Shopping for the fitness lover in your life, or treating yourself before a new training block? The best presents are the ones that get used every week rather than admired once. This fitness gift guide from the team at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading covers five categories that suit beginners, seasoned lifters and fighters alike, plus a shopping tip for each so you can build a gift that lands.
1. Gym apparel: look good, train hard
Nothing beats the motivation of training in new gear. Quality apparel provides the support and comfort to push hard, whether that is leggings, compression shorts or a hoodie for the walk in on cold mornings. Hammer’s own merchandise, including tees, singlets and hoodies, is available at reception and is a favourite with members who like to train on-brand.
Shopping tip: buy a bundle, such as a hoodie and a matching tee, so the gift works in both warm and cold months and lasts for years.
2. Boxing and Muay Thai gear: train like a pro
Combat sports are booming, and for anyone training boxing or Muay Thai the right gear makes a real difference to safety and performance. Well-padded gloves protect hands and wrists, hand wraps stabilise the small bones of the hand, and good shin guards are essential once sparring starts. Our reception team stocks quality gloves, wraps, shin guards and Hammer’s Muay Thai pads and can help you pick the right size and weight.
Shopping tip: pair a set of gloves with hand wraps and a gym towel for a complete starter kit. If they are brand new to training, read our Muay Thai for beginners guide for what they will actually need in the first month.
3. A fitness tracker: a coach on the wrist
Modern trackers monitor far more than steps. Watches and rings from the major brands track heart rate, sleep quality, heart-rate variability and recovery, and the data helps users pace training, notice when they are run down and build better habits. For anyone who likes numbers, it is a gift that keeps giving.
Shopping tip: pair the device with a subscription to a training or running app so they get the most from the data. Our article on tracking gym progress explains what is worth measuring.
4. Resistance bands: the most versatile gift in fitness
Resistance bands are cheap, compact and useful for everyone: warm-ups, mobility, glute activation, assisted pull-ups, rehab and travel workouts. A set with several resistance levels, handles and a door anchor covers almost every need.
Shopping tip: add a printed workout guide or bookmark a few routines so the bands do not sit in a drawer. Our resistance bands 101 article is a good start.
5. Recovery gear: take rest as seriously as training
Recovery is where results are made, and recovery tools are the gifts people rarely buy themselves. Percussive massage guns reduce soreness and improve circulation, foam rollers and massage balls release tight tissue, and a bag of Epsom salts turns a bath into a recovery session.
Shopping tip: combine a massage gun with a foam roller and Epsom salts for a complete recovery kit. For the ultimate version, a Hammer’s Gym membership includes the infrared sauna, cold plunge and massage chairs; read our recovery hacks to see what they get.
The gift that starts a habit
For someone who has been talking about getting fit but has not started, the most valuable present is a place to begin. A Hammer’s Gym membership or a block of personal training sessions gives them coaching, community and every piece of equipment above under one roof, and our free one-day trial lets them test it first. Drop into reception in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster, and we will help you put the right gift together.