2022 Gift Guide

I have seen a number of youtubers and others put up gift guides for the strength athlete in your life.  I decided it was time to offer my own suggestions.

Regardless of your budget, there are a number of items that the athlete in your life would enjoy.  These could be consumables, decorative items, clothing and very specific items.

Thumb tape - I go through a bunch of this stuff.  Sometimes, I get cheap athletic adhesive tape from Amazon for under a $1/roll.  I have also bought premium super sticky tape from 2Pood.  Jaybird & Mais makes great tape as well.

Decorative items are for the home gym owner.  They could include banners to laser cut metal signs.  They can be personalized or generic.  

Clothing is trickier.  Go through the closet, find the athletes brand and size and just order in different colors or design.  We go through shorts, shirts and socks quickly.  I would not suggest buying shoes.  These are very personal and for Crossfitters, shopping for new shoes is a joy in itself.

Specific items will be the hardest to pick, but I will offer up the following based on items I have purchased and truly enjoy or are on my wish list:

• Bodybuilder - Gym towel or Gym bag - These athletes typically work out in commercial facilities.  It is nice to be able to wipe down yourself or equipment and keep your gear organized.  I always grab free towels from marketing booths and have plenty on hand.
• Functional Fitness - Over my journey in functional fitness, I have constantly added support equipment as something always hurts.  These have been wrist wraps, elbow sleeves, knee sleeves, belt, and calf sleeves.  Another nice gift is hand care.  I might purchase some WOD Balm products
• Powerlifter - Smelling Salts - I have been really interested in trying these and have no idea why
• Strongman - Grip Implements - A strong grip is essential for the strongman and there are a variety of implements on the market to build and test grip strength.  They are usually under $100 and simulate hub lifts and pinch lifts that the old times did with actual weight plates.
• Weightlifter - These are the minimalist of strength athletes.  A bar, bumpers, cheap stands, and heavy duty jerk boxes are all they seem to train with.  I have enjoyed using liquid chalk.  Another good gift is a phone stand as these athletes often record lifts for visual feedback