What Are Some Good Gifts For An Athlete?

TOPIC: What Are Some Good Gifts For An Athlete?

The Question:

Around the holidays and birthdays many people become frustrated with their shopping. Many of us are probably buying at least one gift for an athlete that we know.

What are some good gifts for an athlete?

What is the best gift when on a budget?

If money is no issue, what type of gift would you buy an athlete?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

The Winners:

1. BurningHeart View Profile
2. Jhawk Fitness View Profile
3. Xtrainer View Profile

Prizes:

1st place - 75 in store credit.

1st Place - BurningHeart
View This Author's Profile Here.

Introduction

The holidays, birthdays... every year it seems we have more people to buy for. As we all know, shopping for gifts can get tedious. What does this person need? Will he use it? Will she like it?

Shopping does not have to be a chore, it can actually be fun. Watching someone unwrap a gift with a smile on their face can make shopping worth it. And thanks to the Internet we have all gifts at our fingertips.

So we have the means to quickly obtain these gifts, now the only question is what do we buy?

Part 1
What Are Some Good Gifts For An Athlete?

We want to buy something that is unique yet useable. There are gifts for every athlete, including baseball, basketball, boxing, football, hockey, MMA, soccer, track, and wrestling.

General Gifts:

Supplements:

Every athlete wants to be in the best shape possible for their sport. Some want bigger muscles, some want to lose fat. Some need more energy, and some need better nutrition.

Whatever the athlete needs, ranging from protein powder, to creatine, to fat burners, to caffeine supplements, to multivitamins, the Bodybuilding.com superstore has it all.

Lifting Gloves:

Most athletes lift weights in some form or another. Lifting gloves are a great gift because they are something that can be very useful in weightlifting.

First of all, gloves protect the hands from calluses that arise from weightlifting. Gloves also allow one to grasp weight more comfortably, eliminating the problem of their concentration breaking due to pinched skin.

With gloves you do not have to worry about the problem of someone already having them. Gloves wear out fairly quickly, and a weightlifter will always be able to make use of them. Plus the athlete will think of you every workout when they wear the gloves.

Injuries are the worse thing to happen to an athlete. Athletes rely on a set off-season and on-season, and untimely injuries can mess up an entire year.

This is what lifting belts are designed to prevent, untimely injuries. They are used to keep your back steady when it' s loaded with weight, such as squats.

Dip Belts:

Still speaking about belts, dip belts are also very useful. They are used to load up weight on your body for such exercises as dips, pullups, and chin-ups when one's bodyweight is no longer enough.

This is a very good gift for an athlete because chances are they don't have it. However you must note it will only be useful if the athlete is in relatively good condition to use it. A 300 lb. football player will probably not have any need for a dipping belt.

Gym Bag:

While it's likely most athletes will have a gym bag, for the ones that don't, it's a perfect gift. Let them carry all their accessories in one bag rather trying to balance everything in their hands.

Ankle Weights:

Think of how fast you'll be if you wore weights on your ankles everyday, and took them off only during games. They are great for sports that require short bursts of speed, and something many athletes do not have.

Sport-Specific Gifts:

Baseball:

Baseball players can make use of gifts such as batting gloves, footwear, mitts, balls, helmets, or bats.

Those are some of the common gifts for a baseball player, however there are also memorabilia gifts that are very nice as gifts such as bobble heads or cards.

Basketball:

Gifts useful for basketball players include balls, replacement rims and nets, and footwear.

For the athlete who has it all, memorabilia gifts are a good substitute. They can include watches and commemorative basketballs.

Boxing:

Boxers can benefit from a variety of gifts that aid in hand and foot speed. These items can be a jump rope and ankle weights or can range to heavy and speed bags.

Football:

There are many gifts for football players, depending on their position. These gifts include pads, jerseys, gloves, pants, and helmets. Other gifts can include training aids such as power chutes and agility ladders.

Hockey:

Hockey players use a variety of equipment ranging from pucks, skates, sticks, gloves, pads, and helmets.

MMA:

Mixed martial arts is a fast growing sport which many people are joining. These athletes can use gifts such as belts, mats, and striking pads. Other MMA gifts include instructional videos, which are great for someone who has not signed up at a training camp yet.

Soccer:

Have a soccer player to buy a gift for? Soccer players can use items such as bags, balls, footwear, shinguards, and shorts. Other gifts for soccer players can include memorabilia such as replica jerseys. Don't know what to give them? Give a gift card and let them choose.

