Stuck for last-minute fitness gift ideas? We thought we’d ask some of the pros what they wanted, get ourselves a few ideas. We’ve discovered some pretty cool new fitness gear websites through these guys!
Run, run, runtastic
Nick Anderson and Phoebe Thomas are running coaches with Runningwithus offering personal coaching and one-to-one running sessions (hmm, a couple of Runningwithus sessions may be going on our Christmas lists!)
- I’d like some new Saucony Xodus Gortex shoes for running in the mountains this winter. Also some Yaktrax (ice grips to put on running/walking shoes to stop you slipping on snow and ice) and a beautiful Mountain Equipment fleece I have dropped hints about… oh and some quality time off to run in the mountains! Nick
- I’d really like the Saucony Peregrine trail shoe along with a lightweight down/PrimaLoft jacket, some merino wool base layers and some real snow – I’m working in Scotland at the moment and this mild stuff is very boring! Phoebe
Christmas CrossFit
Harri Bold is Gym Manager at Cross Fit Bold, a strength and conditioning gym in South west London.
- I’d love some Reebok CrossFit Nano trainers, £95, for working out in, the Free to Be sports bra by Lululemon, £38, is stylish and practical and a Nike Fuelband SE, £129, to monitor my activity and movement throughout the day.
Sod the reindeer, get on your bike
Gareth Turner is Studio Manager at Cyclebeat an indoor cycling studio in central London (probably our favourite indoor cycling studio). They have a great introductory offer – 20 days for £20 – which would also make a great Christmas present!
- I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but it’s cold outside! This Helly Hansen merino wool baselayer, £55, will keep me nice and toastie when I am out cycling or running.
- I’d also like a new GPS cycling computer. It would be horrible to get lost on a long ride, this Garmin Edge 500, £169.99, will guide me home.
- I quite fancy a kettlebell too. It’s easy to make excuses and stay at home instead of going to the gym in the winter, with a kettlebell I can work the whole body in the comfort of my own home and they take up minimum space. Oh and a sports massage voucher for Six Physio. Recovery is often a neglected part of training is the recovery, and a good sports massage speeds up recovery and helps to prevent injury.
The pick of Pilates
Korin Nolan is an Instructor at Bootcamp Pilates. With studios in West London, East London, South London and Richmond in Surrey, Bootcamp Pilates uses reformer Pilates machines and also offers Boxilates, Jump boards and Express classes.
- I really like the yoga, pilates and loungewear at Wellicious. I’d be really happy with the Wellicious From You With Love bracelet, £35, and Kerstin Linnartz ‘Signature Piece’ vest, £54.95 as well as the Holistic anti-ageing silk pillowcase, £49.95.
Get your yogi on
Jessica Skye is the founder of Fat Buddah Yoga, offering pop-up vinyasa yoga classes across London. Jess also rocks an awesome line in yoga leggings!
- I like to have cool toenails when I’m teaching and I’ve seen some wicked pink holographic nail varnish in Wah Nails. I’m also giving up coffee in 2014 (maybe even sugar too!) so I’d really like teapig’s Modern Matcha kit, £32.50. It’s a got a battery-operated whisk and shot glass so you can make your daily matcha shot. Match is concentrated organic green tea that’s full of antioxidants. Oh and I’d like my own pop-up yoga studio too 😉
Libby Limon is a nutritionist and yoga teacher. In January she is running a MEGA REBOOTCAMP at FRAME. A holistic bootcamp where you nourish and focus on your body to feel and look amazing. There are one and three week options available – we’ve done a one weeker before, highly recommended!
- A HUROM slow juicer , around £299.99, is on my Fitmas list. I have a good juicer to make my morning super 100% green juice, but I’d love to upgrade to this masticating badboy. It retains more of the nutrients and enzymes, as well as gaining a better yield.
- Sweaty Betty Skidoo Base layer ski leggings, £49. These came out a couple of months ago as part of a range of awesomely cool geek chic ski underwear. I’m off to the slopes for the new year so hopefully Santa is going to buy me these to keep my pins warm. I am also fully planning on rocking them out around London when I teach yoga over the winter months!
