RUNNING LOW ON inspiration and lower on time for a Christmas gift for the fitness freak in your life?
Fear not. Any of these will bring a smile to a face on Christmas morning…
Turbo Trainer
The other half not allowing you a week-long training camp in the sun? Not to worry. If you can’t get out on the road for evening spins, this baby is all you need. Mount the back wheels up on the adjustable resistance wheel and away you go.
Some models have a magnetic resistance which increases as you pedal faster; you change the gears as normal and the trainer sorts the appropriate resistance. Just keep telling yourself it’s for your own good.
A set of dumbbells
Old school, yes, but old school is often best when it comes to training. Lift weights, get stronger, it’s a simple formula. But if you can’t get to the gym or don’t want to pay big money for membership when all you want to do are bicep curls? No problem. A set of dumbbells should see you get change of a €50.
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Medicine ball
Associated Press
Associated Press
Like dumbbells, they’re as primal as you can get when it comes to gym equipment, but oh so effective. They’re cost effective, easily stored and require very little space to use them. Just hope you’re other half doesn’t get the wrong idea when you present him or her with one of these…
Heart rate monitor
If you’ve always wanted to know how hard you were working in a class, look no further. A heart-rate monitor – Polar are a top brand – is all you need. They’ll set you back around €90 but they’re an awesome bit of kit.
For example, spinning is a great way to work up a sweat, but it’s easy to cheat yourself into thinking you’re working hard. The only true measure of how hard you’re working is a heart rate monitor. These usually display your target heart rate zone, current heart rate, and calories burned, as well as time and date and all the basic things.
A nespresso machine
Fire up your morning workout with a double shot of a Levanto or a Roma, or maybe the Chocolate and Baileys? These machines are the cutest things ever and come in a range of colours. The coffee pods are becoming more mainstream now too and though they’ll add up if you’re having five a day, they’re damn well worth it!
Cycling helmet
Adam Davy
Adam Davy
The roads are dangerous places to be for all road users in winter – and few are more at risk of danger than cyclists. But put your mind – and everyone else’s – at ease by getting a helmet and wearing it. Studies have shown one reason cyclists don’t wear helmets is because they look silly but that’s not the case with this lid from Lazer.
Best of all it comes with cool accessories, like the Aeroshell, which you can stamp on to protect yourself from the rain or wind. Check lazersport.com
A juicer
Fruit juices, particularly the pre-packed supermarket variety are worryingly high in harmful fructose sugars but vegetable juices such as carrot, kale, spinach, broccoli and beetroot are not. And believe it or not, they taste amazing, so forget the notion that you’ll be guzzling sludge green concoctions. Easy to put together, easier to take apart, no waste, and the produce is super healthy? Any further questions?
A kickass watch
For those of us not concerned with heart rate and just want something to tell us the basics we suggest the Garmin Forerunner 10. It’s a great mid-price range watch and monitors pace, distance, time, and calories burned, while keeping track of running milestones—like your longest and fastest runs. The walk/run mode allows brand-new runners to ease into the sport by signalling when they should switch between walking and running intervals. It’s easy to use and they come in a range of colours. Impossible to go wrong with one of these.
A book voucher
Vouchers, and especially book vouchers, are not thoughtless gifts and will be well received when they’re for the book-worm in your life. Let him or her decide what they want.
A winter beanie
Granted, it’s not something you’ll give your lover of five years but supplemented with a selection of the above you can;t go wrong. this can be worn ‘out’ but also out training, it’s that stylish. Oakley, North Face and Helly Hansen are three we’d recommend. Remember, you’ll remember the quality long after you forget the price! So splash out and buy quality.
10 great Christmas present ideas for the fitness fanatic in your life
RUNNING LOW ON inspiration and lower on time for a Christmas gift for the fitness freak in your life?
Fear not. Any of these will bring a smile to a face on Christmas morning…
Turbo Trainer
The other half not allowing you a week-long training camp in the sun? Not to worry. If you can’t get out on the road for evening spins, this baby is all you need. Mount the back wheels up on the adjustable resistance wheel and away you go.
Some models have a magnetic resistance which increases as you pedal faster; you change the gears as normal and the trainer sorts the appropriate resistance. Just keep telling yourself it’s for your own good.
A set of dumbbells
Old school, yes, but old school is often best when it comes to training. Lift weights, get stronger, it’s a simple formula. But if you can’t get to the gym or don’t want to pay big money for membership when all you want to do are bicep curls? No problem. A set of dumbbells should see you get change of a €50.
Medicine ball
Like dumbbells, they’re as primal as you can get when it comes to gym equipment, but oh so effective. They’re cost effective, easily stored and require very little space to use them. Just hope you’re other half doesn’t get the wrong idea when you present him or her with one of these…
Heart rate monitor
If you’ve always wanted to know how hard you were working in a class, look no further. A heart-rate monitor – Polar are a top brand – is all you need. They’ll set you back around €90 but they’re an awesome bit of kit.
For example, spinning is a great way to work up a sweat, but it’s easy to cheat yourself into thinking you’re working hard. The only true measure of how hard you’re working is a heart rate monitor. These usually display your target heart rate zone, current heart rate, and calories burned, as well as time and date and all the basic things.
A nespresso machine
Fire up your morning workout with a double shot of a Levanto or a Roma, or maybe the Chocolate and Baileys? These machines are the cutest things ever and come in a range of colours. The coffee pods are becoming more mainstream now too and though they’ll add up if you’re having five a day, they’re damn well worth it!
Cycling helmet
The roads are dangerous places to be for all road users in winter – and few are more at risk of danger than cyclists. But put your mind – and everyone else’s – at ease by getting a helmet and wearing it. Studies have shown one reason cyclists don’t wear helmets is because they look silly but that’s not the case with this lid from Lazer.
Best of all it comes with cool accessories, like the Aeroshell, which you can stamp on to protect yourself from the rain or wind. Check lazersport.com
A juicer
Fruit juices, particularly the pre-packed supermarket variety are worryingly high in harmful fructose sugars but vegetable juices such as carrot, kale, spinach, broccoli and beetroot are not. And believe it or not, they taste amazing, so forget the notion that you’ll be guzzling sludge green concoctions. Easy to put together, easier to take apart, no waste, and the produce is super healthy? Any further questions?
A kickass watch
For those of us not concerned with heart rate and just want something to tell us the basics we suggest the Garmin Forerunner 10. It’s a great mid-price range watch and monitors pace, distance, time, and calories burned, while keeping track of running milestones—like your longest and fastest runs. The walk/run mode allows brand-new runners to ease into the sport by signalling when they should switch between walking and running intervals. It’s easy to use and they come in a range of colours. Impossible to go wrong with one of these.
A book voucher
Vouchers, and especially book vouchers, are not thoughtless gifts and will be well received when they’re for the book-worm in your life. Let him or her decide what they want.
A winter beanie
Granted, it’s not something you’ll give your lover of five years but supplemented with a selection of the above you can;t go wrong. this can be worn ‘out’ but also out training, it’s that stylish. Oakley, North Face and Helly Hansen are three we’d recommend. Remember, you’ll remember the quality long after you forget the price! So splash out and buy quality.
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