January is often the time where fitness buffs and freshly committed gym newbies are looking to refresh their workout routines.
Nothing helps get you back on track than new fitness equipment!
This Christmas gifts for her, a guide for fitness lovers, is curated for any level of exercise enthusiast so you can beef up the home gym or your workout routine for under $25.
(all products under $25 at time of publishing – subject to change)
Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a New Workout Routine
NOTE: this Christmas Gifts for Her guide contains affiliate links. This means that by clicking and purchasing, I could receive a percentage of the purchase price. This does not affect the cost to you but it helps me support my family (very much appreciated!)☺ All opinions are my own.
Home Gym Christmas Gifts for Her
Loop Bands (aka Booty Bands)
- Indispensable for activating glute muscles so they can grow!
- Perfect for outdoor or at home workouts
- Use for strengthening inner thighs, outer thighs, upper, lower and middle glutes
- Works to strengthen shoulders too!
Read more: Pyramid Workout for Shoulders and Legs
- Standard fitness equipment for any home gym
- Versatile to use for increasing challenge to core muscles
- Works in place of a bench for dumbbell exercises
- Great for core work
Read more: Core Strength Exercises That Actually Work
Hex Rubber Dumbbells 10 – 20 lbs
- Essential for progressing past bodyweight movements
- Can be used for any muscle group
- Necessary for building lean muscle and increasing metabolism
Read more: How to Increase Metabolism: Myths and Truths
- An extremely economical way to add resistance to your training. Resistance is KEY to gaining muscle and increasing metabolism.
- Lightweight, portable, easy to store
- Works like a cable machine or dumbbells
Kettlebells 10-15 lbs
- Fantastic for fat burning and muscle growth at the same time
- Ergonomic shape used with kettlebells allows easier and more natural grip
- Allows you to build fantastic glutes and core strength in one move — the kettlebell swing
Read more: Kettlebell Squats and Swings HIIT Circuit
- Portable and lightweight
- Excellent for cardiovascular exercise
- Great home gym alternative to fancy cardio machines
- Quick to pick up and use between sets for a fantastic HIIT workout
Also See our: 30 Day HIIT Challenge (+8 Reasons You Should Do HIIT)
See this jump rope workout I created for Openfit:
15-Minute Workout
If you’re new to jumping rope, MacPherson suggests aiming to do this circuit for up to 15 minutes, finishing as many rounds as you can. Add more time as the workout starts to feel easier, up to 30 minutes total.
Warm up with a few minutes of active stretching (think: bodyweight lunges and squats, standing side-to-side rotations, standing knee pulls) and then grab a timer and sweat your way through this jump rope workout.
- Scissors (1 minute): Start in a staggered stance (one foot in front of the other), and switch foot positions with each jump.
- Twists (1 minute): Target your obliques with this jump rope exercise. Jump with your feet facing forward, then 45 degrees to the left, then center, then 45 degrees to the right, then center. Keep your core engaged and rotate only your lower body (try to keep your upper body from twisting).
- Skiers (1 minute): Hop from side to side with your feet together (like you’re navigating moguls on skis).
- Boxer skips (1 minute): With each jump, shift your weight from leg to leg. When your weight is on your left foot, your right knee should be slightly bent and your right toe should barely touch the floor (and vice versa).
- Rest (1 minute).
- Repeat the circuit two more times.
Jump Rope Workout Variations
Need to switch it up a little? MacPherson recommends dropping one of these challenging variations into your jump rope workout.
- Do a jump rope pyramid: Start with three single-leg hops on your left foot followed by three single-leg hops on your right foot. Next, do six hops on each foot, and then nine on each foot before working your way back down to three.
- Test your coordination: Do 10 basic jumps on two feet. Then criss-cross the rope (by crossing your arms in front of your body) for 10 jumps. Jump side to side for 10 jumps. Jump on your left foot for 5 jumps, and then your right foot for 5 jumps.
Upper Body Workout Bar & Pull Up Bar
- Helps to master bodyweight exercises allowing muscle growth without a bunch of weights
- Use for a variety of upper body movements
- Great for hanging leg raises and other core work
Ab Roller Wheel with Resistance Band
- One of the top movements for building flat, strong abs and core
- Natural movement that doesn’t cause back pain like crunches can
- Cheap and highly effective
- One of the best “cheap” items I’ve ever bought for my home gym
- Super versatile — use for core work, glute work and leg work
- Perform lunges in all directions for amazing glute strengthening
- Can combine with bands for even greater intensity
See this article for exercise ideas: 11 Slider Exercises that Will Challenge Your Core in New Ways
For The Gym
Wireless Sports Bluetooth Earphones
- Sweatproof
- HiFi Bass
- Noise cancelling
- 4.5 stars from almost 12,000 reviews
- Under $20!
Check out this Rock Weightlifting Playlist I created for Livestrong.com
- “Let’s Get It Up” by AC/DC
- “I Only Lie When I Love You” by Royal Blood
- “Safari Song” by Greta Van Fleet
- “No Good” by Kaleo
- “Pressure and Time” by Rival Sons
- “Even Flow” by Pearl Jam
- “Icky Thump” by The White Stripes
- “Black on Black II” by Heart
- “Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
- “Cochise” by Audioslave
- “Human” by Rag’n’Bone Man
- “Be My Fire” by The Blue Stones
- “Do Your Worst” by Rival Sons
- Huge roomy bag but still light and soft
- Many pretty colour options
- Waterproof, vents for air flow to prevent musty smells
- Durable, long lasting material
- Waterproof zipper pocket for wet items
- Awesome reviews! Frankly, an amazing deal. I’d pay twice the price!
- microfiber, fast absorbing, quick drying
- Lots of cute colour choices
- Excellent value
- Great for removing makeup and sweat
- lightweight, gentle, water and sweat resistant
- universal fit with stretch lycra
- lifetime guarantee
- reflective strip
- pockets for cards and keys
- multi ports and headphone holder
- Can help prevent calluses
- Improves grip
- Helps protect wrists
- Flexible and functional fingerless style
- Ideal if your gym doesn’t allow chalk for grip or chalk dries your skin
Fitness Christmas Gifts for Her Workout Recovery
Myofascial Release Massage Balls
- Great for workout recovery, massaging fascial tissue to prevent soreness
- Easy to self apply
- The correct firmness and grip for myofascial release
The Original Stretch Out Strap
- Allows greater range of motion for a deeper stretch
- Helps to maintain proper form so you do not strain
- Allows for passive stretching techniques normally only possible with a trainer or physiotherapist
- Provides muscle relaxation through self massage and myofascial release
- Soft enough to use during back injury, plantar fasciitis, or sciatica
- Treat muscle pain and increase flexibility
- Prevent muscle soreness
There’s something for everyone on this Christmas Gifts for Her Fitness Lovers edition. Lots of stocking stuffer options and gifts that any exercise enthusiast will love!
When having sore muscles nothing works to relieve pain and tension better than a massage. Your article has been enlightening and fun to read and I am grateful so thank you for sharing.