Ready or not, gift giving season is around the corner friends!
Don't panic if you haven't started thinking about shopping yet...I've got you covered with a holiday gift guide that's jam packed with goodies I personally use. They're perfect for any strength & mobility loving friend or family member (or for you!).
I wanted to get this out to you before Cyber Weekend so you could get your list together and be ready for when those deals drop (which many will be starting before Cyber Weekend!).
Book: Breath by James Nestor
Breath by James Nestor is by far my favorite read over the past few years. Breathing is arguably the most important component of our day to day lives, yet it tends to be placed on the back burner when it comes to training. Nestor does an amazing job of luring you in with great stories, he gives you the why behind a concept and then provides a simple and easy to use application. If you’ve ever heard me say breathe through your nose, tape your mouth while sleeping, or use breath to control your stress and emotions, you’ll finally know where it came from!
Book: Sacred Cow - by Diane Rodgers and Rob Wolf
If you know me, you know how much meat I eat and how I feel pretty damn healthy, but like clockwork, every few months a documentary or book comes out telling us how detrimental eating meat is for your health and how all of our problems will be solved by switching to a plant based diet.
Sacred Cow debunks all of the myths surrounding meat eating, why a plant based diet won’t solve all of your problems and how sustainable an animal based diet can be. Even if you’re not into food like me, it’s still highly enjoyable to understand how our bodies respond to an omnivorous (meat and veggies) diet.
Gaiam Essentials Yoga Blocks
Want to know what is the most bang for your buck piece of exercise equipment on the market??? You probably didn’t guess yoga blocks but there isn’t a more versatile piece of equipment to gift to your fitness enthusiast. Whether they use it for yoga, mobility training or a prop to change up their strength training regiment, yoga blocks are perfect.
Buyer beware though. The most important trait a yoga block must have is being durable and being affordable is a bonus too. That's where these Gaiam Essential yoga blocks come in.
I’ve used these things pretty much everyday for 5 years and they still have the same shape and sturdiness, plus the price is perfect!
Sportneer Adjustable Ankle Weights
What do you give the fitness enthusiast who’s always bragging about how mobile or flexible they are? ADJUSTABLE ANKLE WEIGHTS!!! These will put the best, strongest mover to the test. I've seen it a thousand times. Once you add a small amount of load the whole game changes. For instance, throw a 1-2 lb ankle weight on your ankle during a Hip CAR and you’re going to experience a brand new set of sensations (and probably a killer cramp).
What I love about these Sportneer adjustable ankle weights, is that they're adjustable and durable. Being able to quickly go from 1-5 lbs ensures that my body is always progressing without being annoyed on how long it takes to switch out the weight. Secondly, I use these just about everyday in some capacity and have yet to see any wear and tear. Give someone the gift of mobility gains this holiday season!
The Best Yoga Mat Ever!
If you do any type of at-home exercises like mobility training, pilates or yoga, you may be familiar with the dilemma of having a mat that’s either too narrow or too thin. The struggle has been real on this one. I’ve searched and searched for a wide mat that will support my knees, without breaking the bank.
I'm really pumped to share the Prosource Fit extra thick mat with you that I found on Amazon of all places. It’s the same mat I’ve been using in our Kinstretch Online workouts and this thing has lasted through all of the use and abuse I put it through.
Here’s what I love about them:
Customize your size - An order includes 6, 24”x24” foam tiles with 12 border pieces so you can customize the size to what activity you’re doing. I only need 4 for my workouts and have plenty of room to move around.
Affordable - Yes please! For $35 + free shipping for Amazon Prime members, I’ll take it. Sayonara overpriced yoga mat!
Thick - I personally recommend the 3/4” mat so you can save your knees!
Non-slip - Because they’re interlocking puzzle pieces there’s no "slip and split” action going on. I have these on my hardwood floor and have never had an issue.
Durable - I’ve put mine to the test with over 1,000 hours of use and they’re still in awesome condition. I can’t speak highly enough about the quality of these. No crumbling or ripping like your see with your standard yoga mat.
Simple assembly and easy to store - These are light and quick to connect or disassemble. I live in a 1 bedroom apartment and if I have guests coming over, I can quickly take them apart and store under my bed or in the closet.