Track:

Track season is on its way, and a track athlete can use such gifts as shoes, stopwatches, and apparel. As track athletes know, a good pair of running shoes needs to be bought every season.

Wrestling:

Have an amateur wrestler that needs a gift? Wrestlers can use headgear, singlets, shoes, and instructional videos.

Other Ideas:

Don't want to buy sports gear or memorabilia? There are other great gift ideas to athletes.

Training videos are a great gift to an athlete, which can be found at this Bodybuilding.com's store and also at Amazon's website. Books can also be found at both links, ensuring the athlete uses your gift for hours on end. If the athlete enjoys reading but a book really isn't a good choice, then a magazine subscription may be the perfect gift.

Or maybe the athlete is an avid gamer? Sports related video games will always be a favorite to an athlete with a game console. These can be found at Amazon's video game page.

Part 2
What Is The Best Gift When On A Budget?

In the event you do not want to purchase an expensive gift, there are many items that fall into the 'budget' category. Take a look at some gifts under $10:

Clothing:

From shirts, to tank tops, to sleeves shirts, sports clothing is always a great inexpensive gift.

Starting at $6.99

Jump Ropes:

Rope

Coordination and endurance are two of the most important aspects of sports. Jump ropes are a great gift because they can be used anywhere, in and out of the gym and are inexpensive.

Starting at $3.89

Personal Mixers:

Know an athlete that takes their protein powder on the go? A personal mixer would be a great, inexpensive gift for this person. No longer will they have to mix their shakes with a spoon or shake them up. As we all know stirring or shaking protein shakes leave big, nasty clumps of protein.

Starting at $5.19

Part 3
If Money Is No Issue, What Type Of Gift Would You Buy An Athlete?

Not concerned with the price of an item? Well there certainly are items available to an athlete of every sport. While nice gifts can be inexpensive, there are some ultimate gifts that are expensive, but can greatly aid an athlete's training.

Baseball:

Know a baseball player that wants to practice their batting and catching skills at home? A pitching machine will allow them to do so.

Basketball:

You know someone who wants to play basketball 24/7, but doesn't want to drive to the gym to do it. Basketball goals allow them to play anytime they want.

Boxing:

Gym too crowded? Want to practice alone at home? Then a heavy bag/speed bag is the perfect gift.

Football:

Want an athlete to practice tackling skills without having to hear their coach scream in their ear? A tackling dummy is for them.

Hockey:

Skates can be the most expensive piece of equipment for a hockey player. Want to relieve that hockey player of buying them?

MMA:

Is there a mixed martial artist that wants to bring them gym home to them? Training bags are for them.

Soccer:

Know someone who loves to play soccer but can't make it to the field everyday? Is the field usually in use or the athlete just wants some privacy when playing? Then bring the whole field home to them!

Track:

Is there a track runner that specializes in hurdles? Do they want to practice everyday but can't because the track is in use? Maybe the track locks the hurdles up or doesn't even have them? In any case, having your own hurdles will solve this problem.

Wrestling:

Have a wrestler that wants to practice, but can only do so when their gym is open? Solve that problem by letting them customize their own wrestling mat!

Conclusion

There you have it, a complete list of gifts for athletes that should last you every Christmas and birthday for years. As this article proves, there are gift ideas for all types of athletes. Shopping for someone should not be a burden; it can be fun when provided a wide range of choices.

Put a smile on that athlete's face every year and keep them anticipating what useful gift they will get next. Happy shopping!

2nd Place - Jhawk Fitness
View This Author's Profile Here.

Athletes' bodies aren't the only things that suffer wear-and-tear during competition and the holiday season is the perfect time to help that athlete of yours by replacing items that may have reached their "expiration date" so to speak.

Gift giving of this nature enables you to not only give that athlete a present that they want, but that also serves a purpose as well, making it both desirable and practical. Gifts that meet a want as well as a need are a much better idea than giving them candy, video games, or other time-wasting junk that can actually hinder their progression as an athlete. Gifts can run the whole gamut of athletic-related goods, anything from apparel to equipment to footwear to supplements and training.

