away plastic bottles of water.

7. Reebok Easy Tone trainers – onesixeight: fitness has been championing these since they were launched back in Summer. I tried the Easy Tone trainers to see whether Reebok’s claims of working the glutes, hamstrings and calves by an extra 11% more than normal trainers. Surprisingly, I found them to really beneficial! Even if you don’t see a notable difference, I’m sure you will feel it. They are also perfect for wearing between exercise, to help stretch the legs after a tough workout. Excellent Christmas present for dog walkers – but don’t go wearing them in the snow as they have no grip.

6. A slightly larger than stocking-size gift to help loved ones start (and keep up!) their new-year fitness regime would be a home x-trainer. X-trainers range in price starting at about £130 from JJB to thousands of pounds for the ones you’d find in gyms. Keep an eye out for bargain second hand x-trainers and static bikes in local post offices, newspapers and newsagents.

5. For those new to exercise, one of the key pieces of kit you will need is a decent pair of trainers that suit the shape and strike pattern of your feet. Shops such as Running Fox in Loughborough provide a ‘gait analysis’ service – involving a treadmill run and slow motion footage filmed on the special ‘foot camera’. The in-store trainer specialists will provide recommendations on which trainers will best suit your feet. Getting a good fitting pair of trainers is a really good investment but some people think that buying a cheap alternative from a high street chain will suffice so Christmas is the perfect time to treat a friend to a gift voucher and help them take care of their feet and stay injury free.

4. The latest piece of office equipment for all you work-oholics… the stability ball as an office chair! These large inflatable balls are perfect for challenging the core just by sitting on them. Because they don’t have a back like a normal chair you have to keep upright by using your deep core muscles around your waist and stomach. Stability balls can be found in a variety of different shops – Reebok do a great home exercise kit with a stability ball, floor mat and resistance tube available from JJB for £9.99.

And our top 3 Christmas Presents are...

3. We all love the Wii, especially at Christmas time when the whole family are gathered together and you need some entertainment. Why not invest in the additional Wii Fit device to help get started with some new-year fitness. No more excuses that it’s too cold or the gym isn’t open – the Wii Fit is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a wide range of games and activities to get you up and active over the holidays. Perfect for all the family!

2. Pick up an Urban Rebounder for the reasonably priced £137 available through onesixeight: fitness or direct from Urban Rebound UK. These high-spec mini-trampolines are great for doing exercise in all weathers – just put the TV on and get bouncing whilst it snows outside. You’ll need a good bit of wrapping paper for this one!

And finally, onesixeight: fitness’ number 1 fitness inspired Christmas gift is… our very own ‘Bounce-back into Shape’ DVD! We haven’t quite launched it, however, you can pre-order the DVD so we can get it sent out in time for Christmas. We’ll even gift-wrap it for you – just email your details to info@onesixeightfitness. Bounce-back into Shape will also be available to buy on Amazon for £12.99 – keep updated on the release date via Twitter (@onesixeightfit) Facebook or via the news section of the website.

I hope this has taken some of the stress out of this year’s Christmas shopping. Try and get the balance between online shopping and going out to the shops – you’ll burn more calories carrying bags than clicking on a mouse, but you’ll have more time to run, rebound or work-out at a high intensity if you do it all online. The choice is yours – Happy Christmas shopping everyone!