Durherm Infrared Sauna
Did you realize that there is a simple, quick, affordable way to increase your health and wellness while sitting down? I mean what sounds better than that??? If you guessed sitting in a sauna 4-5 days per week for 20 minutes then you’ve definitely spent some time with me. This might just be my favorite gift idea on the list and is something I've been telling my clients about constantly.
After reading tons of research on the benefits of regular sauna use a few years ago, I started using the one at my gym. Then, the good ole' pandemic hit and I started looking at options for use at home. The problem? I didn't have thousands of dollars to spend on fancy schmancy saunas so I researched and researched until I found this Durherm Infrared Sauna.
Best money I’ve ever spent! Between Jen and I, this has been getting daily use and I don't have a single complaint. Here's why:
It's lightweight and is easy to setup or take down if you live in a small space
You'd be surprised how hot it gets (150 degrees)
Has a timer (up to 30 minutes) so you can set it and forget it
Low EMF - I didn't know much about EMFs before looking up saunas but let's just say high EMFs are bad and come off of all electronic devices. The Durham has the lowest readings that I've been able to find.
You can read more here about the benefits of sauna use but here’s a quick list:
Increase the mitochondria in the cells (the batteries of the body)
Decrease risk of cardiovascular disease (similar to aerobic exercise)
Detoxify heavy metals and chemicals (this is super personal for me as I discovered I had toxic levels of mercury and tin in my blood. Six months of sauna use and I had zero levels of either in my body! My functional medicine doctor told me she'd never seen anything like it!)
Reduction in blood pressure
Increase immune function
Boost brain function (research is new in this, but highly promising)
Decrease in stress
Lastly, it just feels amazing after a long day
Weck Method RMT Ropes
These Weck Method RMT ropes are, in my opinion, one of the most addictive and fun ways to move. If you follow my stories on Instagram you'll see me playing around with these all the time and they've quickly become a favorite for my clients.
You may be thinking "how can playing with ropes give you a workout and be fun?" but I can assure you, after just a few minutes of using these, you’ll have a smile on your face and will be grooving to the rhythm of the ropes hitting the ground.
Steals and Deals
Get 10% off when you use code: WMA35
PLUS, I’m throwing in a free video series to show you HOW to use these bad boys.
Click below to grab a pair before they sell out (and they DO sell out!)
Personal Power Plate
I discovered the Power Plate 10+ years ago, but as an ignorant youth I dismissed it as a fad and never gave it another thought. However, about a year ago, Jen and I started learning more about the importance of lymphatic drainage, which the Power Plate assists with, so I decided to give it a try in the morning. turns out, I loved this thing and over the past year I’ve gotten on it almost everyday to do my morning mobility exercises as well a variety of strength training exercises.
First off, what I love about the Power Plate is that the vibrating mechanism of it provides the body with lymphatic drainage. In short, your lymphatic system is like the filter in an aquarium. If you’re not stimulating your lymphatic system, your swimming in your own toxins…no bueno. By simply standing on this machine and doing any kind of movement, you start to get your lymphatic system working.
From a strength training perspective, the Power Plate makes every exercise more intense by vibrating the tissues you’re working, thus increasing the stimulus. Take a basic lunge for instance. The muscles of the knees, hips, and ankles are forced to react to all the different vibrations. As for CARS, the power plate builds a stronger connection between the tissues and the brain, thus making us even better movers.
ANYTIME, ANYWHERE MOBILITY TRAINING
Looking for a unique gift idea for someone in your life who enjoys being active? Share the gift of an active, pain-free life with any of our online mobility training programs that have helped over 1,000 everyday athletes move, feel and perform at their highest level. Choose from programs designed to target the hips or shoulders, to programs specifically for runners, cyclists or golfers, to so much more. This is a gift that your recipient will thank you for, for years to come.
*A few of these items were found on Amazon so I wanted to be sure to mention that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
ABOUT COACH MATT PIPPIN
Matt is a Strength and Mobility Coach with over 15 years experience in his field and has coached over a thousand professional, collegiate and everyday athletes with the goal to help them move, feel and perform at their highest level. He's incredibly passionate about bringing simple and effective online mobility training programs to everyone who wants to take control of their self care and make lasting change. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Certifications:
NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Level 3: Fascial Stretch Specialist
Level 1: Institute of Motion Health Coach
Certified FRC Mobility Specialist (FRCms)
Level 1 Kinstretch Instructor
Weck Method Qualified