Below is a list of gift items for the more popular sports in America. Gifts ideas are listed by sport followed by a website where you may purchase these goods;

• Basketball: shoes, shorts, jerseys, balls, ankle braces

• Baseball & Softball: cleats, batting gloves, eyeblack, balls, sunglasses, bats, mits

• Football: cleats, gloves, footballs, facemasks, arm bands, mouth pieces, jerseys

• Soccer: cleats, balls, socks, shin pads, shorts

• Track: spikes, waffles, warm-ups, sweats, leggings

• Hockey: skates, pucks, sticks, jerseys

There are also gifts that each and every athlete can use, no matter what sport they compete in. These includes training equipment, sessions, and apparel.

• Training apparel includes brands such as Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Under Armour, and T3K.

• Nutritional supplements are a plus for any athlete trying to get an edge on the competition. These can be found at sites such as www.athletes.com & www.bodybuilding.com.

Budget
What Is The Best Gift When On A Budget?

During the holidays or birthdays it can be hard to find money to purchase gifts for each and every person on your shopping list. Unfortunately not many of the sport-specific gift ideas fall under $20 anymore. Certainly not shoes, gloves, and balls.

Luckily for athletes (and the parents who buy for them) there are still gifts out there that any athlete could use and won't break the bank. The best of which is the gift of knowledge. Many books on topics such as strength training, speed training, and nutrition can be found here.

Money Not an Issue?
If Money Is No Issue, What Type Of Gift Would You Buy An Athlete?

For the lucky few in the world who do not have to pinch their pennies there is a gift that stands above and beyond all others. Skill. Skill development sessions from the best and brightest coaches and athletes are often available for the right price.

NFL, NBA, and MLB coaches often hold skill development camps during their off-season. Training sessions with these elite coaches can often run anywhere from $500 to $2000 per camp.

You can generally find listing for these camps at the respective website for each sport www.nba.com, www.nfl.com, and www.mlb.com. Additionally nearly every college in America host various skills camp in the summer months for athletes looking to take their game to the next level. Check out the athletics website for the school of your interest to learn more.

3rd Place - Xtrainer
View This Author's Profile Here.

It comes with the territory. Anytime one picks up a new sport or physical activity, there's going to be a price tag. Fortunately, you can help out your fellow athletes around the holidays and birthdays with a few well-chosen gifts.

Good Gifts For All Athletes:

Here are a few items ALL athletes should own:

• Medicine Ball: No matter what the sport, every athlete can benefit from strength and plyometric training with a medicine ball. Cost: $15-60

• Free Weights: Whether in the form of barbells, dumbbells or kettlebells, it is wise for all athletes to have some type of strength training equipment for regular use or as a last resort when going to the gym is not an option. Like medicine balls, a set of free weights provides limitless exercise possibilities. Cost: Varies, but usually a few bucks per pound.

• Compression Apparel: This a great type of clothing to wear while working out. It is comfortable, fast-drying, and can keep you either warm or cool depending on your preferences and needs. Brand names include Under Armour and Nike. Cost: Varies widely depending on style.

Sport Specific Gifts:

• Boxers/MMA Guys: Handwraps! As an MMA guy myself, I can testify that we're always wearing ours out. A new pair or two saves us a lot of trouble. Cost: $5

• Football Players: Position-specific gloves (such as "receiver gloves"). Under Armour, Nike, and a few others make these. Cost: $20+

• Soccer Players: Ball pump. That way the athlete you're buying for won't be the one walking around aimlessly searching for someone who has one! Cost: $10-20

• Swimmers: Towel with his or her name embroidered into it. This is a "custom" gift, making it very personal, and the recipient will get a lot of use out of it. Cost: Varies widely because of embroidery.

• Baseball Players: There are a lot of solid instructional video series out there for baseball players. You see those created by Tom Emanski advertised on TV all the time. Cost: $20+ per tape, $100+ for complete sets.

Best Bargain Gift (For Those On A Budget):

Look for the items that the athlete you are shopping for uses daily in training or practice. An often used, functional, and INEXPENSIVE gift is much more appreciated than a gift than is expensive but irrelevant to the athlete's interests.

For example, the aforementioned handwraps are extremely inexpensive but will see daily use. Lifting gloves, head/wrist sweat bands, and similar products will all see hard use and appreciation but will cost the shopper very little.

The Ultimate Gift (Money Is No Object!):

I think I speak for most athletes when I say that the ultimate gift would be to have all of my training expenses paid for. That way, the athlete can focus entirely on his or her sport. For starters:

• Gym Membership
• Sport-specific equipment
• Personal training/nutrition consultation
• Sports camps/seminars/special coaching

That would be the ultimate gift.