- My current yoga mat is becoming a little threadbare, so it’s time to wish for a new one of my favourite Jade yoga mats, approx £62. They’re eco-friendly, made of natural rubber and most importantly have amazing grip. I’d also like a large tub of COYO coconut icecream. I love this stuff! It’s super creamy and delicious but dairy free.
Winter Workout Shizzle
Possibly the nicest person in fitness, Kim Ingleby is founder and director of Energised Performance, offering performance coaching and helping people achieve their goals in Bristol, London and worldwide.
- This Christmas I’d like to give to others…. giving them the courage to commit to achieving their goals in 2014, to change their habits and feel confident and happy inside and out. I’d like to write a book and provide online courses to empower others to be their best. I’d like to learn something new, both in fitness and outside of fitness – I’m interested in interior design. I want to meet new people and have fun with those that matter. I’d also like a new bike as I may have a couple of crazy adventures coming up in the new year and I really want some on-trend kit like the Nike Pro Zebra Leggings, £80, bound to give you the edge:)
- And some fitness essentials too. The Shock Absorber RUN Bra, £38, is great and comes in fab colours and I love Sweaty Betty vests for training sessions too.
Paul is a personal and group fitness trainer and runs is own company, Paul Kenny Fitness. He has served as a Physical Training Instructor with the British Territorial Army, so he WILL get you results!
- I’d really like a Fitbit Flex, £79.99, in cool grey. It tracks your steps, calories burnt, amount and quality of sleep, and it syncs to your mobile device too so you don’t need to upload all the data.
- I’d also like a lateral speed resistor, £14.99. They’re great for short intense cardio, whole body fitness and explosive power training.
- And I’m always happy with any technical outdoor clothing from Rab, seriously amazing kit!
Dance on!
Flik Swan and Victoria Marr are co-founders of Sleek Technique, a total body fitness method based on authentic ballet technique to hone, tone and strengthen your body. Classes are available live online or to download. They also have a 10 days for £10 trial offer – and Christmas gift vouchers!
- I have only just retired from full time professional ballet with the Birmingham Royal ballet to run Flik and I’s great new dance fitness company Sleek Technique. I am still a ballerina at heart and love these bags printed with images by dance photographer Tarzan Dan. Would love one for my dance gear and everyday essentials running to and from the studio. Victoria
- I wear a lot of Pepper & Mayne wear for classes and lots of which can be worn out of the studio too. I would love another little crossover top, £75, from their rehearsal wear collection, I live in them. Victoria
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First off has to be a Whole Foods Gift Card for as much as Santa will let me spend! (I could lose HOURS browsing and ££££s buying the variety of healthy nutritious foods and health care products on offer at the Piccadilly store especially; coconut oil is one thing I’d definitely stock up on.) Accompany that with not one but two magazine subscriptions please; one to Women’s Health and the other to Self magazine, the combination of these two gives you a great cross section of health, fitness, mind and body features but without ignoring the importance of personal happiness and general well being. Flik
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The amazing ballet inspired clothing company Pepper & Mayne have teamed up with breast cancer charity Future Dreams to create two gorgeous candles in ‘calming’ and ‘energising’ tones, £25. I’ll have one of each please, one for before a workout and one for after! FlikSleek Technique workouts hold several key factors high up on the priority list – one especially being ‘technique’ and form when exercising to prevent injury and maximise results. I’d be interested to try the Repetto Technical Posture leggings, £50, which claim to give extra support to the hamstring and calf areas to see if that’s really the case. Flik
- You don’t need any footwear for Sleek as our workouts are low impact and inspired by classical ballet exercises but to stop my pedicure scraping off during ‘tendu’ and ‘lunge’ exercises I’d like a pair of Bloch Eclipse leather shoes, £16.95. They cover your tootsies but leave the rest of your feet free to do what they should… they’d save me a fortune in nail polish I think! (And if Santa wants to throw in some Chanel nail polish in their signature red I wouldn’t complain!) Flik
- And finally, Santa would outdo himself if he bought me a luxury spa break staying at the Oazia Spa Villas in Bali Indonesia. Time to relax, unwind and re-energise for the New Year. Flik
THANK YOU THANK YOU for putting myself and totem bags on your “All I want for Fit-mas” List 🙂
Happy Holidays!